Nonpoint (319) Program and TMDL Policy Lead

Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination as part of the hiring process, prior to their start date. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  

The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Nonpoint (319) Program and TMDL Policy Lead (Environmental Planner 4) position.

 

This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.

Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Are you interested in working on water quality policy issues? In this position, you will be the lead on the overall management of the federal Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Program and provide policy support of our Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) program. You will work with other technical and policy experts to develop strategies to better implement our program and use our authorities under the federal Clean Water Act, as well as Washington’s Water Pollution Control Act to clean up our waters.

Given the challenges of nonpoint pollution we need somebody that can problem solve, look for opportunities to improve our approaches, builds relationships, and is a great communicator.

You will be responsible for providing Total Maximum Daily Load policy support across the Water Quality program and responsible for developing the Columbia River Temperature TMDL Implementation Plan.

 

 If you enjoy working on challenging projects, distilling key science, policy and technical information to help make decisions, and want to work with others to solve issues, this is your job!

 

 

 The mission of the Water Quality Program is to protect and restore Washington's waters to sustain healthy watersheds and communities. Our work ensures that state waters support beneficial uses including recreational and business activities, supplies for clean drinking water, and the protection of fish, shellfish, wildlife, and public health.

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

 

Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.

 

Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.

 

Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued. 

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is not currently required to work in the office on a regular basis. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. Looking ahead, Ecology has recently updated the agency policies on telework and flexible and compressed work schedules. Applicants with questions about position location options, telework, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” 

 

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of August 2, 2022. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before August 1, 2022. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

 

Duties

What makes this role unique? 

Nonpoint source pollution is the state’s largest water quality problem. The Watershed Planning Unit works on statewide policy issues related to implementation of the state’s nonpoint source and TMDL programs under the Federal Clean Water Act and Washington State’s Water Pollution Control Act. Our team works with staff around the state to lead Ecology’s efforts to clean up Washington waters. This position serves as the lead planner responsible for overall management of the federal Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Program and provides policy support for the TMDL program. You will also lead our development of the Columbia and Snake Rivers Temperature TMDL implementation Plan. 

Many of the projects we work on are large, and technically and politically complex. We are looking for somebody with the skills to help research and think through these issues, and understand and help implement our legal authorities to address nonpoint sources of pollution. We are a collaborative group of water quality professionals that work together in a team atmosphere.

 

This is a great opportunity to help craft the state’s strategy to address nonpoint pollution and clean up watersheds. You will conduct research on complex issues, help our program develop sustainable policies, and provide advice and guidance to staff around the state.

 

We are looking for a senior level staff person that is interested in water quality policy. If you want lead our nonpoint team, this may be a great opportunity for you.

What you will do: 

Qualifications

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, educational and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

A Bachelor's degree with major emphasis in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field 

AND 

Five years of professional experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development. Experience may include: Developing policies such as land use or implementation processes or procedures.

A Master's degree or above with major emphasis in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field 

AND 

Three years of professional experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development. Experience may include: Developing policies such as land use or implementation processes or procedures.

 

One year of experience as an Environmental Planner 3 at the Department of Ecology.

We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.

Note:Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

Supplemental Information

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable. 

When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

 

Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed. 

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Ben Rau at: Ben.Rau@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Ben to inquire about the status of your application.

 

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information 

The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.  

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.