Nooksack Basin Specialist - Bellingham, United States - Washington State Department of Ecology

Description

The(WR) program is currently looking to fill two Nooksack Basin Specialist (Environmental Specialist 3) (In-Training) positions. The positions are located in our Bellingham Field Office (BFO) in . Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
In this role, located at Ecology's Bellingham Field Office, you will provide technical assistance to the public regarding the requirements to submit court claims for a large-scale adjudication, conduct research and water right review, and perform water right application processing and permitting. This includes field work opportunities, especially during the summer months, and an opportunity to work along-side a fantastic team of Water Resources staff.

These positions offer a career path and on-the-job training. These positions allow you to progress through the Environmental Specialist field and achieve the goal class of an Environmental Specialist 3 . Candidates will be considered at the Environmental Specialist 2 and the Environmental Specialist 3 levels, depending on their qualifications. For salary levels for each, please see the qualifications section.

Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission: The mission of the Water Resources(WR) program is to manage water resources to meet the current and future needs of the natural environment and Washington's communities.

Tele-work options for this position: Upon completion of initial training and onboarding, these positions will be eligible for up to a 20% tele-work schedule, with additional tele-work opportunities expected in the future.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 April 08, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before April 07, 2024 . 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.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
, , *, *, , , & , , , , , , , *

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 .
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 unique?

In this role, you will interact with the public to answer questions about adjudications and water rights, which are unique and can be politically contentious. You will review incoming court claim filings and conduct research and provide findings for the court.

What you will do:

Communicate with water right applicants, the public, local governments, tribal agencies, and state and federal entities, and provide technical recommendations and direction on water right statutes, regulations, and policies.

Interact with the public to answer questions about adjudication, court claim filings, and water rights.

Process water right applications. Conduct pre-application consultations. Perform office and field investigations, conduct research and analysis of water right information, and guide applicants through the process.

Prepare written Reports of Examination which result in agency actions for decisions on water right applications and permits.

Review incoming court claim filings and input information into Washington Adjudication Information System (WAIS) ensuring completeness and accuracy.

Develop and prepare technical materials such as maps used in making permit decisions.

Qualifications

Required 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

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

This is an In Training opportunity: The goal class for this position is an Environmental Specialist 3 (ES3). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements at the ES2 and ES3 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements at the ES2 level, they will be hired at that level and will be placed in a training program to become an ES3 within a specified period of time.

At the Environmental Specialist 2 level: Range 45 ($3,796 - $5,088 per month) (In-Training)

A total of five years of combined experience and/ or education as described below:

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.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree - as listed above.

Years of required experience – as listed above.

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree.

5 years of experience.

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.

4 years of experience.

Combination 3

60-89 semester or quarter credits (AA degree).

3 years of experience.

Combination 4

semester or quarter credits.

2 years of experience.

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree.

1 year of experience.

Combination 6

A Master's Degree or higher.

No experience required.

OR

One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 1, at the Department of Ecology.

At the Environmental Specialist 3 level: Range 53 ($4,602 - $6,198 per month) Goal Class

A total of six years of combined experience and / or education as described below:

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.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:

Possible Combinations

College credit hours or degree

Years of required experience – as listed above.

Combination 1

No college credit hours or degree

6 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits.

5 years of experience

Combination 3

60-89 semester or quarter credits (AA degree).

4 years of experience

Combination 4

semester or quarter credits.

3 years of experience

Combination 5

A Bachelor's Degree

2 years of experience

Combination 6

A Master's Degree

1 year of experience

Combination 7

A Ph.D.

No experience

OR

One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 2, at the Department of Ecology.

Desired Qualifications:

Familiarity with GIS.

Experience with MS Excel.

Knowledge of water rights laws

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