Hazardous Waste Compliance Inspector (Environmental Specialist 3) (In-Training)

The salary listed above includes the 3% pay increase that goes into effect on July 1, 2024. The Hazardous Waste and Toxics Reduction program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill the Hazardous Waste Compliance Inspector (Environmental Specialist 3) (In-Training) position.

This position is located in our Central Region Office (CRO) in .

Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Are you interested in protecting the environment from hazardous waste? Washington state is a leader in hazardous waste policy and pollution prevention.

In this position, you will be part of a small regional team that makes sure hazardous waste is managed safely, properly identified, and disposed in a safe manner.

If you enjoy researching, learning, and then implementing your knowledge and skills in the field, this is the role for you!

Note : This position offers a career path and on-the-job training. This position allows you to progress through the Environmental Specialist field and achieve the goal class of an Environmental Specialist 3.

Candidates will be considered at the Environmental Specialist 2 and the Environmental Specialist 3 levels, 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 the environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission : We protect Washington’s residents and environment by reducing the use of toxic chemicals, safely managing dangerous waste, preventing new contaminated sites, and cleaning up contamination.

We’re national leaders in minimizing and eliminating the impacts of toxic chemicals and hazardous waste.

Tele-work options for this position : This position will be eligible for up to a 90% 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 are subject to change. Application Timeline : This position will remain open until filled;

we will review applications on May 20, 2024 . In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before May 19, 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.

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?

In this position, you will conduct on-site inspections of businesses and industries that generate, treat, and manage hazardous waste.

You will help them understand hazardous waste regulations and achieve compliance.

Inspectors from a variety of backgrounds have found previous environmental experience applicable to this role. We offer our inspectors a comprehensive training program focused specifically on hazardous waste compliance.

If you enjoy a collaborative, team-oriented work environment and are excited about the opportunity to educate and inform a regulated community about regulatory requirements, you will find this position very rewarding.

What you will do :

• Plan and lead hazardous waste compliance inspections.
• Partner with senior staff to make regulatory decisions that impact the environmental management of chemicals and wastes.
• Develop relationships with businesses and regulatory agencies to collaboratively identify and respond to environmental issues.
• Prepare inspection reports and enter information into our data systems.
• Evaluate the compliance history of regulated businesses and provide recommendations.

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 opportunity : The goal class for this position is an Environmental Specialist 3 (ES3). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements at the ES2 and ES3 levels.

If the finalist meets the requirements at the ES2 level, they will be hired at that level and will be placed in a training program to become an ES3 within a specified period of time.

At the Environmental Specialist 2 level : Range 45 ($3,910 - $5,241 per month) (In-Training)

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

Experience : In environmental analysis or control or environmental planning.

Education : Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree - as listed above.

Years of required experience as listed above.

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree.

5 years of experience.

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.

4 years of experience.

Combination 3

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

3 years of experience.

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.

2 years of experience.

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree.

1 year of experience.

Combination 6

A Master's Degree or higher.

No experience required.

One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 1, at the Department of Ecology.

At the Environmental Specialist 3 level : Range 53 ($4,740 - $6,384 per month) Goal Class

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

Experience : In environmental analysis or control or environmental planning.

Education : Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree

Years of required experience as listed above.

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree

6 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.

5 years of experience

Combination 3

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

4 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.

3 years of experience

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree

2 years of experience

Combination 6

A Master's Degree

1 year of experience

Combination 7

A Ph.D.

No experience

One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 2, at the Department of Ecology.

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment :

Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

Desired Qualifications :

• Experience reviewing, working with, or learning about environmental issues, programs, or regulations at the federal, state, or local level.
• Experience effectively communicating complex information to a variety of audiences.
• Experience reviewing and understanding complex technical documents.

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