Marine Monitoring Technician (Natural Resource Scientist 1)

The (EAP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Marine Monitoring Technician (Natural Resource Scientist 1) position.

This position is locatedin our Headquarters Office in Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

As a marine monitoring technician, you will gain experience in multiple scientific disciplines, from oceanographic to zoological, providing multiple pathways for professional growth and development.

In addition to strengthening your scientific skills, you will support the marine monitoring program by becoming a certified boat operator.

Responsibilities include conducting field surveys, processing benthos and laboratory tasks, data entry and quality assurance, and operating boats up to 32’ in Puget Sound and the outer coast to support monitoring efforts.

The data collected are used to determine the status and trends of marine water and sediment quality in Washington State.

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

Program Mission : The mission of the Environmental Assessment Program is to measure, assess, and communicate environmental conditions in Washington state.

Tele-work options for this position : This position will have flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint.

This position will be eligible for a telework schedule, with work conducted both remotely and in the office as determined by business needs.

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 are subject to change. Application Timeline : This position will remain open until filled;

we will review applications on August 14, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before August 13, 2024 .

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.

Please Note : We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following :

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 .

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?

Our scientists are passionate about their work to measure, analyze, assess, interpret and communicate conditions of Washington’s marine environments over time.

In this position, you will assist with marine water and sediment sampling operations, sample processing, and laboratory sample analysis using conventional techniques.

Because this position includes concurrent work with multiple groups, it requires effective communication to schedule and prioritize tasks, but also allows for varied daily activities and opportunities for learning a variety of different skills.

What you will do :

• Under technical direction of senior staff, participate in field work and related duties associated with Puget Sound marine water, sediment, and Beach Environmental Assessment Communication & Health (BEACH) Program sampling.
• Perform laboratory analysis of marine water quality variables using standard techniques.
• Using knowledge of marine benthic invertebrates, perform benthic sorting.
• Serve as a certified Ecology boat pilot, operating research vessels in support of Marine Monitoring Unit field operations by satisfying certification requirements within the first year of employment.
• Assist with maintaining laboratory, laboratory equipment, and supplies in clean working order.
• Support field operations as a courier for transporting samples, instruments, and field staff.

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.

Required Qualifications :

A total of six years of experience and / or education as described below :

• Research work experience in marine ecology, marine benthic ecology, marine science, oceanography, or other closely allied marine science field.
• Education : involving a major study in a natural science, including marine ecology, marine benthic ecology, marine science, oceanography, or other closely allied marine science field.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position :

Possible Combinations

College credits or degree as listed above

Years of required experience as listed above

Combination 1

No college credits or degree

6 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits

5 years of experience

Combination 3

60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (AA degree)

4 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits

3 years of experience

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree

2 years of experience

Combination 6

A Master's Degree or higher

No experience required

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment :

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Must possess or obtain certification as an Environmental Assessment Program boat operator.

Desired Qualifications :

• Experience as primary research vessel operator responsible for crew safety and sampling logistics.
• Knowledge of marine weather forecasts, navigation and boating safety regulations and laws.
• Experience conducting field sampling from a boat under a variety of conditions.

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