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Climate Change: Two Cap and Invest Positions: Allowance Trading Lead and Auctions Lead (EP4)


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.  

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Air Quality Program (AQP) is looking to fill two Cap and Invest positions. Apply here to be considered for both the:
  • Allowance Trading and Education Lead (Environmental Planner 4)
  • Auctions Lead (Environmental Planner 4)
 
Both positions will be located at our Headquarters Building in Lacey, WA. We embrace a modern work environment that includes high levels of telework, flexible work hours, and options for a compressed workweek.
 

The mission of the Air Quality Program (AQP) is to protect and improve air quality in Washington and to protect our State’s environment for current and future generations. Washington is in the process of building an economy-wide cap and invest program, and Air Quality’s newly created Climate Commitment Act Implementation Group is leading the design and implementation of this program. As part of the cap and invest program, businesses and entities will be required to obtain allowances tied to their emissions, which can be bought, sold, and traded. This market will begin in 2023, and the proceeds will be invested in initiatives to decarbonize transportation and other sectors of the economy, promote clean energy, and advance equity and environmental justice. 
 
Role 1: Allowance Trading and Education Lead: As the staff lead for allowance trading and entity education, you will be responsible for ensuring firms can trade—and participate—in the Cap-and-Invest market. By helping firms get comfortable with this new market and how it works, you will enable them to maintain a primary focus on decreasing emissions so Washington can meet its goal of reducing emissions by 95% by 2050.
 
Role 2: Auction Lead: As the staff lead for auctions, you will be a crucial member of the Cap-and-Invest team. You will coordinate and implement allowance auctions that firms participate in to meet their emissions compliance obligations. These auctions are the linchpin of the cap-and-invest program and generate significant proceeds applied towards the decarbonization of the transportation industry, improving access to clean energy, and advancing health equity and environmental justice.
 
Both positions will provide staff leadership in the Cap-and-Invest Auctions and Market unit. The unit helps bring companies into the cap-and-invest program, facilitates allowance auctions and trading, and safeguards the Cap-and-Invest Program’s integrity through ongoing market surveillance. Both roles also include substantial outreach to other jurisdictions (e.g., California and Québec), external agencies, stakeholders, and the Western Climate Initiative, Inc. As a lead, you will work with the unit supervisor to assign work and mentor staff. For more details on job duties and qualifications, please see below.

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 and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people.

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

  • 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, fitness classes, and 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.
 
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. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. 
  
 
Application Timeline: The two positions will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of February 09, 2022 . In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before February 08, 2022. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
 
Duties

Role 1: Allowance Trading and Education Lead: In this role, you will serve as our allowance trading expert. You will be the lead staff on: 
  • Helping Cap-and-Invests covered entities understand and participate in the allowance market
  • Working with Washington’s market subcontractor (WCI, Inc.) on allowance market changes based on feedback the incumbent receives from Cap-and-Invest market participants and others
  • Working with external jurisdictions (e.g., California and Québec, Canada) to harmonize allowance processes 
  • Direct outreach to entities with trading questions, as well as working with our communications team to develop and deliver trainings on how to trade and participate in the market 

Role 2: Auction Lead: In this role, you will coordinate and implement allowance auctions. You will be the lead staff on:
  • Working with Washington’s market subcontractor (WCI, Inc.) to ensure Cap-and-Invest entities understand and can participate in allowance auctions
  • Supporting the budget team in communicating revenue projections
  • Working with external Cap-and-Invest entities to ensure entities send Ecology accurate, timely, and complete auction-related data required by the Cap-and-Invest regulations to participate in allowance auctions
  • Working with WCI, Inc. on auction design improvements, and external jurisdictions (e.g., California and Québec, Canada) to harmonize auction processes



Qualifications

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.

Experience: Professional experience may include some or all of the following: general experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.

Option 1
  • Five (5) years of experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.
  • Bachelor’s degree involving a major study in:
  • Land use
  • Urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning
  • Geography
  • Land use or environmental law
  • Public administration with an environmental emphasis  
  • Environmental science and/or policy 
  • Other areas of science and/or policy 
  • Project or program management 
  • Economics 
  • Finance 
  • Business
  • Other subjects or areas applicable to auctions and/or markets
  • Closely allied fields

Option 2
  • Three (3) years of experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.
  • Master’s degree involving a major study in:
  • Land use
  • Urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning
  • Geography
  • Land use or environmental law
  • Public administration with an environmental emphasis  
  • Environmental science and/or policy 
  • Other areas of science and/or policy 
  • Project or program management 
  • Economics 
  • Finance 
  • Business 
  • Other subjects or areas applicable to auctions and/or markets
  • Closely allied fields


Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 
  • This position is subject to a background check, including felony convictions and credit because the incumbent may have access to highly sensitive carbon market information and/or the ability to electronically control such information

Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.
  • Project management experience or training
  • Experience working to address climate change 
  • An understanding of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) markets, GHG reduction programs and policies

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


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?

  • 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 on 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 both—or either—position.
  • A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of the positions.
  • Three professional references.

Please 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 (such as 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 Derek Nixon at: Derek.Nixon@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Derek 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:

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 LinkedInTwitterFacebookInstagram 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.