The Department of Ecology’s priority during the Covid-19 health crisis is to keep our staff, candidates, and the public safe.  We are still hiring and encourage you to apply to open positions.  The majority of our staff are currently working from home; we have transitioned to a virtual recruitment process, to include web-based interviews. 

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

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. If you want to join a team that is highly effective, collaborative, has leadership that embraces the value of people, and believes in the fun factor, Ecology is a good fit.

The  Shorelands and Environmental Assistance (SEA) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Section Administrative Assistant 3 position. The position is located in our Central Regional Office (CRO) in Union Gap, WA.

A multicultural geographical area, the office is situated in the Yakima Valley, a beautiful area for nature lovers. The Valley is a productive agricultural region noted for apple, wine, and hop production. With an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, the area provides year-round recreational opportunities. We work with tribal sovereigns and other local governments, and organizations and individuals who work, live, and play in Washington.

The Administrative Assistant 3 position provides support for a small but very busy professional staff. The working atmosphere is collaborative, inclusive, and respectful.

Ecology and the Central Region Office strive to create a workplace that is friendly, collaborative, creative, welcoming and fun to enhance and support the serious nature of our daily work.

We are looking for applicants who have experience working with communities and populations that are racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse, who are resourceful and exercise good judgment, who have excellent written and verbal communication skills, and who desire to provide consistent customer service to internal and external customers.

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.

Local efforts… Diverse people… Statewide impacts

Agency Mission: Ecology’s mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission: Supporting community conservation efforts for our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.

The Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Section Administrative Assistant 3 position provides administrative support and assistance to five professional staff and the regional section manager and is key to the success of regional permitting efforts, plays a critical role in the proofing, formatting, and distribution of permit decisions. The position is also responsible for file and record management, purchasing, and asset inventory and curation.

Please note: During Stay Home, Stay Healthy, staff are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is expected to work in the office up to 2 days a week.

Ecology is maintaining less than maximum building occupancy, and requiring masks, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing.

This recruitment will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be April 16, 2021.  In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before April 15, 2021. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Required Qualifications:

There are multiple ways to qualify for this position. See options below:

Option 1: High school graduation or GED AND four (4) years of clerical, secretarial, bookkeeping, accounting, or general administrative office work experience.

Option 2: A Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration or closely allied field.

Option 3: One (1) year of experience as an Administrative Assistant 2 at the Department of Ecology.

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

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

• Knowledge of: office procedures and practices; business management practices, research methods and data collections; communication and correspondence practices; Principles and practices of supervision.
• Ability to: work independently; read, understand, and interpret policies and procedures; develop written reports; work effectively with others; communicate effectively, both in writing and speech.

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

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
Must possess and maintain a valid state issued driver’s license.

Why work for Ecology?

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 the health and financial security of you and your family a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to work/life 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

Student debt and how working for Ecology can help
Employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

Application Instructions:

Please complete the short on-line application, supplemental questions and upload:

• Your current chronological resume.
• A cover letter explaining how you fit the requirements of the position.

 
Important Note: 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.

 
Please to do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.  

Please read the supplemental questions carefully and answer completely. Incomplete responses, including “please see resume,” may disqualify you from further consideration.

It is in the candidate’s best interest to submit all of the documents requested above. Applications without these documents may be declined.

Department of 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.

If you are reading this announcement in print format, please visit www.careers.wa.gov to access the online recruitment system. Click on “Look for Jobs” and select Dept. of Ecology under the “Department” search list. Click “Apply Search.”

Other Information:

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 have specific questions about the position, please email Gary Graff at: Gary.Graff@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Gary to inquire about the status of your application.

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.

This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.

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.

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.