Lower Columbia Basin Engineer (Environmental Engineer 2) (In Training)

Position Overview

Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2, Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of vaccination prior to their start date. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered.

The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is seeking to fill a Lower Columbia Basin Engineer position at our Headquarters Office in Location: Lacey, WA. In this role, you will use your communication and technical skills to explain water quality laws and administer permits to reduce impacts on surrounding waters, all while helping protect and restore Washington’s waters for current and future generations.

Join a dedicated, diverse, and collaborative team that values employee wellness, creative leadership, and a commitment to environmental stewardship.

Key Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of a licensed engineer, negotiate wastewater discharge permits (State & NPDES) for industrial wastewater, pretreatment, and stormwater treatment plants.
• Review permit applications, prepare draft permits and fact sheets, and solicit and respond to comments from permitted entities and the public.
• Derive permit conditions based on legal and technical requirements, including application of mathematical models for mixing zones.
• Provide peer review for draft permits prepared by other engineers in the unit.
• Determine and recommend the best available technology that is economically feasible to treat industrial wastewater and stormwater.

Required Qualifications

• Education: An Engineer-In-Training Certificate or a Bachelor’s degree with a major in sanitary, civil, geotechnical, water resource, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or a related engineering field.
• Experience Required: For the Environmental Engineer 1 level – either one year of environmental engineering experience or a Master’s degree in a related field; for the Environmental Engineer 2 level – either two years of environmental engineering experience or a Master’s degree plus one year of experience.
• Salary: College Career Graduate – $3,887 - $5,102 monthly; Environmental Engineer 1 – $4,509 - $5,913 monthly; Environmental Engineer 2 – $5,229 - $6,862 monthly.
• Must have a valid driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least one year of experience in wastewater treatment plant design and operations, including preparing general sewer plans and facility contract documents.
• Experience or training in modeling processes such as wastewater engineering and mixing zone analysis.
• Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical issues effectively to the public.

Benefits & Perks

• Benefits: Enjoy a healthy work/life balance with flexible schedules and telework options, an Infants at Work Program, and continuous growth and development opportunities.
• Participate in a comprehensive wellness program offering education, fitness classes, and innovative outdoor meeting experiences.
• Eligibility for Medical/Dental/Vision coverage, Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick Leave, 11 Paid Holidays, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation, Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Arrangement, and Employee Assistance Program.