Salary: $45,552.00 – $86,208.00 Annually
Location: Thurston County – Lacey, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent

The Air Quality Program (AQP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Program Contracts and Grants Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4) (In-Training) position. This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station. As Program Contracts and Grants Specialist, you will support Air Quality Program’s (AQP) mission by developing, negotiating, implementing and monitoring terms of agreements for AQP grants and contracts. You will hone your program knowledge, and use your in-depth grant and contract development experience to administer millions of dollars of federal, state, local government, university and private entity contracts and grants. These contracts and grants allow the AQP to assist public entities with air pollution reduction through air monitoring, technical assistance, public education, and enforcement.

Note: This position offers a career path and on-the-job training. This position allows you to progress through the Environmental Specialist (ES) field and achieve the goal class of an ES4. Candidates will be considered at the ES2, ES3 and ES4 levels, depending on qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section.
 
The mission of the Air Quality Program (AQP) is to protect, preserve, and enhance the air quality of Washington to safeguard public health and the environment and support high quality of life for current and future generations.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to an 80% 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 September 6, 2023. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before September 5, 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. 

What makes this role unique?
As the Program Contracts and Grants Specialist, you will interface with Air Quality Program and Ecology staff in a multitude of disciplines. You will also directly consult with and support local government and not-for-profit grant recipients, Tribes, local clean air agencies, the Attorney General’s office and other agencies and universities. Your grant portfolio includes landfill methane grants, improving air quality in overburdened communities, diesel and soot reduction, and other federal environmental grants. You will receive support and be involved with the Agency-wide grant group (including other agency-wide grant administrators) and develop expertise in competitive procurement processes.
 
 What you will do:

• Negotiate, prepare, and manage complex contracts and agreements. Resolve issues that arise during the contracting process.
• Ensure state policies and procedures are followed throughout the procurement process.
• Assist staff in helping them in understanding regulations, policies, and procedures in the preparation of contracts, agreements, and procurements.
• Review and analyze contracts and agreements to be sure they comply with regulations, policies and procedures.
• Negotiate agreements with a variety of stakeholders. 
• Independently confirm reimbursement requests and grant submittals are eligible using working knowledge of grant agreement and guidelines, state and federal statutes and rules, AQP and Agency policies and procedures, and taking into account audit requirements and grantee relationships.
• Provide expertise in determining eligibility issues and tracking and recording eligibility decisions as precedent for future issues.
• Develop performance measures to accurately track and report data on all AQP grant programs.
• Coordinate with the regional grant fund managers in grant cycle planning and execution.

Qualifications

This is an In-Training Position. The goal class for this position is Environmental Specialist 4 (ES4). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements for the ES2, ES3 and ES4 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements for the ES2 or ES3 levels, they will be hired in at that level and placed into a training program to become an ES4 within a specified period of time.

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.

At the Environmental Specialist 2 level: Salary Range 45 ($3,796-$5,088 monthly) (In-training)
A total of five years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience: Involving environmental analysis or control, policy, planning, or similar field of work. Experience may include a combination of the following: 
  • assignments in environmental permit development and review
  • environmental inspections or enforcement activities
  • scientific studies, surveys, or scientific analysis
  • technical assistance for grants, contracts, and loans
  • interpretation of policy and environmental technical assistance.
• Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

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

At the Environmental Specialist 3 level: Salary Range 53 ($4,602-$6,198 monthly) (In-training)
A total of six years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience: Involving environmental analysis or control, policy, planning, or similar field of work. Experience may include a combination of the following: 
  • assignments in environmental permit development and review
  • environmental inspections or enforcement activities
  • scientific studies, surveys, or scientific analysis
  • technical assistance for grants, contracts, and loans
  • interpretation of policy and environmental technical assistance.
• Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

 
OR
One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 2, at the Department of Ecology.
 
At the Environmental Specialist 4 level: Salary Range 59 ($5,341-$7,184 monthly) Goal class
A total of nine years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience: Involving environmental analysis or control, policy, planning, or similar field of work. Experience may include a combination of the following: 
  • assignments in environmental permit development and review
  • environmental inspections or enforcement activities
  • scientific studies, surveys, or scientific analysis
  • technical assistance for grants, contracts, and loans
  • interpretation of policy and environmental technical assistance.
• Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

 
OR
Two years of experience as an Environmental Specialist 3, at the Department of Ecology.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

• Successful completion of Department of Enterprise Services’ Washington State Contract Management 401 training modules (or within 90 days of employment).

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

•  Grant/loan and/or other related financial management experience.

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/4150645/program-contracts-and-grant-specialist-environmental-specialist-4-in-training