Salary: $75,120.00 – $101,052.00 Annually
Location: Thurston County – Lacey, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Department: Dept. of Ecology
Job Number: 2023-AQ4901-04987
Closing: Continuous

Washington has adopted ground-breaking legislation to address climate change by sharply reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. Do you care passionately about climate change? Are you seeking a challenging and rewarding job in which you will be directly addressing the climate crisis? Then join us as we implement this historic legislation.

The Air Quality Program (AQP) is looking to fill a Greenhouse Gas Engineering Specialist (Environmental Engineer 3) position. This position will be located at our Headquarters Building in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

The mission of the Air Quality Program is to protect and improve air quality in Washington and to protect our State’s environment for current and future generations. In 2021, Washington’s Legislature passed the landmark Climate Commitment Act (CCA) – a sweeping piece of legislation that directs Ecology to develop and implement the state’s first Cap-and-Invest Program to help our state meet its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 95% by 2050.

Officially launched on January 1, 2023, Washington’s program is only the second such economy-wide program in the nation, and the work of implementing this program has only just begun. It’s a big task with even bigger long-term impacts on the state’s greenhouse gas emissions and the global fight against climate change. The CCA Implementation Group is already hard at work and looking to hire a diverse range of mission-focused professionals to help us bring this important legislation to life.

As the Greenhouse Gas Engineering Specialist, you will be the agency’s subject matter expert on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions verification under the Climate Commitment Act. In this role, you will:

  • Review submissions from facilities and entities for accuracy and completeness of fuel supplier information and reported GHG emissions.
  • Provide review of and technical assistance with engineering analyses and emissions data provided by businesses and consultants.
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships and ongoing communication with stakeholders and regulated entities covered by the GHG reporting program by providing proactive information, consulting with senior staff, and answering technical questions.
  • Identify implications and participate in review of proposed federal or state stationary source regulations and guidance documents that may relate to or affect greenhouse gas accounting or carbon pollution.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for a 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: This position will remain open until filled, we will review applications on May 4, 2023. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before May 3, 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
What you will do as the Greenhouse Gas Engineering Specialist: 

  • Conduct engineering analyses and review protocols, policies, and guidance for effective and consistent implementation of the greenhouse gas reporting program.
  • Provide technical analyses to update and improve related rules.
  • Independently work directly with businesses, state and local agencies, and stakeholders to ensure accurate, timely, and complete reporting of emissions data.
  • Calculate and review reported fuel supplier emissions to include natural gas and other fuels.  

Learn more about what it is like to be an Engineer at the Department of Ecology

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.

Option 1:

  • An Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor’s degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resource, environmental, chemical, mechanical or related field.
  • Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington AND three years of experience in environmental engineering.

Option 2:

  • A Master’s degree with major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resource, environmental, chemical, mechanical or related field.
  • Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington AND two years of experience in environmental engineering.

Option 3:

  • A Ph.D in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resource, environmental, chemical, mechanical or related field.
  • Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington AND one year of experience in environmental engineering.

NOTE: Individuals who are interested in applying to this position, and believe they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington based on reciprocity, are responsible for ensuring they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington prior to submitting their application materials. These requirements can be found at the following website: WA State: Board of Registration for Professional Engineers: How to get your license: Professional engineer by comity.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

  • Registration within six months as a professional engineer in Washington State.
  • Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

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

  • Expertise or advanced knowledge in one or more of the following production processes:
    • GHG emissions
    • Petroleum refining
    • Natural gas distribution
    • Metal, glass, or cement manufacture
    • Pulp and paper production
    • Landfill operations
    • Chemical manufacture 

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

Other Information
If you have specific questions about the position, please email Luke Martland at: Luke.Martland@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Luke 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.

Per Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated effective November 4, 2022. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line. 

For more information and to apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3996275/greenhouse-gas-engineering-specialist-environmental-engineer-3

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