Ecology's Liaison to USBR-YRBWEP (Environmental Specialist 5)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen The Office of the Columbia River within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill Ecology's Liaison to USBR-YRBWEP (Environmental Specialist 5) position. This position is located in our Central Regional Office (CRO) in Union Gap, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station. 

In this role you will serve as the agency expert and liaison to the US Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) responsible for representing Ecology's interests in the implementation of the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP). YRBWEP is a cooperative endeavor of Reclamation and Ecology to improve instream flows for fish and wildlife; to improve water supplies for irrigation; to protect, restore and enhance wetlands; and other purposes in the Yakima Basin. The YRBWEP Lead is responsible for facilitating cooperation and communication between the two agencies and represents the state's interests in the implementation of the 1994 and 2019 YRBWEP federal legislation. This position is responsible for informing Ecology Program Management on emerging issues and problems, new strategy approaches, policy development or law changes needed and enforcement/compliance issues related to the YRBWEP. This position has the unique opportunity to work with both state and federal project management teams made up of highly skilled professionals. As well as routinely update Yakima River Parker and Prosser federal target flow accounting.   
The mission of the Office of the Columbia River (OCR) is to aggressively pursue the development of new water supplies for the Columbia River through conservation and storage projects.

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 90% tele-work schedule. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change. Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled, we will review applications on November 20. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before November 19, 2023. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date. 
Please Note: We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

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. 

Duties

What makes this role challenging: 
This position works independently, under administrative direction of the OCR Financial and Project Section Manager.  As the agency expert, you will serve as the liaison between the Reclamation and Washington State Department of Ecology on issues relating to the Yakima Basin.  In this role, you will collaborate with multiple federal, state and local agencies, building partnerships to reach common goals that impact the environment where we live and recreate. You will be part of a highly effective and technically advanced team of project managers with OCR, in addition to the project management team that makes up the Reclamation’s YRBWEP team.
What you will do:

• Serve as the agency expert and OCR's lead member of the YRBWEP team's water and land acquisition team, which is authorized to acquire water and land to provide immediate instream flow increases in the Yakima Basin to benefit fish and wildlife. 
• Provide water rights research, assessment information, water law advice and interpretation of Washington water code. Analyzes and creates trust water rights, writes reviews, and edits contracts for water leases and purchases. Meets and negotiates with the public and with staff from various agencies to find and acquire water rights, and drafts and files appropriate petitions and proposed orders with the Yakima Adjudication Court and/or water right change applications to Ecology to transfer water rights from out-of-stream to instream uses.  
• Act as liaison and resource between the Reclamation and OCR and the Water Resources Program on matters related to YRBWEP.  Manages flow tracking at the Parker and Prosser gages, as well as interaction with committee and workgroups related to YRBWEP and the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan (YBIP). Assists in the development of policy and guidance relative to the YRBWEP goals. Communicates with Ecology experts, including Water Resources Section Manager, OCR Program Director, OCR Operations Manager, irrigation district personnel and various engineers and hydrogeologists as needed to meet project commitments. 
• Review and solicits input on issues such as fish passage, water conservation, fish habitat development, structural/operational changes, surface water storage, groundwater storage and water banks/markets. Provides progress reports to Ecology management on YRBWEP progress and implementation.  
• Provide staff support to the YRBWEP workgroup, including representing the state's interest and providing advice and guidance.  Is responsible for drafting, editing, and providing comments and recommendations to the YRBWEP team for development of the Basin Conservation Plan and implementation of the Basin Conservation Program (Water Conservation Grant Program). Assists Ecology and Reclamation to track conservation quantities for all YRBWEP water supplies.    
• Serve as Ecology's senior staff representative on state environmental policy and water law including the State Trust Water Right Program for the Yakima Basin, water right transfers, and water rights adjudication.  
• Provide interpretation of state laws and programs relevant to the implementation of the YRBWEP. Responsible for evaluating, commenting and providing recommendations on papers and reports prepared by Reclamation and others related to the YRBWEP. Serves as Ecology's senior staff representative on various committees, work groups, and interdisciplinary teams including Water Transfer Workgroup, YRBWEP and the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan.

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

Required Qualifications: 

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

Professional level Experience in: Environmental analysis or control or environmental planning.

Education: Involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

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

Possible Combinations. College credit hours or degree - as described above. Years of professional level experience - as described above. 

Combination 1No college credit hours or degree10 years of experience.

Combination 2I have 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.9 years of experience.

Combination 3I have 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree).8 years of experience.

Combination 4I have 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits.7 years of experience.

Combination 5 A Bachelor's Degree.6 years of experience.

Combination 6 A Master's Degree.4 years of experience.

Combination 7     A Ph.D. 3 years of experience. OR

One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 4, at the Department of Ecology.

 
Additional Requirements:

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.
 

• Knowledge of applicable state, federal and local environmental regulations and policies; methods for the development of an environmental program or complex study; multimedia environmental principles and practices.
• Ability to work independently on large projects and stay focused for long periods of time.
• Have field experience and be able to participate in field work, especially related to stream gage monitoring.
• Effectively communicate technical information clearly, both orally and in writing. 
• Experience with Microsoft applications ACCESS, EXCEL, WORD, OUTLOOK, and POWERPOINT.

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?

• 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 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 (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 Melissa Downes at: Melissa.downes@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Melissa 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. 

State of Washington Job Opportunities | Work that Matters (governmentjobs.com)