Description

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 building innovative partnerships to sustain healthy land, air, and water in harmony with a strong economy. Join a team of highly effective, collaborative, and public servants focused on protecting human health and the environment at the Department of Ecology, Nuclear Waste Program (NWP).

The  NWP is looking to fill a Senior Waste Management Permit Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4) position. This position is located alongside the Columbia River in the Richland Field Office (RFO) in Richland, WA.

The Senior Waste Management Permit Specialist position serves as a senior staff environmental specialist for Waste Management Section of the Nuclear Waste Program in the Richland office. This position leads the permitting application review and permit development for the Waste Management Project Hanford Solid Waste Operating Complex (SWOC) facilities.

We are looking for applicants who possess excellent people skills, the ability to juggle several high-priority scopes of work, and who want the opportunity to independently problem-solve.

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.

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.

Duties

The Nuclear Waste Program’s (NWP) mission is to lead the effective and efficient cleanup of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site, ensure sound management of mixed hazardous wastes in Washington, and protect the state’s air, water, and land.

Some of the key work activities of the Senior Waste Management Permit Specialist position include:

• Creates regulatory analysis of facilities’ proposed permit applications and closure plans prepared by the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) and its contractors.
• Performs independent environmental review of plans and specifications, site plans, Dangerous Waste / Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit applications and permits.
• Provides regulatory and permit writing support to the review and evaluation of the existing Hanford Site-wide permit and its modifications and for new/proposed permits.
• Prepares and negotiates permits.
• Monitors the terms of agreements for closure plans that came in under the Environmental Protection Agency, Consent Agreement and Final Order and Ecology Agreed Order.
• Makes recommendations for enforcement actions.
• Leads, directs, and mentors project support staff on specific projects assigned.
• Develops and carries out assignments based on program priorities and Tri-Party Agreement or permitting schedules.
• Works with Environmental Protection Agency, Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction Program, and permittees to respond to highly complex inquiries for technical assistance requiring advanced scientific knowledge.
• Represents Ecology as the Program’s subject matter expert on permit decision appeals to the Pollution Controls Hearing Board.
• Interprets state Dangerous Waste Requirements, RCRA, and Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) regulations, agency/program policies, technical guidelines and procedures for environmental control and management of Hanford waste sites and facilities, and other facilities regulated by the Nuclear Waste Program.

Please note: During Stay Home, Stay Healthy, staff are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need.

Ecology is maintaining less than maximum building occupancy, and requiring masks, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing.

This recruitment will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be May 13, 2021.  In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before May 12, 2021. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

There are multiple ways to qualify for this position. See options below:

Option 1: A Bachelor’s degree involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field AND five years of professional-level experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning which includes one year of experience equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years of equal to an environmental specialist 2 or above.

Option 2: A Master’s degree in one of the above fields AND three years of professional-level experience as required above which includes one year of experience equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years of equal to an environmental specialist 2 or above.

Option 3: A Ph.D. in one of the above fields AND two years of professional-level experience as required above which includes one year of experience equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years of equal to an environmental specialist 2 or above.

Option 4: Two years of experience as an Environmental Specialist 3, at the Department of Ecology.

Option 5: Applicants will meet required qualifications if they possess a combination of 9 years of professional-level experience and/or education, as detailed above. See chart below:

Additional experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:

The experience as an Environmental Specialist 3 can include a combination of the following: 1) investigating and / or resolving complaints involving science or technology content, 2) performing inspections, 3) drafting technical evaluations and reports, 4) develops plans for researching information used for technical projects, regulatory or policy development, 5) plan and facilitate public meetings and hearings, 6) project work requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes, 7) providing technical assistance for complex scientific content and / or support for implementing scientific content programs, 8) conducting tests, analyzing and evaluating data, 9) using environmental databases to support technical projects, 10) developing scientific studies and resource management plans, 11) providing environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant / contract / loan recipients of environmental protection projects.

The experience as an Environmental Specialist 2 can include assisting in any of the following areas: 1) performing field surveys or studies, 2) responding to complaints involving scientific or technical content, 3) preparing public meetings and hearings, 4) assistance with routine inspections or investigations requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes, 5) responding to routine inquires or requests for technical assistance involving scientific content, 6) special projects that are scientific in nature, 7) conducting routine sampling and testing analyses, interprets data, writing reports 8) performing basic sampling data review, 9) maintaining an environmental data base to support technical projects, 10) providing routine environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant / contract / loan recipients of environmental protection projects.

Desired Qualifications:

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

• Four years of professional experience in dangerous/RCRA/mixed waste permitting.
• Demonstrated ability to perform independent environmental review of Dangerous Waste/Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) permit applications and permits and Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) remedial documents.

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

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment:

• Must be able to obtain a Hanford site access badge. Information about obtaining the Hanford Badge Real ID (Download PDF reader) Real ID information from the Department of Licensing 
• HAZWOPER 40-hour certification is required to perform this work within 12 months of hire. Must be able to meet the physical activity requirements for this certification.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Why work for Ecology?

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 and the Pacific Northwest, while keeping the health and financial security of you and your family a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to work/life 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

Student debt and how working for Ecology can help
Employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

*See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information

Supplemental Information

Application Instructions:
Please complete the short on-line application, supplemental questions and upload:

• Your current chronological resume.
• A cover letter explaining how you fit the requirements of the position.
• Three professional references with current contact information.

 
Important Note:
When attaching documents to your application (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.

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

It is in the candidate’s best interest to submit all of the documents requested above. Applications without these documents may be declined.

Department of 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.

If you are reading this announcement in print format, please visit www.careers.wa.gov to access the online recruitment system. Click on “Look for Jobs” and select Dept. of Ecology under the “Department” search list. Click “Apply Search.”

Other Information:

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 the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile’s main page.

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

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.

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

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.

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.