Hydrogeologist/Permit Manager (Hydrogeologist 2)

The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Hydrogeologist / Permit Manager (Hydrogeologist 2) 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.

Make a meaningful impact by joining our dynamic team dedicated to the permitting and regulation of wastewater discharges to protect the waters of Central Washington! In this role, you will be responsible for implementing the permit program and related activities for the Sand and Gravel General Permit and Winery General Permit.

You will also support the development of industrial National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) / State Waste Discharge (SWD) permits, industrial state waste discharge permits, and accompanying fact sheets that control wastewater discharges in a manner protective of the Central Region’s waters.

Working alongside a team of environmental professionals, including a licensed hydrogeologist, you will apply your existing communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills while gaining valuable experience to strengthen essential leadership skills.

Permits issued by this unit are crucial to safeguarding water quality, promoting growth in our state, and ensuring the health and well-being of our communities.

You will collaborate closely with Central Region Office Water Quality Industrial Unit staff and Water Quality staff throughout the state, while also partnering closely with regulated entities and the public to provide regulatory oversight of industrial wastewater discharges.

This work will position you at the forefront of emerging trends and technology associated with industrial wastewater treatment and permitting.

You will play a pivotal role as a key partner in our collective efforts to protect public health, the waterways, and environment 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 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 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 required to work in the office for the first month and will then be eligible for up to 90% telework schedule.

Applicants with questions about position location options, telework, 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 2, 2024 . To be considered, please submit an application on or before August 1, 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 :

For this position, personal protective equipment will be provided by the program along with reimbursement for required footwear.

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 be an integral part of the team of environmental professionals responsible for conducting regulatory oversight of sand and gravel facilities, wineries, and industrial wastewater discharges within Water Quality’s Central Region Office Industrial Unit.

You will have the opportunity to work on complex and emerging new stormwater and wastewater environmental issues and permitting for a rapidly growing Water Quality Program at Ecology.

The ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people, build collaborative professional working relationships, and stay current with emerging environmental wastewater trends and technologies are essential skills for this role.

What you will do :

• Apply the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) and Washington Administrative Code (WAC), internal policies, procedures, and guidance documents appropriate to the Water Quality Program to the Sand and Gravel Permit, Winery General Permit, State Waste Discharge (SWD), and National Pollutant Elimination Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.
• Determine hydrogeological characteristics of aquifers and regulated sites; establish monitoring and reporting programs and other permit requirements including but not limited to schedules of compliance, groundwater monitoring, stormwater pollution prevention, erosion and sediment control, solid waste, spill plans, and best management practices.
• Develop draft permits and fact sheets using agency standard templates for internal and external review, solicit and respond to both permitted entity and public comments, and develop final permits for issuance.
• Conduct permit compliance inspections, prepare inspection reports, and communicate findings to facilities.
• Provide technical assistance to permittees or other affected entities and people to achieve permit compliance and water quality goals and objectives.
• Serve as the regional liaison with Ecology headquarters, providing regional Water Quality Program review and feedback to Ecology staff on matters concerning the Sand and Gravel General Permit, Winery General Permit, and agency policy decisions.

Note : Personal protective equipment will be provided by the program along with reimbursement for required footwear.

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 six (6) years of experience and / or education as described below :

• Experience as a hydrogeologist, hydrologist, geologist, or closely allied profession.
• Education : involving a major study in hydrogeology, hydrology, geology, or closely allied 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

One (1) year as a Hydrogeologist 1, at the Department Ecology.

Note : This position does not require a Washington state license in geology or hydrogeology.

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment :

Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Desired Qualifications :

• Experience with environmental legislation and regulations at the federal, state, and local level.
• Experience with oral and written communication of complex issues and interpreting technical documents for a variety of audiences.
• Experience inspecting facilities, data management, and reviewing site specific documents.

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