Quality Assurance Officer (Chemist 4)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Quality Assurance Officer (Chemist 4) within the Environmental Assessment Program.

Location:

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of one day per week is required in the office. 
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by December 14, 2025.
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.

Duties

In this role, one challenge will be maintaining and leading a consistent, agency-wide quality assurance system that meets both U.S. EPA standards and Ecology’s internal scientific rigor, while coordinating across multiple programs with distinct monitoring goals, data systems, and laboratory practices. You will be required to balance technical QA/QC expertise, policy-level oversight, and collaborative conflict resolution among diverse program QA Coordinators and leadership teams — all while ensuring data credibility that underpins Ecology’s environmental decisions.

What you will do:

• Agency-wide Quality System Oversight
  Develop, document, implement, and continuously improve Ecology’s QA/QC systems and procedures in alignment with EPA requirements and agency policy.

• Policy and Planning Leadership
  Maintain and update the Executive Policy Establishing Quality Assurance (22-01) and Quality Management Plan (QMP); ensure all program managers understand and sign off on the plan; advise executive leadership on QA matters.

• Coordination and Liaison with EPA and Other Agencies
  Serve as Ecology’s principal contact for QA/QC with the U.S. EPA; coordinate requirements, update the QA section of the EPA/Ecology Performance Partnership Agreement, and represent Ecology in external QA discussions.

• Program Oversight and Technical Assistance
  Provide guidance, technical assistance, and conflict resolution for Program QA Coordinators (QACs); review and approve QAPPs, SOPs, and requests related to laboratory accreditation waivers.

• Training and Capacity Building
  Manage QA training needs across programs; develop and deliver “train-the-trainer” initiatives for QACs; organize and lead QA/QC training for environmental monitoring and data management staff.

• Environmental Assessment Program (EAP) QA Coordination
  Serve as QAC for EAP by managing SOP reviews and updates, maintaining QA documentation, supporting staff in QA/QC implementation, and ensuring continuous compliance with EPA QA expectations.

Qualifications

For detailed information on how we calculate experience, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications:

Ten (10) years of experience and/or education as described below:

Experience performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory, in laboratory data quality assurance, laboratory operations, or related QA/QC program management or experience developing, implementing, or managing Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), or quality management systems.

Education must include a major in chemistry or in a closely related field—such as environmental science, biology, engineering, or statistics—and must include at least 30 semester hours (or 45 quarter hours) of college-level chemistry.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 10 years of experience.
• 9 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits in a major above.
• 8 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree) in a major above.
• 7 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits in a major above.
• 6 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree in one of the above majors including the chemistry credits.
• 4 years of experience AND a Master’s degree in one of the above majors including the chemistry credits. 
• 3 years of experience AND a Ph.D in one of the above majors including the chemistry credits.

Desired Qualifications:

• Graduate level chemistry degree or coursework.
• 15 or more semester hours or 20 quarter hours in college-level statistics.
• Experience implementing a quality assurance system.
• 5 or more years of experience writing QAPPs and/or SOPs.

If you are excited about this role but not sure if your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.

Supplemental Information

Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Application Process

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 job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach:

• Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
• Resume

Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.

For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.

Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Need an Accommodation?

If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:

• Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.

Questions?

• For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Annette Hoffmann at annette.hoffmann@ecy.wa.gov 
• If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at careers@ecy.wa.gov

About the Environmental Assessment Program

The Environmental Assessment Program (EAP) is a scientific arm of the Department of Ecology, providing the science to guide the agency's regulatory decisions. EAP's mission is to measure, assess, and communicate environmental conditions in Washington state. This position reports to the Program Manager, has a dotted line relationship with the Deputy Director, and collaborates closely with the Lead National Estuary Program Quality Assurance Coordinator.

About the Department of Ecology

As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology 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. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

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.

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.

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 *Click here for more information

To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.

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.

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

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.

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