Description

The Environmental Assessment Program (EAP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Senior Benthic Ecologist (Natural Resource Scientist 4) 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.

In this role, you will serve as the designated technical expert in the agency on benthic ecology. As the lead benthic ecologist, you will design and direct the sediment monitoring elements of the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program – the only comprehensive, long-term benthos monitoring program in our country’s second-largest estuary. You will perform duties related to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of sediment data to determine status and trends of sediment quality and the condition of sediment-dwelling invertebrate assemblages throughout Puget Sound.

We are seeking applicants who have excellent attention to technical details, possess the ability to work independently and take initiative, are flexible, team-oriented, and can communicate and work effectively with diverse audiences.

Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment and to promote the wise management of our air, land and water for the benefit of current and future generations.

Program Mission: The Environmental Assessment Program provides a range of scientific, monitoring, laboratory, and quality assurance services. Its mission is to measure, assess, and communicate environmental conditions in Washington State.

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. At the present time, this position is not required to work a set number of days in the office. It is expected that this position will work both remotely as well in the office and at our Operations Center as determined by business needs and agreed upon schedule.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled; with an initial screening date of February 22, 2023. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before of February 21, 2023. 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

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  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.

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.

Duties

What makes this role unique and challenging?

Ecology’s monitoring programs are continually evolving to keep pace with our knowledge of human and climatic pressures on Washington’s marine environment. The challenge of this position will be the exploration of new methodologies, funding opportunities, and collaborations that will take our programs into the future, as well as finding new and innovative ways to leverage the data we already have, to emphasize the importance of benthos in the greater Puget Sound ecosystem.

What you will do:

As the Senior Benthic Ecologist, you are designated by the director as the technical expert in designing and directing long and short-term status and trends monitoring programs and related research to determine sediment quality and the condition of sediment-dwelling invertebrate communities (i.e., benthos) throughout Puget Sound’s regions and bays in relation to both human and natural environmental stressors.

Some of the key work activities include:

• Plan, coordinate, implement, and track long and short-term status and trends monitoring programs to determine sediment quality and the condition of sediment-dwelling invertebrate communities throughout Puget Sound.
• Participate in field sampling preparation, including procurement of appropriate contracts and permits, and conducting field sampling for collection of marine sediment and benthic infauna samples from Puget Sound.
• Summarize, write and edit information for the Marine Sediment Monitoring Team (MSMT) publications and press releases. Work with team members, outside authors, reviewers, and publication staff to finalize and announce publication of all MSMT documents in the variety of formats.
• Sit on appropriate panels and workgroups to share findings and coordinate monitoring and research activities with other scientists, both inside and outside the agency, regarding the condition of marine sediment and benthos quality in relation to other Puget Sound ecosystem components.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Option 1: A Bachelor’s degree with a major study in Marine Ecology or one of the natural sciences or other closely related field AND Six years of professional level research work experience in sediment quality assessments, including effects of toxic chemicals and other human-caused and natural stressors in marine and estuarine ecosystems.

Option 2: A Master’s degree in the specialty field of sediment quality assessment, including effects of toxic chemicals and other human-caused and natural stressors in marine and estuarine ecosystems AND Four years of professional level research work experience in sediment quality assessments, including effects of toxic chemicals and other human-caused and natural stressors in marine and estuarine ecosystems.

Option 3: A Ph.D. in the specialty field of sediment quality assessment, including effects of toxic chemicals and other human-caused and natural stressors in marine and estuarine ecosystems AND Three years of professional level research work experience in sediment quality assessments, including effects of toxic chemicals and other human-caused and natural stressors in marine and estuarine ecosystems.

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment:

Must possess 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.

• Experience in the design, management, and budgeting for estuarine sediment quality monitoring programs for analysis of contaminants, toxicity, and benthic invertebrate communities.
• Experience collecting estuarine sediment samples for analysis of contaminants, toxicity, and benthic invertebrate communities.
• Experience and a good understanding in interpreting data, performing statistical analyses, generating summary reports for sediment chemical, toxicological, and biogeochemical analyses, and benthic invertebrate community structure.

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

Supplemental Information

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?

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  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 the position, please email Julianne Ruffner at: Julianne.Ruffner@ecy.was.gov. Please do not contact Julianne 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.