Environmental Engineer 3

Per Governor Inslee’s Directive 22-13.1, state employees must be fully vaccinated effective November 4, 2022. Providing proof of being fully vaccinated is a condition of employment and your vaccine status will be verified prior to starting work. Being fully vaccinated means two weeks after you have received the second dose in a two-dose series of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use, licensed or otherwise authorized or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or listed for emergency use or otherwise approved by the World Health Organization. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  

The Nuclear Waste Program (NWP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill an Environmental Engineer 3. This position will be located in our Richland Field Office (RFO) in Richland, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In this role, the work you will be involved with is unique and complex. You will provide engineering expertise focused on safe and compliant actions related to closure of Hanford single-shell tanks (SSTs), environmental remediation, and support for retrieval of high-level waste from tanks. You will have the opportunity to be involved from a high-level perspective, providing you the opportunity to accelerate your career progression.

Note: This position offers a career path and on-the-job training. This position allows you to progress through the Environmental Engineer field and achieve the goal class of an Environmental Engineer 3. Candidates will be considered as an Environmental Engineer 2 or 3 level, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section. 

Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment and to promote the wise management of our air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations.  

Program Mission: The Nuclear Waste Program (NWP) mission is to lead the effective and efficient cleanup of the United States Department of Energy’s Hanford Site; to ensure sound management of mixed hazardous wastes in Washington; and to protect the state’s air, water, and land at and adjacent to the Hanford site.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will initially be required to work primarily in the office. Upon completion of initial training and familiarity, you will be eligible for up to an 80% tele-work 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, with a next screening date of March 20, 2022. In order to be considered for the next screening, please submit an application on or before March 19, 2022. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

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:

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? 

In this position, you will perform professional engineering duties for the oversight and cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Facility in accordance with state and federal regulations and the Tri Party Agreement (TPA). This includes performing professional engineering reviews of closure actions, information, plans, and specifications. You will interpret state Dangerous Waste Requirements and agency and program polices, determine application of relevant codes and standards, and identify applicable interim measures, final closure design requirements, construction, integrity assessment, and operation and maintenance requirements for final remedies of Hanford waste site facilities. You will also have the opportunity to develop your professional responsibility through challenging permitting interactions, and you will learn or hone your ability to balance multiple conflicting regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

The goal class for this position is an Environmental Engineer 3 (EE3). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements for both the EE3 and the EE2 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements at the EE2 level, then they will be hired as an EE2 and will be placed in a training program to become an EE3 within a specified period of time.

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 experience in environmental engineering.

Option 2: A Master's degree or above 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 experience in environmental engineering.

 

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 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.

Option 2: A Master'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 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.

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 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.

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.

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

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?

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. 

For Your Privacy:

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

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.

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 Jay Decker at Jay.Decker@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Jay 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 

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 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.