Posted: Apr 23, 2024
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Permit Development Unit Supervisor (Environmental Engineer 5)

WA State Department of Ecology - Spokane, WA
Full-time
Salary: $88,416.00 - $118,932.00 Annually
Application Deadline: May 6, 2024
Environmental Science

The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Permit Development Unit Supervisor (Environmental Engineer 5) position.
 
This position is located in our Eastern Region Office (ERO) in Spokane, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Interested in keeping Washington Waters clean? You will actively engage a team of specialists dedicated to writing wastewater discharge permits that protect surface and ground waters of the state. If you are the right person for this opportunity, you will be a strategic thinker with strong organizational skills with an understanding of process and performance management, teamwork, and stakeholder engagement.
 
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 Quality Program is to ensure that all aquatic life and communities in the watershed experience cool, clean water to refresh and sustain us in a changing climate.  

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 60% tele-work schedule, with the expectation of up to two days a week in the office. 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 May 7, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before May 6, 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. 
 
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.

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. 
 
What makes this role unique? 
You will serve as a unit supervisor for the newly created Permit Development Unit to manage permit quality assurance. This unit writes and provides technical expertise for our water quality permits. In your role, you will work closely with the region’s Permit Management Unit and the Watershed Unit to ensure that permits can be implemented in a way that protects Washington State waters. You will be supervising a dedicated staff of 12 professional including hydrogeologists, engineers, and environmental specialists.
 
What you will do: 
  • Provide leadership to the Permit Development Unit staff tasked with writing and updating a portfolio of approximately 180 water discharge permits. 
  • Manage the permit development process and engage with the Permit Management Unit in quality assurance activities that support permit implementation and process improvement. 
  • Supervise the region’s water quality experts. Provide technical expertise to permittees and Ecology staff, including engineering review, hydrogeology, land treatment, reclaimed water, and funding guidance.
  • Plan and schedule unit workload, coordinate annual planning, establish priorities, assign tasks, facilitate intra­ and inter-program project teams, monitor status of unit tasks and commitments, and ensure timeliness of employee assignments. Support staff learning and professional development opportunities. 
  • Manage recruiting and hiring of staff, with guidance from the program’s Human Resources consultant.
  • Support effective communications throughout the agency. 
  • Maintain the highest standards of personal/professional and ethical conduct and support the state's goals for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. Earn the trust, respect, and confidence of coworkers and customers through consistent honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism in all interactions. 
  • Build and maintain cooperative relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance and cooperation.

 Learn more about what it is like to be an Engineer at the Department of Ecology.