Facility Engineer (Environmental Engineer 2)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Solid Waste Management (SWM) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Facility Engineer (Environmental Engineer 2) position. This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Note: This position offers a career path and on-the-job training. This position allows you to progress through the Environmental Engineering field and achieve the goal class of an Environmental Engineer 2 (EE2). Candidates will be considered at the College Career Graduate – Engineering Technology (CCGET), EE1, and the EE2 levels, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section.

This position is located within the Industrial Section of the Department of Ecology’s Solid Waste Management (SWM) program. The position is unique because it is tasked with ensuring environmental compliance at industrial facilities throughout the state with respect to the Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (hazardous waste), and Model Toxics Control Act (environmental cleanup).

In this position, you will cover a wide range of activities, from “in-the-field compliance inspections” to “permit writing” to “issuing penalties for non-compliance.” These responsibilities will allow you to become familiar with many of the programs within the agency and will also provide an opportunity to work on diverse and challenging projects.

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

Program Mission: The mission of the Solid Waste Management Program is to reduce waste through prevention and reuse; keep toxics out of the environment; and safely manage what remains.

The Department of Ecology is organized into Programs (Water Quality, Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction, Toxics Cleanup, Solid Waste Management, etc.) with each overseeing the implementation of their respective environmental laws, rules, and regulations. The Industrial Section is unique. It was established to serve as a regulatory one-stop-shop for large industrial facilities, so that they would have a single point of contact at Ecology instead of needing to have separate contacts located in each of the Programs. Industrial Section engineers therefore perform the environmental regulatory work of the separate Ecology programs for their assigned facilities.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to an 40% telework 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 is subject to change.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, we will review applications on September 22, 2023. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before September 21, 2023. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.

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 *Click here for more information 
 

About the Department of Ecology

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. To learn more, check out our Strategic Plan. 

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.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

Our commitment to DEIR
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. 

 

Duties

What makes this role unique?

We regulate specific types of facilities (pulp and paper mills, oil refineries, and aluminum smelters) which allows our engineers to develop a deeper understanding of their processes and associated environmental issues. In this role, for your assigned facilities, you will be required to understand and enforce a large number of state and federal rules for each of the different media (water quality, air quality, dangerous waste, and cleanup). We also often have a lot of public interest associated with our actions due to the types of facilities that we regulate.

What you will do:

 

• Draft and issue environmental permits and regulatory orders.
• Review environmental monitoring data to determine compliance with permit and regulatory requirements.
• Perform on-site water quality and hazardous waste compliance inspections and draft inspection summary reports.
• Recommend, draft, and issue enforcement actions to industrial facilities for non-compliance with permit and regulatory requirements.
• Investigate environmental releases/spills and complaints.
• Review and approve engineering and technical reports.
• Communicate effectively with the regulated community and other interested stakeholder.

Learn more about what it is like to be an Engineer at the Department of Ecology.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:

 

• 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
• 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

This is an In-Training Position. The goal class for this position is Environmental Engineer (EE2). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements for the College Career Graduate – Engineer Technology (CCGET) and at the Environmental Engineer 1 (EE1) level. If the finalist meets the requirements for the CCGET or EE1 levels, they will be hired in at that level and placed into a training program to become an EE2 within a specified period of time.

At the College Career Graduate – Engineer Technology level: Salary Range 49 ($4,174-$5,615 monthly) (In-training)

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


At the Environmental Engineer 1 level: Salary Range 56 ($4,968-$6,676 monthly) (In-training)

Option 1: An Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field AND one year of environmental engineering experience.
 
Option 2: A Master's degree with major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field. 


At the Environmental Engineer 2 level: Salary Range 61 ($5,615-$7,552 monthly) Goal Class

Option 1: An Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field AND two years of environmental engineering experience.
 
Option 2: A Master's degree with major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field AND one year of environmental engineering experience, which may include a combination of experience as described above.

Option 3: A Ph.D. with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field. 


Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

 

• Obtain 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.

 

• 15 or more quarter credits, or 10 or more semester credits, of course work in air and water pollution control, waste management, and environmental sampling and analysis.

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 this position.
• A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.
• A list of 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 Shingo Yamazaki at Shingo.Yamazaki@ecy.wa.gov Please do not contact Shingo 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.

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.