Environmental Engineer

Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination as part of the hiring process, prior to their start date. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  

The Office of Columbia River (OCR) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill an Environmental Engineer (Environmental Engineer 3) position. This position is located in our Central Regional Office (CRO) in Union Gap, WA.

 

The Office of Columbia River (OCR) is a small, innovative and fast-paced water supply development program within the Department of Ecology. You will serve as a registered Professional Engineer within OCR. You will provide professional environmental engineering support for major Columbia River Basin and Yakima Basin Integrated Plan projects, including final review and/or approval of detailed engineering plans and specifications, site plans, engineering reports and/or operation and maintenance of environmental and irrigation systems; and permitting and policy evaluations of projects such as storage reservoirs (surface and aquifer), water conservation projects and pump exchanges. You will serve as an OCR project manager and contribute to a highly skilled, technically focused project team, in addition to administering and overseeing grants, contracts and work orders authorized under RCW 90.90 (Columbia River Basin), RCW 90.38 (Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan).  

The mission of the Office of Columbia River (OCR) is to aggressively pursue the development of new water supplies for the Columbia River and its tributaries to benefit both instream and out-of-stream uses. Although we partner with many agencies and programs, our mission sets us apart with respect to seeking out and finding water supply solutions by using all of the available tools. We use innovative conservation technology, habitat enhancement tools, and water supply forecasting to improve water supplies for families, farms and fish in eastern Washington. 

Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:

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.

Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.

 

Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.

 

Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.

 

Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

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 and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is expected to work in the office up to 3 days a week. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding building occupancy, mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. 

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of January 06, 2022. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before January 05, 2022 . The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

 

Duties

What makes this role unique? 

As the Office of Columbia River (OCR) professional environmental engineer, you will be responsible for managing grants, contracts, interagency agreements and other various funding agreements authorized within the applicable State Capital Budget appropriations managing large scale water supply projects that have engineering, conservation and/or politically sensitive technical components throughout central and eastern Washington. This includes new project development and engineering project review as part of a variety of Yakima Basin Integrated Plan technical subcommittees and Columbia River Technical Advisory Groups, contract management, site visits, funding proposal reviews, and permit development. 

In this role, you will advise OCR management on emerging engineering, technical and policy issues that are barriers to program implementation and proposes new technical approaches and strategic policy development or law changes to overcome those problems.

What you will do: 

Qualifications

An Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resource, environmental, chemical, mechanical or related field

Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington AND three years of experience in environmental engineering.

A Master's degree with major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resource, environmental, chemical, mechanical or related field

AND 

Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington AND two years of experience in environmental engineering.

A Ph.D. degree with major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resource, environmental, chemical, mechanical or related field

AND 

Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington AND one year of experience in environmental engineering.

NOTE: Requirements for professional registration as an engineer in the state of Washington are eight years of professional experience (which may include up to four years of college-level engineering education) and successful completion of sixteen hours of professional licensing exams. Applicants qualifying through the licensing equivalency option must achieve professional registration as an engineer in the state of Washington within six months of appointment to this class.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

NOTE: Individuals who are interested in applying to this position, and believe they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington based on reciprocity, are responsible for ensuring they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington prior to submitting their application materials. These requirements can be found at the following website: WA State: Board of Registration for Professional Engineers: How to get your license: Professional engineer by comity. 

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?

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

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

When attaching documents to your application (Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

 

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.

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. 

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Melissa Downes at: mnih461@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Melissa to inquire about the status of your application.

 

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

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 

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.