Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist 3

The (NWP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist 3 position.

This position is located in our Richland Field Office (RFO) in . Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In this position, you will have the opportunity to support and conduct outreach, education, and public involvement with communities impacted by Hanford Site cleanup.

Hanford is one of the most complex environmental cleanup efforts in the world, and is tracked by a wide variety of audiences regionally, across the Pacific Northwest, and nationally.

In this role, you will gain valuable experience in relationship building; engaging with diverse audiences; communicating complex topics in in a meaningful way;

and working collaboratively with the communications team, program staff and peers from other agencies and organizations.

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

Program Mission : The Nuclear Waste Program's (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 have flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint.

In general, you will be expected to work a minimum of 10% of your scheduled hours in the office typically a half day a week, or one day every two weeks.

However , due to the outreach, education, public involvement, and communications work this position entails, you will be expected to come to the office and / or work in the field as required / requested for meetings, outreach and education events, and similar work.

This could mean multiple days per week, or just the minimum stated above, depending on what is scheduled / requested. 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 15, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before August 14, 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?

Keeping Hanford top of mind is crucial to maintaining progress Hanford cleanup will extend into at least the 2070s and much of the work at the site is incredibly complex and the first of its kind in the world.

Those most vulnerable to harmful impacts are overburdened and underserved communities, including people of color, low-income populations, Tribes, and indigenous people.

Many of these communities have historically been left out of the decision-making process and haven’t had a voice in cleanup.

What you will do :

• Plan, develop, and implement environmental education and community outreach activities for the Nuclear Waste Program.
• Develop education and outreach materials.
• Take lead on developing and issuing an annual public survey and evaluation of Hanford Tri-Party Agencies’ public involvement in accordance with provisions of the Tri-Party Agreement Public Involvement Plan.
• Support development and implementation of the program’s community engagement plan and strategic outreach and education plan.
• Support public meetings, hearings, Hanford Advisory Board meetings, and other public involvement and outreach activities.
• Work as part of the program communications team on other communications materials, projects, and initiatives

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 seven years of experience and / or education as described below :

• Experience : Involving environmental analysis or control, environmental planning, environmental education, community outreach, or communications activities and conflict resolution.
• Education : Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or natural science, education, communications, or related field.

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

Possible Combinations C ollege credit hours or degree - as listed above. Years of required experience - as listed above.

Combination 1No college credit hours or degree7 years of experienceCombination 230-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.

6 years of experienceCombination 360-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).5 years of experienceCombination 490-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.

4 years of experienceCombination 5 A Bachelor's Degree3 years of experienceCombination 6 A Master's Degree or higher1 year of experience

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment :

• After employment begins, this position requires passing the Hanford General Employee Training (HGET) course and acquiring a badge for access to the Hanford Site.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Desired Qualifications :

• Planning, organizing, and executing outreach and education events.
• Speaking to small and large audiences, writing and editing. Writing and editing experience can include creating or reviewing outreach and education documents, fact sheets, brochures, blogs, and / or other communications documents.
• Understanding and experience creating communication materials that effectively reach and engage communities of color, Hispanic / Latino (Latinx) community, and underserved populations.
• Bilingual abilities a plus.

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