The Department of Ecology is recruiting for a Stormwater Compliance Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4) in the Water Quality Program as part of our Northwest Region in Bellingham, WA. If you like working with a diverse audience of local businesses, contractors and environmental stewards, are a good communicator, and like working in a vibrant field office, this may be a great opportunity for you. This position works out of Ecology's Bellingham Field Office serving as senior water quality inspector for Construction, Industrial, Sand and Gravel and Boatyard Stormwater NPDES permits. This position ensures that permitted operators adhere to state permit regulations to protect water quality, primarily in Whatcom County. As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. Our work ensures that state waters support beneficial uses including recreational and business activities, supplies for clean drinking water, and the protection of fish, shellfish, wildlife, and public health. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

The mission of the Water Quality Program is to protect and restore Washington's waters to sustain healthy watersheds and communities. Our work ensures that state waters support beneficial uses including recreational and business activities, supplies for clean drinking water, and the protection of fish, shellfish, wildlife, and public health. The Stormwater Compliance Specialist provides technical assistance to businesses and individuals to assist them in doing their work in a way that prevents discharges of pollutants into state waters.

This includes:

- Preventing and cleaning up water pollution.

- Inspecting facilities holding National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for compliance with permit requirements and investigating potential violations for un permitted discharges.

- Assisting permittees, local governments, other Ecology staff, state agencies and environmental stakeholders in understanding and implementing NPDES permits for industrial sites, construction sites, boatyards and sand/gravel operations.

- Providing direct technical assistance to facility operators/owners to help them avoid and mitigate discharge violations.

- Based on inspections and investigations, developing evidence and other information to support formal compliance and enforcement actions, when necessary. Preparing formal and informal compliance documents such as warning letters, violations notices, orders and penalties. This position will also serve as the section specialist on the intersection between stormwater point and nonpoint pollution related to accelerated stream erosion, agricultural activities and other land disturbances.

This includes:

- Responding to highly complex inquiries for technical assistance related to nonpoint stream erosion/restoration, and agricultural pollution/best management practices.

- Tracking stormwater projects that intersect with nonpoint activities.

- Identifying and highlighting successful projects implemented by nonpoint permit regulated communities. This position will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be on June 20, 2018. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before June 19, 2018. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Required Qualifications:

A Bachelor's degree involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field and five years of professional level experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above, or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above. Additional qualifying experience will substitute, year for year, for education. OR A Master's degree in one of the above fields AND three years of professional level experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above, or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above. OR A Ph.D. in one of the above fields and two years of professional level experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning which includes one year equal to an Environmental Specialist 3 or above, or two years equal to an Environmental Specialist 2 or above.

The experience as an Environmental Specialist 3 can include a combination of the following:

1) investigating and / or resolving complaints involving science or technology content,

2) performing inspections,

3) drafting technical evaluations and reports,

4) develops plans for researching information used for technical projects, regulatory or policy development,

5) plan and facilitate public meetings and hearings,

6) project work requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes,

7) providing technical assistance for complex scientific content and/ or support for implementing scientific content programs,

8) conducting tests, analyzing and evaluating data,

9) using environmental databases to support technical projects,

10) developing scientific studies and resource management plans,

11) providing environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant/ contract/ loan recipients of environmental protection projects.

The experience as an Environmental Specialist 2 can include assisting in any of the following areas:

1) performing field surveys or studies,

2) responding to complaints involving scientific or technical content,

3) preparing public meetings and hearings,

4) assistance with routine inspections or investigations requiring specialized knowledge of industry processes, pollutant sources or natural processes,

5) responding to routine inquires or requests for technical assistance involving scientific content,

6) special projects that are scientific in nature,

7) conducting routine sampling and testing analysis, interprets data, writing reports.

8) performing basic sampling data review,

9) maintaining an environmental data base to support technical projects,

10) providing routine environmental technical and administrative assistance to grant/ contract/ loan recipients of environmental protection projects.

Desired Qualifications:

- Experiencing interpreting and enforcing laws pertaining to Washington State's Water Pollution Control Act and Federal Clean Water Act.

- Experience with NPDES permits and conducting site inspections, investigations, or enforcement.

- Education or experience in Washington State Water Quality Law and standards, water quality sampling, pollution prevention practices or natural resources management.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: Must possess a valid driver's license.