Salary: $2,697.00 – $3,558.30 Monthly
Location: Spokane County – Spokane, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Non-Permanent
Job Number: 2023-EAPT190-05950
Department: Dept. of Ecology
Division: Environmental Assessment
Opening Date: 05/02/2023
Closing Date: Continuous

The Environmental Assessment Program (EAP) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill an Environmental Technician position for the summer 2023 field season. The position will be located in Spokane, WA. with work primarily focused in the area of Eastern Washington. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

This position will start on June 1, 2023 and will go to no later than October 31, 2023.

In this entry-level position, you will get the opportunity to use what you’ve learned in school and apply it to environmental sampling techniques. Some of the key work activities include: hiking, field navigation, biological monitoring, water quality sampling, habitat surveys and using different types of monitoring equipment. The information that you collect will help assess the condition of streams and watersheds. The data is used to describe the status and trends of watershed health, lakes and other environmental conditions to better inform natural resource conservation and management plans.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, we will review applications on May 16, 2023. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before May 15, 2023. If your application isn’t received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.  

Duties
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. We are looking for applicants who are motivated, adaptable, team-oriented, dedicated and who have a desire to gain experience in environmental sampling.

What you will do: 

• Perform field gear preparation and use, instrument calibration, collection and preparation of environmental samples and stream flow measurements.
• Under supervision and direction of professional staff, uses established protocols to conduct Surface Water Monitoring assessments that supports evaluation of impacts to water quality and aquatic ecosystems.
• Collect water quality samples.
• Work in rugged and sometimes remote field locations for consecutive days under adverse weather conditions.
• Traverse streambeds in chest waders to measure water quality or stream flow.
• Assist with data reduction, analysis, entry of project data into Ecology’s Environmental Information Management System (EIM).
• Assist with quality assurance review of environmental data.

This position will start June 1, 2023, and end no later than October 31, 2023. This position will be based in Spokane, WA. Travel and lodging will be reimbursed by the Department of Ecology. The field work schedule may include 10-hour shifts, work 4 days per week. 

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. 

Required Qualifications
Graduation from high school or GED equivalent AND Two (2) years of technical or clerical (level 3) experience such as performing the duties as an Office Assistant 3 in an environmental agency or an office.

NOTE: College-level course work in environmental, physical or natural sciences, or closely related field may be substituted, year for year, for the required experience.

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

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

• First aid/CPR Certification
• Ability to conduct field sampling under a variety of conditions
• GIS mapping skills

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

Physical Requirements

• Working in remote and rugged locations under a variety of weather conditions.
• Traversing uneven and sometimes slippery terrain to access stream study sites.
• Ability to lift and carry 50 lbs.
• Perform physical labor required to install monitoring equipment. 
• Work with a computer in a cubicle for long periods of time.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment

• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Maintain current certification for first aid/CPR (training is provided by Ecology).

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

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.
• A list of three professional references.

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/4024949/environmental-technician