Chemical of Emerging Concern Coordinator (Environmental Planner 2)

The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Chemical of Emerging Concern Coordinator (Environmental Planner 2) position.

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

Pharmaceuticals, excess nutrients, and other Chemicals of Emerging Concern (CECs) discharged into the environment through wastewater may threaten the health of humans and aquatic species.

These chemicals are present in domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, and stormwater runoff. In this role, you will collaborate with other Water Quality Program experts across the state to develop plans to address CECs in wastewater and stormwater.

Your responsibilities will include engaging with internal and external workgroups and senior Ecology staff to gather data, complete literature reviews, conduct research, develop strategies, and garner support from interested parties to help better understand CECs and their impacts.

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

Program Mission : The mission of the Water Quality Program is to ensure that all aquatic life and communities in the watershed experience cool, clean water to refresh and sustain us in a changing climate.

Telework options for this position : This position will be eligible for up to a 90% 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 are subject to change.

Application Timeline : This position will remain open until filled; we will review applications on June 14, 2024. To be considered, please submit an application on or before June 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?

You will have the opportunity to coordinate and lead an internal Chemical of Emerging Concern (CEC) workgroup. This workgroup pulls together a team of subject matter experts from across the state to discuss and develop strategies to address emerging chemicals and their impacts on the environment.

What you will do :

• Organize, coordinate, and lead a Water Quality Program Chemical of Emerging Concern (CEC) workgroup.
• Conduct research, gather data, and garner input from interested parties and senior staff to identify CECs.
• Collaborate with an advisory committee, workgroups, senior staff, and others to discuss and prioritize actions Ecology can take to address identified CECs.
• Present recommendations for action to Ecology management, interested parties, and senior staff as related to addressing pharmaceuticals and CECs in wastewater.
• Coordinate public involvement and outreach for the development and discussion of plans to identify, prioritize, and address pharmaceuticals and other CECs in wastewater.
• Create plain language and accessible focus sheets, website content, and other communication materials related to the Water Quality Program’s position concerning CECs.

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.

A total of seven (7) years of experience and / or education as described below :

Experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning and / or program development, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related experience.

Experience may include, but is not limited to, a combination of the following : Conducting research of an environmental, economic, or natural resource nature.

Developing environmental resource plans, programs, or projects. Reviewing, recommending, or writing environmental policy.

Coordinating or facilitating environmental outreach and stakeholder engagement.

Education involving a major study in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related 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

7 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits

6 years of experience

Combination 3

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

5 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits

4 years of experience

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree

3 years of experience

Combination 6

A Master's Degree

1 year of experience

One (1) year of experience as an Environmental Planner 1, at the Department of Ecology.

Desired Qualifications :

• Knowledge of wastewater treatment plants systems or natural treatment systems.
• Experience facilitating and leading workgroups.
• Education or experience with scientific research methods.

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