This position is located within the Ecological Restoration and Engineering Services Unit (ERES) and will support the development, implementation and monitoring of projects and programs identified through the division’s capital projects planning processes. ERES designs, permits, builds, monitors and maintains ecological restoration projects in King County’s aquatic and riparian environments to promote salmon recovery. ERES includes a multidisciplinary staff of ecologists, engineers, and geologists with experience in ecosystem assessment, restoration design, project management, permitting, construction, and monitoring. Projects range from plantings implemented through the Small Habitat Restoration Program (SHRP) to large river, stream, wetland and shoreline restoration projects. Many projects are large, complex, multi-year and multi-objective river restoration projects requiring a thorough understanding of the riverine environment, riverine processes and floodplain management.

The successful candidate will coordinate the work of a small team of engineers, ecologists and other scientists to assess the performance of completed projects at meeting project goals and objectives, achieving salmon recovery targets and informing future actions. They will manage communications for the monitoring program and collaborate across the Water and Land Resources Division to integrate monitoring efforts and data management. In addition, they will demonstrate their ability, experience and willingness to work with diverse populations and implement King County’s Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan.

Who is Eligible: This position is open to all King County employees and the general public.

Duration: This recruitment will be used to fill a 3 year term-limited temporary position (TLT), with the possibility of extension. If the successful applicant is a King County career service employee that has passed their initial probation period, the position will be offered as a Special Duty Assignment. Employees must have their current supervisor’s approval to accept a Special Duty Assignment.

Telecommuting Requirement

The work associated with this position will be performed remotely on a full-time basis. Employees will also have access to shared workspaces at King Street Center at 201 S. Jackson Street in downtown Seattle. There will be situations where the employee is required to report to a County worksite. Employees must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required by the department in alignment with the Public Health Directive from the Seattle & King County Public Health Officer. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

To support employees during this time King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team.

Work Location: Primarily teleworking and the King Street Center 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle WA 98104

Work Schedule: This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible. This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This full-time position works a 40-hour work week with flexible schedule options subject to supervisory approval.

Applying equity and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work. You will also:

• Serve as the program manager for the Monitoring and Maintenance Program within the Ecological Restoration and Engineering Services Unit.
• Develop and oversee the completion of the annual work plan; forecasting budget, staffing and external resource needs for the program.
• Plan, schedule and delegate data collection, analysis and reporting work to a small team of scientists and engineers.
• Participate in field data collection
• Support capital project teams in the development of project specific performance criteria, monitoring methods and level of effort needed to appropriately assess, document and report project outcomes.
• Plan and implement monitoring communication strategies: develop and maintain a monitoring website, host regular seminars to share monitoring results with colleagues, Tribes, partners and clients, assist project teams with community engagement, and manage distribution of monitoring reports, data summaries, and other monitoring-related materials as needed.
• Collaborate with other sections in the King County Water and Land Resources Division to integrate data management and monitoring across the division’s capital improvement programs.
• Manage consultant contracts as necessary to collect and process data, summarize findings and/or implement maintenance recommendations across multiple sites.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s of Science in fisheries, river or floodplain ecology, aquatic biology, ecology, geomorphology OR at least five years of increasingly responsible work experience including analytical/research-based components that provide the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties described in this job announcement.
• Ability to coordinate the work of a team of scientists and engineers, delegate tasks, schedule fieldwork, develop multimodal communications and manage program and project budgets.
• Experience leading fish, river and stream surveys.
• Knowledge of aquatic and terrestrial monitoring techniques and approaches and the ability to lead monitoring studies, including mitigation monitoring.
• Demonstrated proficiency using Geographical Positioning Systems (GPS) and Geographical Information Systems (e.g., ArcGIS).
• Skill in analyzing and interpreting data using Excel and applying statistical software.
• Skill in reading and interpreting engineering drawings, and technical maps and documents.

Our Ideal Candidate Will Have The Following Competencies: 

• Effectively Plans and organizes work
• Sets Clear Priorities for themselves and others 
• Communicates effectively in both oral and written forms and to a variety of audiences
• Values differences – Recognizes the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization
• Resourceful, with demonstrated ability to grasp issues quickly, take initiative, and operate independently and as a member of a team to accomplish objectives.

The Most Competitive Candidates Will Have:

• Master of Science in fisheries, river or floodplain ecology, aquatic biology, ecology, geomorphology or a related field.
• Thorough understanding of wetland, fish, stream, river and/or floodplain ecology in the Puget Sound lowlands.
• Knowledge of regional salmon recovery plans and strategies and the King County Flood Hazard Management Plan and programs.
• Solid understanding of and experience using multivariate statistical analyses.
• Experience working on complex projects and programs with federal, state and local agencies and tribal governments.
• Advanced knowledge of riverine scientific or engineering principles.
• Habitat restoration and/or mitigation planning, implementation and monitoring experience.

Necessary Special Requirements: A valid Washington State Driver’s License or the ability to obtain within 30 days of hire (King County vehicles are provided for travel to work sites), or the ability to travel throughout King County and Puget Sound as necessary. A final offer of employment will be contingent upon successfully passing a pre-employment physical examination.

Physical Requirements: This position requires the ability to conduct physical site inspections and evaluation, including during inclement weather conditions.  There is often a need to walk on uneven terrain for extended periods of time.  Field conditions include brushy, forested environments; river, stream and wetland corridors; and slippery, uneven surfaces; and adverse outdoor weather conditions. Work tasks also may include in-water situations involving wading and the use of rafts or canoes.

Application and Selection Process: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, cover letter and resume, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position:

• King County application
• Resume
• Cover Letter detailing your background and what you can bring to this position
• Responses to supplemental questions

Union Representation: This position is represented by Professional & Technical Employees Local 17A (PROTEC17) Union.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:

Helen Hackley

Human Resources Analyst

206-477-0087

hhackley@kingcounty.gov

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State’s best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we’re changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation’s best places to live, work and play. 

Guided by our “True North“, we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles–we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer 
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply 
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.