Software Engineer (IT Application Development - Journey) (Three Positions)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Climate Pollution Reduction Program (CPRP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill three Software Engineer (IT – Application Development Journey) positions. These positions are located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station. 

As a Software Engineer with the Climate Pollution Reduction Program, you will work with a team of IT professionals to develop complex environmental information systems to implement new and different IT initiatives in support of reducing carbon emissions in our state. In this role, you will provide vital IT support for the program’s climate portfolio, including the Climate Commitment Act reporting applications and other systems which track fuels, super pollutants, such as hydrofluorocarbons and greenhouse gas emissions, and provide for the assessment and analysis of current environmental conditions. We are looking for candidates that are excited about our Agency's and Program's missions.

Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission: The Climate Pollution Reduction Program's (CPRP's) mission is to implement policies and programs to reduce carbon emissions in the state of Washington so that the state meets its statutory greenhouse gas emission limits. The CPRP focuses long term, requiring creative and strategic decision making for implementation to achieve broad statewide and interstate success reducing carbon emissions in the state of Washington so residents have a healthy environment and climate.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will have flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint. This position will be eligible for up to an 80% tele-work schedule. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by January 22, 2025.
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after January 22nd may not be considered.

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. *Click here for more information 

About the Department of Ecology

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our Strategic Plan.

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

• A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
• An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
• Continuous growth and development opportunities.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR

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.

Duties

What makes this position unique? 

As a Software Engineer for the Climate Pollution Reduction Program (CPRP), you will directly contribute to the program’s mission through highly visible, complex projects used by many internal staff at Ecology, as well as legislators, partner agencies and industry users. Your work directly influences management and policy writers to make sound policy and climate-related decisions affecting the environment and health of Washingtonians. A passion for climate-related work is an asset.

We are looking for candidates with experience in our current development platforms, which includes: C# programming language, Active Server Pages.Net (ASP.Net), .Net Core, HyperText Markup Language-5 (HTML5), JavaScript/JQuery, Angular, Typescript, and other open source JavaScript libraries, Model-View-Controller 5 (MVC-5) framework, Structured Query Language (SQL), Azure DevOps, SQL Reporting Services, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), and Microsoft SQL Server. This is accomplished in a primarily remote environment.
 

What you will do: 

• Code, test, and implement highly complex application components and web services.
• Write re-usable code using the Ecology standard development platform so that CPRP applications are consistently developed and easily maintained by other IT professionals.
• Develop complex mathematical algorithms and functions to analyze environmental data to assist Ecology scientists in making sound policy and health related decisions for all the people in Washington State.
• Assist in facilitating User Acceptance Test (UAT) sessions to ensure applications meet end-user requirements.
• Analyze and develop requirements for complex, program-critical, statewide information systems in support of the Climate Commitment Act.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of the CPRP business and independently or in collaboration with the CPRP Business Analysts, set up and facilitate requirement gathering sessions.
• Translate business requirements into system prototypes to accelerate development and ensure end-user requirements are met.
• Participate in the Ecology Application Developer’s Forum to collaborate with other Ecology software engineers, so that CPRP developers are aware agency software development direction and best practices.
• Develop and maintain systems that generate reports based off of system data and user requirements.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

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

A total of four years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience in computer application development and maintenance. Experience may include some or all of the following: analyzing, designing, implementing, maintaining and/or programming software applications in a similar development environment as noted above (under Duties).
• Education involving major study in Computer Science, Information Technology (IT), Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), or closely related field.

See chart below for a list of ways to qualify for this position: 

Possible Combinations: College credits or degree - as listed above: Years of required experience - as listed above

Combination 1; No college credits or degree; 4 years

Combination 2; 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits; 3 years

Combination 3; 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (AA), 
OR completion of a 2-year accredited vocational training program in IT; 2 years

Combination 4; 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits;1 year

Combination 5;A Bachelor's degree or higher;1 year

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

A background check will be conducted, which may include criminal record history, fingerprinting, and credit history. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment, but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position. 

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

• A Bachelor’s degree with focus on programming/software engineering.
• Four years of information technology experience programming web-based software applications or developing information systems architecture using Microsoft development technologies such as C#/ASP.Net, SQL Server, and HTML5/Javascript for mobile applications. At least three of the four years of experience should be within the last 4 years.
• Professional experience consulting, designing, programming, maintenance and/or support work for moderate risk software applications and databases.

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

Please note: We are experiencing extremely high numbers of applications for IT Application Development positions. Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly, describing your experience and education to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that align with the required and desired qualifications described above. If you have demonstrated experience in our current development platforms (C# programming language, ASP.Net, .Net Core, HTML5, JavaScript/JQuery, Angular, Typescript, and other open source JavaScript libraries, MVC-5 framework, SQL, Azure DevOps, SQL Reporting Services, SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS), and Microsoft SQL Server) then you will be a competitive candidate, and we encourage you to apply. We will contact the top candidates to interview for this position.

Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

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?

• Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
• If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.
• If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.

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

• A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
• A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.    For Your Privacy: When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

• Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc.
• Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded.

Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:

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.

Application Attestation:  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. 

Other Information:

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Wilfred Humeny at: Wilfred.Humeny@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Wilfred to inquire about the status of your application.  To request the full position description, email careers@ecy.wa.gov.

Why work for Ecology?

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.

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. 

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.