Salary: $48,156.00 – $75,120.00 Annually
Location: Multiple Locations Statewide, WA
Job Type: Full Time – Permanent
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Department: Dept. of Ecology
Job Number: 2023-HWTR4950-03441
Closing: Continuous

The Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction (HWTR) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Regional Chemical Action Plan Implementation Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)(In-Training) position. This position can be located in any of the following offices. 

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.

• Northwest Region Office (NWRO) in Shoreline, WA.

• Central Region Office (CRO) in Union Gap, WA.

• Eastern Region Office (ERO) in Spokane, WA.

Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Please Note: If the final location of this position is determined to be in our Northwest Region Office (NWRO) in Shoreline, WA. there will be an additional 5% pay increase due to its location in King County. In this instance, the salary range will be $4,213- $6,260 per month. 

Are you interested protecting people and the environment from hazardous chemicals? As a successful candidate, you could serve as the Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction (HWTR) Program Regional Chemical Action Plan Implementation Specialist, responsible for the implementation of recommendations from Chemical Action Plans (CAP’s) and Action Plans (AP) across all regions of the state. CAPs and APs identify the potential health and environmental effects of persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals and other toxic chemicals that may not qualify as a PBTs. CAPs and APs recommend strategies to reduce or eliminate impacts from toxic chemicals. 
 
In this role, you would actively engage with industry, Tribes, local governments, community groups, the public, and environmental groups to facilitate implementation of the recommendations in the CAPs/APs. This work includes addressing environmental justice by prioritizing communities and vulnerable populations that have the highest risks or impacts from hazardous chemicals. It will also address considerations around vulnerable wildlife populations.

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 ES3 and ES4 levels, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section. 

The mission of the Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction (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 60% 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 April 4, 2023. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before April 3, 2023. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Duties
Chemical Action Plans (CAP) and Action Plans (AP) identify the potential health and environmental effects of persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic (PBT’s) chemicals, and recommend strategies to reduce or eliminate those impacts. CAP/AP Developers within the program create these plans. This position, as a Regional CAP Implementation Specialist, works with the CAP Implementation Lead to implement the recommendations found within these plans by working with other agencies, industry, Tribes, local governments, the public, and environmental groups to make changes to the use of hazardous chemicals in the marketplace, industry, households, schools, and the environment. Examples of the type of work this position may do includes:

• Product replacement work with businesses or the public, swapping out products containing toxic chemicals with safer alternatives.
• Conducting education and outreach with stakeholders to make them aware of tools and educational materials so that they may make informed decisions on what type of products that they purchase and use.

What you will do: 

• Facilitate, plan, lead, and organize implementation of Chemical Action Plans (CAP) and Action Plans (AP) recommendations.
• Implement CAPs/APs, in coordination with HWTR Program’s CAP implementation planners and communications staff.
• Consult with the HWTR Program’s community outreach staff on internal and external stakeholder communications, and engagement.
• Seek opportunities to integrate environmental justice and pro-equity practices into CAP/AP implementation.
• Implements projects to replace products and equipment with safer alternatives at businesses.
• Coordinates with the CAP Implementation Lead planner to implement recommendations from CAPs/APs within the regions. Coordinates with the Product Replacement Program (PRP) Coordinator and team to implement PRP projects.

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 ES3 and ES4 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements for the ES3 level, they will be hired at that level and will be placed into a training program to become an ES4 within a specified period of time.

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 3 level: Pay Range 49 ($4,013 – $5,399 monthly) (In-Training)
A total of six years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Professional experience in: environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning. 
• Education involving: 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: Pay Range 55 ($4,656 – $6,260 monthly) Goal Class
A total of nine years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Professional experience in: environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning. 
• Education involving: 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: 

• 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 implementing environmental policy, rules or regulations.
• Experience coordinating with stakeholders and partners to implement environmental policy or programs.

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