Air Monitoring Site Operator (Environmental Specialist 4) (In-Training)

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to an 80% 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.

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

• 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.

 
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 job unique:
As an Air Monitoring Site Operator, you will be integral to measuring our progress in reducing criteria pollutants and implementing new monitoring in the communities most affected by pollution. You will perform all aspects of ambient air monitoring site operation, from identifying potential sites, through installation, calibration, and quality control checks for a wide variety of ambient air monitors located throughout the Central Region. You will frequently collaborate with ambient air monitoring personnel from Ecology, local air agencies, and Tribes throughout the state on exciting and interesting air monitoring projects and provide the highest level of technical assistance and training to your peers in the monitoring community.
 
What you will do:

• Implement air monitoring for criteria pollutants and other monitoring programs.
• Locate, install, and operate new and existing air monitoring sites.
• Perform and coordinate site contract development for installation of monitoring shelter, power, telemetry, and instrumentation.
• Transport air monitors and equipment and install them at sites in the field.
• Operate monitoring equipment including field sampling, testing, data gathering.
• Perform quality control and calibration activities on air monitoring equipment consistent with standard operating procedures and manufacturer’s manuals.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records for all calibration and quality control activity.
• Analyze collected air quality data and quality control information to determine its validity, representativeness, and comparability.
• Operate monitors to respond to wildfire smoke and other events.

Qualifications

This is an In-Training Position. The goal class for this position is Environmental Specialist 4 (ES4). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements for the Environmental Specialist 3 and Environmental Specialist 4 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements for the ES3 level, they will be hired in at that level and placed into a training program to become an ES4 within a specified period of time.

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.

At the Environmental Specialist 3 level: Salary Range 53 ($4,602-$6,198 monthly) (In-training)
A total of six years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience: Involving environmental analysis or control, policy, planning, or similar field of work. 
• 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:

 
OR
One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 2, at the Department of Ecology.
 
 
At the Environmental Specialist 4 level: Salary Range 59 ($5,341-$7,184 monthly) Goal class
A total of nine years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience: Involving environmental analysis or control, policy, planning, or similar field of work. 
• 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:

 
OR
Two years of experience as an Environmental Specialist 3, at the Department of Ecology.


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 operating or performing quality assurance audits on air monitoring instrumentation for determining compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. 
• Ability to interpret and explain technical information to non-technical individuals. 
• An advanced understanding of the principles involved in calibrating, maintaining, and operating air monitoring equipment.

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 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.
• 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 (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 Sanjay Barik at: Sanjay.Barik@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Sanjay 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.