Public Records Search Specialist (Management Analyst 3)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Administrative Services Division (ASD) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Public Records Search Specialist (Management Analyst 3) position. This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Take the lead in search and disclosure of vital natural resource data for an informed public, leading to better decision-making and transparent, accountable government. Leverage your creativity and innovation to discover and develop new and evolving methods to administer public records searches, preservation, production, and tracking in order to further the Ecology mission of clean air, land, and water.

Develop new skills and boost your professional portfolio in a field that is growing exponentially with the growth of siloed cloud data services and disconnected information. Create and manage communication bridges between the public, executive staff, and our program records staff so that public record searches are timely, accurate, and compliant. Enjoy a modern work environment with an innovative and motivated team, focused on accountability, trust, integrity, and customer satisfaction.

Enjoy the flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint. After the first two months, you will be able to work up to 80% of your time in an approved remote work location.

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: This position will report to the Information Governance Office (IGO) in the Administrative Services Division of Ecology. The IGO mission is to administer records and information practices to mitigate risk, promote transparency, and provide excellent customer service to the public and our staff.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, with an initial screening date of May 7, 2024. In order to be considered for initial screening, please submit an application on or before May 6, 2024. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

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 (Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information

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.

• 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 this role unique?

This is a unique position created specifically to address Public Records search and preservation of information for the public. You will work closely with Information Governance teammates, and program staff who often manage sensitive records and have challenging time constraints. The ideal candidate for this position will be detail-oriented, professional, discrete, and respectful.

What you will do:

• Provide complex preservation, search, and collection tasks in order to fulfill public records and discovery obligations.

• Coordinate intake, assignment, and tracking of Public Records Act requests received at Ecology.

• Research and consult with programs and divisions on the fulfilment of a variety of complex public records requests.

• Report and track preservation and collection efforts to maximize compliance and reduce the risk of Public Records Act legal action.

• Consult with program and regional office Public Disclosure Coordinators (PDC) regarding document preservation, search and collection and use of eDiscovery tools for record review, redaction, production and tracking.

• Long term strategic planning with Information Governance for electronic record preservation, collection, review and production of records.

• Track, route and verify fulfillment of public records requests.

• Identify key metrics for reporting efforts focused on search and collection of records in M365 environment and other locations.

• Work in coordination with the agency eDiscovery technician to design workflows that simplify eDiscovery processes.

• Serve the State of Washington with public transparency, and enable the critical mission of clean air, land, and water.

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 Seven (7) years of experience and/or education as described below:

Professional level Experience conducting research and analyzing policies, laws, rules or regulations, formulating recommendations, and coordinating implementation and ongoing evaluation of programs, administering state and federal laws related to public records and managing public records requests for a governmental agency and strategic and long-range planning activities.

Education involving a major study in Information Technology, business administration, public administration, health administration, law, environmental law, finance, economics, statistics, environmental management, environmental or public policy, education, or related field.

See chart below for a list of ways to qualify for this position:

Possible CombinationsCollege credit hours or degree - as listed above.Years of professional level experience - as listed above.Combination 1No college credit hours or degree.7 years of experience.Combination 2I have 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.6 years of experience.Combination 3I have 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).5 years of experience.Combination 4I have 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.4 years of experience.Combination 5 A Bachelor's Degree.3 years of experience.Combination 6A Master's Degree or higher.1 year of experience.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must obtain and maintain a valid driver's license.

Desired Qualifications:

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

• Two years dedicated experience working with electronic records search, retrieval, production, and reporting.

• Experience searching for electronic files in various digital media such as email, file servers, and portable storage.

• Demonstrated working knowledge of the legal requirements relating to litigation discovery and public records disclosure.

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.
• A list of 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 the position, please email William Falling at: William.Falling@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact William 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.

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.