Municipal Wastewater Technical Assistance Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)
The Water Quality program within the Department of Ecology is looking for a Municipal Wastewater Technical Assistance Specialist in our Southwest Regional Office in Lacey, WA.
In this position, you will help ensure small to medium sized wastewater treatment facilities in Western Washington are in compliance with state regulations and protect water quality.
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.
What will you do?
- Provide hands-on technical assistance to wastewater treatment plant operators, from help with laboratory protocols, to mechanical repairs, to trouble-shooting process upsets.
- Develop and provide training for operators in Western Washington, and serve as a guide and mentor for operators at every stage of professional development.
- Use complete understanding of wastewater treatment systems to investigate and find solutions to complex issues causing treatment system failure and permit compliance issues.
- Review sampling protocols and write operational assessments to help operators maintain functioning systems.
- Assist operators with interpreting regulations and permit requirements, provide guidance on Ecology expectations for reports and permit submittals to the agency, and help operators “find the right person” at Ecology to help answer questions.
- Collaborate with other Ecology staff to facilitate a better understand of the operational challenges and technical hurdles facing the regulated community, and collaborate on finding equitable solutions to these problems.
Why join the team?
- Make a difference by working side-by-side with other licensed wastewater treatment plant operators in Western Washington. You will be one of Ecology’s technical experts in the field, helping regulated communities navigate technical and operational challenges at their treatment facilities.
- Become a recognized technical expert in the regional wastewater treatment community. When wastewater operators run into problems, you will be the go-to person for finding the right solution. Exercise your technical expertise and help others by sharing your knowledge.
- Each day will be a new challenge in a new location. We regulate facilities in all locations across Western Washington – from the Columbia George to the San Juan Islands, and Mount Rainier to the Olympic Peninsula, we work with facilities in every Western Washington locale.
- Join a dedicated team of engineers, hydrogeologists, scientists and other water quality professionals at Ecology. We are dedicated to protecting the beautiful environment of Western Washington and ensuring that Washingtonians have access to affordable, well-operated public services.
Please note: During Stay Home, Stay Healthy, staff are working a combination of in-office 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.
This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of May 10, 2021 In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before May 9, 2021. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
There are multiple ways to qualify for this position. See options below:
Option 1:
Nine (9) years of combined education and experience:
- Education: Involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field
- Experience: Professional-level experience in environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning, which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.
Experience may include:
- Working as a wastewater treatment plant operator
- Installing, operating, and maintaining environmental monitoring or sampling equipment
- Responding to and investigating technical environmental complaints or violations
- Planning, developing, researching, and conducting technical data collection, and analyzing and interpreting this data
Option 2:
- A Bachelor's degree involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.
- Five (5) years of professional-level experience in environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning, which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.
- Experience may include:
- Working as a wastewater treatment plant operator
- Installing, operating, and maintaining environmental monitoring or sampling equipment
- Responding to and investigating technical environmental complaints or violations
- Planning, developing, researching, and conducting technical data collection, and analyzing and interpreting this data
Option 3:
- A Master’s degree involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.
- Three (3) years of professional-level experience in environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning, which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.
- Experience may include:
- Working as a wastewater treatment plant operator
- Installing, operating, and maintaining environmental monitoring or sampling equipment
- Responding to and investigating technical environmental complaints or violations
- Planning, developing, researching, and conducting technical data collection, and analyzing and interpreting this data
Option 4:
- A Ph.D. in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field
- Two (2) years of professional-level experience in environmental analysis or control, or environmental planning, which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.
- Experience may include:
- Working as a wastewater treatment plant operator
- Installing, operating, and maintaining environmental monitoring or sampling equipment
- Responding to and investigating technical environmental complaints or violations
- Planning, developing, researching, and conducting technical data collection, and analyzing and interpreting this data
Option 5:
- Two (2) years of experience as an Environmental Specialist 3 at the Department of Ecology.
More information on types of experience:
Experience as an Environmental Specialist 2 can include assisting in any of the following areas: 1) performing field surveys or studies, 2) responding to complaints involving scientific or technical content, 3) preparing public meetings and hearings, 4) assistance with routine inspections or investigations requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes, 5) responding to routine inquires or requests for technical assistance involving scientific content, 6) special projects that are scientific in nature, 7) conducting routine sampling and testing analyses, interprets data, writing reports 8) performing basic sampling data review, 9) maintaining an environmental data base to support technical projects, 10) providing routine environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant/ contract/ loan recipients of environmental protection projects.
Experience as an Environmental Specialist 3 can include a combination of the following: 1) investigating and / or resolving complaints involving science or technology content, 2) performing inspections, 3) drafting technical evaluations and reports, 4) develops plans for researching information used for technical projects, regulatory or policy development, 5) plan and facilitate public meetings and hearings, 6) project work requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes, 7) providing technical assistance for complex scientific content and/ or support for implementing scientific content programs, 8) conducting tests, analyzing and evaluating data, 9) using environmental databases to support technical projects, 10) developing scientific studies and resource management plans, 11) providing environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant/ contract/ loan recipients of environmental protection projects.