Headquarters Federal Permit Coordinator (Environmental Specialist 2) (Internal Only)

Please Note: This recruitment is open to current Department of Ecology employees and Ecology's Washington Conservation Corps members only. This includes employees working on temporary and project assignments at the Department of Ecology.

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Shorelands & Environmental Assistance (SEA) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Headquarters Federal Permit Coordinator (Environmental Specialist 2) (Internal Only) position. The position will be located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

As a Federal Permit Coordinator, you will provide routine, professional level review of requests for Section 401 Water Quality Certifications and determine if the project requires assignment to senior staff. You will also provide data entry into the Aquatic database and serve as a backup to other federal permit coordinators in the Unit.

Agency Mission: The mission of the Department of Ecology is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's land air and water for current and future generations.

Program Mission: The mission of the Shorelands & Environmental Assistance (SEA) program is to create community conservation partnerships to protect and restore our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.

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.

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 Strategic Plan.

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. 

• A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.

• 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.

What makes these roles unique?

In this role, you will work with other Ecology staff and outside stakeholders, including state, local and federal agencies, permit applicants, tribes, consultants, and the public. You will have the opportunity to gain or add to your experience in working with the Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certifications, as well as Nationwide Permitting and Coastal Zone Management Act (CZM) federal consistency.

What you will do:

• Review and conduct the intake processes for documents from the Corps of Engineers, including public notices, Nationwide Permits, CZM forms and other documents.

• Provide initial review of Section 401 Requests including Joint Aquatic Resource Permit Applications (JARPA's) for completeness and accuracy.

• Responsible for adding documents to SharePoint sites and entering data into the Aquatics database.

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with our clientele, both externally and internally.

• Work cooperatively with colleagues to resolve internal policy interpretation issues, concerns, or disagreements. Bring unresolved issues to Unit Supervisor or Section Manager.

• Compose correspondence and other documents needed by the Team.

• Assist other program staff in the regional offices and Headquarters.

• Occasional participation in evening hearings, meetings, presentations, etc.

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 Five (5) years of 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. 

See chart below for a list of ways to qualify for this position:  Possible Combinations.College credit hours or degree - as listed above.Years of professional level experience - as listed above.Combination 1No college credit hours or degree.5 years of experience.Combination 2I have 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.4 years of experience.Combination 3I have 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).3 years of experience.Combination 4I have 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.0 years of experience.

OR

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

Desired Qualifications:

We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.

• Experience working with applications and permitting processes under the Clean Water Act, the Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permits program and/or Coastal Zone Management Act.

• Experience reviewing and processing applications or similar documents.

• Experience working with databases and SharePoint.

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

Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?

• Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.

• If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

• If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.

• If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.  

Application Instructions:

It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.

• A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.

• A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.

• Three professional references.

Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.

For Your Privacy:

When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):

• Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc.

• Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded.

Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:

Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.

Application Attestation:

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Other Information:

If you have specific questions about this position, please email Loree' Randall at Loree.Randall@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Loree' to inquire about the status of your application.

To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov

Why work for Ecology?

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:

Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave*, 11 Paid Holidays per year*, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver,  Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP),  Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives, Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help

The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.  

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.