Source Assessment, Control and Remediation Program Expert (Environmental Specialist 4 or 5)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring an Everett Smelter Source Assessment, Control and Remediation Program Expert (Environmental Specialist 4 or 5) within the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP).

This is a project position that is funded until June 30, 2027.  This funding is highly likely to be renewed for the next bi-annual budget cycle.

Location:

• Northwest Region Office in Shoreline, WA.
• The salary listed includes 5% premium pay due to the position location in King County.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• You will need to be in-office 3-4 days per week for the first two weeks during onboarding. Thereafter, you may telework most of your work time with in-person meetings and activities at the Everett Smelter Site up to 1-2 days per week for a few hours, depending on site activities, such as meeting residents, contractors, etc.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline: 

• Apply by February 22, 2026.
• 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

As the Source Assessment, Control and Remediation Program Expert on the Everett Smelter cleanup, you’ll be part of a team directly protecting families and neighborhoods from exposure to lead and arsenic left behind by historic smelter operations. You will serve a critical role in cleaning up contamination in residential and industrial areas of Everett by providing expertise on the cleanup of various contaminated properties and planning, prioritizing, and leading area-wide source assessment, control, and remediation projects. In this role, you’ll manage interagency project teams, oversee agreements and prime contracts, and evaluate when contract work is needed to successfully advance cleanup efforts. You’ll also maintain sampling and cleanup trackers, apply geographic information systems (GIS) data to develop maps for fact sheets and other project-related documents, and provide essential environmental information for outreach materials. Through this work, you’ll help restore contaminated properties, support healthier communities, and contribute to the long-term environmental and economic vitality of the region.

What you will do:

• Plan, prioritize, and design area-wide source assessment, control and remediation activities related to the Everett Smelter site or other assignments. Identify the needs, goals and objectives of projects and communicate them to program management.
• Represent Ecology as the on-site remediation representative for implementation of cleanup of numerous Everett area residential properties.
• Oversee contractors conducting sampling and remedial actions; collect soil samples on property cleanups as part of the Everett Smelter Project (ESP) yard cleanup program.
• Manages public works contracts, on-call contracts, interagency agreements, agreed orders, consent decrees, with involved organizations, agencies, persons and others. 
• Assist Everett Smelter Project team in the collection of samples during construction, and daily interactions with Ecology contractors for cleanup actions. Implement project data management and file documentation system.
• Review the sampling data, Sampling Analysis, quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) and Health and Safety plans (HASP).  Coordinate sampling events for properties with contractors and the ESP team and residents.
• Work with project staff to identify and prioritize the area-wide source assessment, control and remediation topics in which community outreach is needed. Assist with developing talking points and outreach documents to proactively inform and update the community with cleanup information and progress.  

Qualifications

This position offers an in-training plan and may be filled at the Environmental Specialist 4 or 5 level, depending on your qualifications. If you qualify at the ES4 level and are hired, you will progress through an in-training plan to become an ES5 within a specified time period.

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications:

At the Environmental Specialist 4 level (In-Training)

Pay Range 59, $5,949 - $8,003 monthly

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

• Experience performing environmental-based work, OR work related to the duties of the position, which must include the following:
  • Planning, leading, and implementing complex, technical, or regulatory assessment, investigation, control, and environmental corrective action projects, including area-wide or community-scale efforts that affect residential areas, public infrastructure, or multiple operational systems.

• Experience must include demonstrated competence in the following skill sets:
  • Ability to manage complex environmental projects and associated contracts or agreements, including overseeing consultant or contractor work, reviewing work plans and quality or safety documentation, and using results to inform decisions.
  • Ability to apply technical knowledge and professional judgment to advise management on actions needed to reduce risks to people or communities, and to support communication of those actions to interested parties or the public as appropriate.
    
• Education involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences; environmental or natural science interdisciplinary studies; environmental planning, or an academic discipline related to the duties of the position.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 9 years of experience.
• 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
• 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
• 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
• 3 years of experience AND a Master’s degree.
• 2 years of experience AND a Ph.D.

At the Environmental Specialist 5 level (Goal Class)

Pay Range 63, $6,571 - $8,835 monthly

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

• Experience performing environmental-based work, OR work related to the duties of the position, which must include the following:
  • Planning, leading, and implementing complex, technical, or regulatory assessment, investigation, control, and environmental corrective action projects, including area-wide or community-scale efforts that affect residential areas, public infrastructure, or multiple operational systems.
• Experience must include demonstrated competence in the following skill sets:
  • Ability to manage complex environmental projects and associated contracts or agreements, including overseeing consultant or contractor work, reviewing work plans and quality or safety documentation, and using results to inform decisions.
  • Ability to apply technical knowledge and professional judgment to advise management on actions needed to reduce risks to people or communities, and to support communication of those actions to interested parties or the public as appropriate.
• Education involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences; environmental or natural science interdisciplinary studies; environmental planning, or an academic discipline related to the duties of the position.

Examples of how to qualify:

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

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

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

Desired Qualifications:

• Working knowledge of the Model Toxics Control Act, Chapter 173-340 WAC including the public involvement process, or similar regulation.
• Knowledge of property sampling.
• Ability to establish professional working relationships with contractors, interested parties, state and local governments, and peers.
   

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 (required for submission)

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 Eun-Joo Ahn at Eun-Joo.Ahn@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

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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