Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

Do you want to be involved in protecting our environment? Our Solid Waste Management Program in our office in Spokane, WA is looking for a Regional Biosolids Coordinator to help with improvements to soil and the climate benefits of beneficially using biosolids.

This position is located in our Eastern Regional Office (ERO) in Spokane, WA.  In this position you will get to travel throughout northeast Washington and enjoy the beautiful country along the way.

The mission of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) program is to reduce wastes through prevention and reuse, keep toxics out of the environment, and safely manage what remains.

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, collaborative, with leadership who embrace the value of people.

• 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, and fitness classes; an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

 
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office, in the field, and/or telework based on position and business need. Ecology is maintaining less than maximum building occupancy, and requiring masks, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing.

Local efforts… Diverse people… Statewide impacts

• Permitting: Independently evaluates biosolids permit applications and issues biosolids permits.
• Inspections: Inspectes permitted sites regularly and meet with permittees.
• Analytical Data: Evaluates analytical data submitted following biosolids and soil analyses.
• Sampling and Analysis Plans: Reviews and critiques biosolids and soil sampling and analysis plans.
• Proposed Application Site Analysis: Reviews and makes determinations on proposed biosolids application sites.
• Agronomic Rate Calculations: In order to calculate an acceptable biosolids application rate, evaluates submitted soils and biosolids data, calculates existing soil nitrogen concentrations, determines crop nutrient needs, understands and applies nitrogen transformation dynamics, and considers the impact of previous applications of biosolids and other organic residuals.
• Pathogen Reduction Evaluations: Evaluates the methods used for achieving pathogen reduction in biosolids.
• Site Monitoring: Conducts onsite environmental monitoring.

Additional activities include:

• Responds to public inquiries, provides technical assistance and regulatory expertise to applicants, agencies, local governments, sewage treatment plant operators, consultants and other interested parties.
• Responds to complaints and works with individuals to develop solutions to problems and to gain voluntary compliance with regulations or permits.
• Takes appropriate enforcement actions in response to violations, and works cooperatively with the Attorney General’s office on regulatory enforcement actions.
• Prepares, reviews, and negotiates agreed orders and enforcement orders with the regulated community; recommends and drafts compliance schedules and formal enforcement actions as necessary.

Required Qualifications:

The goal class for this position is an Environmental Specialist 4 (ES4). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements for both the ES4 and the ES3 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements for the ES3 level then they will be hired as an ES3 and will be placed in a training program to become an ES4 within a specified period of time.

At the Environmental Specialist 4 level Pay Range 55 ($4,509 – $5,913 monthly) Goal Class

Education involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

Professional level experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning which includes one (1) year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two (2) years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.

OR

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

At the Environmental Specialist 3 level: Pay Range 49 ($3,887 – $5,102 – monthly) 

Education involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

Professional level experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning.

OR

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

Desired Qualifications:

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

• Permitting and inspection experience.
• Competency in providing direct customer service, especially dealing with angry customers or customers that refuse to comply with what is being asked of them. Training related to developing interpersonal communication skills or providing high level customer service.
• Competency or formal training in negotiations. Be able to break down stated positions and conflict into basic underlying interests and needs. Seek common interests around which agreement may be reached.

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

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 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

Please to 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 (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.

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 or call Marni Solheim at: marni.solheim@ecy.wa.gov,  509-385-9142. Please do not contact Marni 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.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS),  Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help
The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

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.

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.