What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sand & Gravel General Permit Manager (Hydrogeologist 2) position at State of Washington?
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Department of Ecology is hiring a Sand & Gravel General Permit Manager (Hydrogeologist 2) within the Water Quality Program.
Location:
- Northwest Region Office in Shoreline, WA.
- The salary listed includes an additional 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.
- Your schedule will mostly consist of field work. The remaining time will be spent either in-person and/or teleworking, with occasional and routine in-person meetings and other activities.
- Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
Application Timeline:
- Apply by April 16, 2025
- 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.
We’re looking for a Sand and Gravel General Permit Manager to join our team and ensure that aggregate mining and related industrial operations and comply with federal and state water quality regulations. You will combine your hydrogeologic skills, regulatory oversight, and technical assistance to safeguard Washington’s surface and groundwater resources.
What’s unique about this role is the hands-on nature of the work. You'll spend time in a range of environmental settings, from remote mine sites in the Cascade foothills, to concrete manufacturing plants located in dense industrial parks. In each setting, you will see firsthand the impact of your efforts on the environment, while also engaging in site-specific and programmatic technical analysis in collaboration with other environmental professionals.
You will provide critical administrative and technical assistance to permit holders with clear and consistent interpretations of permit conditions and timely review of routine permitted facility operational changes. You will also conduct on-site inspections to enable solution-oriented and proactive relationships with permit holders, assure compliance with state and federal law, and execute the Water Quality Program’s water pollution control and clean water mandates for community and environmental benefits.
What you will do:
- Conduct on-site inspections of mining and industrial facilities for permit compliance, technical assistance of permit implementation, and evaluate impacts to groundwater and surface water; compose written reports of inspection findings and corrective actions and communicate findings to permitted facilities.
- Provide administrative technical assistance and review of permit-required submittals, water quality monitoring reports, and routine facility changes, such as permit applications, modifications, and terminations, status changes, and transfers.
- Exercise Ecology’s Compliance Assurance policies by initiating and managing compliance enforcement actions to permitted or unpermitted facilities; manage and track corrective action and enforcement deadlines; retain and organize evidence and supporting documentation for enforcement actions.
- Receive, evaluate, and timely respond to complaint reports received from the public or other federal, state, and local agencies; evaluate unpermitted facilities for permit eligibility and assist facilities in receiving the appropriate permit coverage.
- Provide regional water quality expertise to Ecology headquarters and state-wide working groups concerning sand and gravel permit implementation, and agency policy decisions.
- Review State Environmental Policy Act documents related to new operations and site expansions or modifications to identify surface and groundwater quality concerns. This includes the review of site maps, groundwater monitoring data, geotechnical reports, hydrogeologic reports, and water quality analysis.
For detailed information on how we calculate experience, please visit our Recruitment website.
Required Qualifications:
Six (6) years of experience and/or education as described below:
- Experience as a hydrogeologist, hydrologist, geologist or closely allied profession.
- Education involving a major study in hydrogeology, hydrology, geology or closely allied field.
Examples of how to qualify:
- 6 years of experience.
- 5 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
- 4 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
- 3 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
- 2 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
- No experience AND A Master’s degree.
- 1 year of experience as a Hydrogeologist 1, at the Department of Ecology.
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
Desired Qualifications:
- Demonstrated ability to understand and implement state and federal water pollution laws and regulations, permit programs, and policies.
- Demonstrated ability to negotiate and apply conflict resolution skills.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate complex technical issues to non-technical audiences.
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.
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.
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.
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
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 Jay Fennell at jay.fennell@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
About the Water Quality Program
Come be part of the Water Quality Program’s northwest region Watershed Protection Unit. We are a diverse group of environmental specialists, environmental planners, and hydrogeologists working together to safeguard the quality of our state waters. Join us in our commitment to environmental stewardship and the sustainable management of our region’s watersheds for current and future generations!
About the Department of Ecology
As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology 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. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
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
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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Salary : $67,662 - $91,048
