Salary: $45,984.00 – $68,016.00 Annually
Location: King County – Shoreline, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Department: Dept. of Ecology
Job Number: 2023-HWTR43624363-02087
Closing: Continuous

The Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill two Hazardous Waste Compliance Inspector (Environmental Specialist 3)(In-Training) positions. 

Please Note: There is an additional 5% pay increase included due to their location in King County which has been added to the posted pay range.

These positions conduct field inspections of businesses, industries and public agencies that generate and manage hazardous waste, and help them improve their understanding of Washington State’s Dangerous Waste regulations.

Are you an applicant who thrives in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment? Would you enjoy educating and informing a diverse regulated community of their responsibility to manage dangerous wastes safely? And, while voluntary compliance is always the goal, the applicant must be comfortable in transitioning to formal enforcement through orders and/or penalties if necessary. Strong communication skills, an attention to detail and maintaining a genuine sense of curiosity about the world around them, specifically how stuff is made, are all hallmarks of a successful dangerous waste compliance inspector.
 
Note: This position offers a career path and on-the-job training. This position allows you to progress through the Environmental Specialist field and achieve the goal class of an Environmental Specialist 3 (ES3). Candidates will be considered at the Environmental Specialist 2 (ES2) and the Environmental Specialist 3 levels, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section.

The mission of the HWTR Program is to protect Washington’s residents and environment by reducing the use of toxic chemicals, safely managing dangerous waste, preventing new contaminated sites, and cleaning up contamination. The HWTR vision is to be national leaders in minimizing and eliminating the impacts of toxic chemicals and hazardous waste.     

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 90% 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, with an initial screening date of March 2, 2023. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before March 1, 2023. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Duties 
These positions support the agency and program mission by:

• Plan and lead Dangerous Waste compliance inspections and investigations.
• With the support of senior staff, make regulatory determinations which significantly influence the environmental management of a variety of dangerous wastes exhibiting a variety of hazards.
• Develop regulatory relationships with businesses and other regulatory agencies to work together to identify and respond to environmental issues.
• Prepare documentation of inspections and enter inspection data into our data systems.
• Evaluate the compliance history of regulated businesses and provide technical recommendations and documentation during formal enforcement processes.

Why join the team?
This job requires constant learning and curiosity. Those who value encouraging environmental protection and resource preservation likely will find this work meaningful.

• This is a challenging career allowing many opportunities for using and improving interpersonal skills while educating the public about the dangerous waste regulations, and our environmental laws.
• We are a multi-generational group of skilled professionals, coming from diverse backgrounds, tasked with overseeing compliance with the dangerous waste regulations within a 12-county region.
• Our team possesses the shared values of desiring meaningful work, contributing to the citizens of Washington State, and continuing the path of personal and team development

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

At the Environmental Specialist 2 level (Salary Range 45:  $3,832-$5,136 Monthly)

• A total of Five (5) years of experience and/or education as described below:
  • Professional level Experience in: Environmental analysis or control or environmental planning. 
  • Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

-OR-
One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 1 at the Department of Ecology.  

Environmental Specialist 3 (Goal Class) (Salary Range 49:  $4,213-$5,668 Monthly)

• A total of Six (6) years of experience and/or education as described below:
  •  Professional level Experience in: Environmental analysis or control or environmental planning. 
  • Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

-OR-
One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 2 at the Department of Ecology.  

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment

• 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.

• Experience reviewing, working with, or learning about environmental issues, programs, or regulations at the federal, state, or local level.
• Experience effectively communicating complex information to a variety of audiences.
• Experience applying negotiation and conflict resolution skills. 

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

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 1-800-833-6388.
• 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.
• Three professional references.

To Apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3911984/hazardous-waste-compliance-inspector-environmental-specialist-3in-trainingtw

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. 

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.  

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 Tom Perkow at: Tom.Perkow@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Tom 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.

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. 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.

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. 
• A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work

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. 

To Apply: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/washington/jobs/3911984/hazardous-waste-compliance-inspector-environmental-specialist-3in-trainingtw