Responder

The Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Spill Responder (Environmental Specialist 3) position.

This position is located in our Central Region Office (CRO) in . Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

From industrial facilities to illegal drug labs to sunken boats, our work to stop releases of hazardous materials to the environment is unique and challenging.

In this position, you will respond to oil and HAZMAT spills, safely manage dangerous waste, provide training, and develop local response partnerships.

You will collaborate with law enforcement, fire service, other environmental agencies, Tribes, and other partners. Our focus on relationships builds opportunities for environmental protection as well as personal growth.

Please Note : This position is required to serve as a duty officer for an after-hours, on-call pager duty on a regular rotation.

Upon completion of the required training and successful medical surveillance baseline examination, the candidate will be assigned to the Emergency Spill Response Team and will be eligible for a 10% assignment pay .

Likewise, Spill Responders are periodically required to be on call outside of scheduled work hours and are paid an hourly Standby Rate of 7% of the regular hourly rate .

Also, if you work on a response activity outside of your scheduled work hours, you will receive Responder Pay of 150% of your regular hourly pay.

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

Program Mission : The Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response Program’s mission is to protect preserve, and restore Washington’s environment.

The Spill Program’s vision is to create a zero spills world.

Tele-work options for this position : This position will be eligible for up to a 90% tele-work schedule, with most work being conducted from an assigned vehicle and typically only four hours per week required 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 10, 2024 . In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before May 9, 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.

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 work with a multi-disciplinary team and use science to solve complex environmental and public health challenges.

Working with other federal, state, local, and Tribal response partners, spill responders serve as Ecology’s State On-Scene Coordinator leading the response and cleanup of complex environmental spills.

The most challenging aspect of the work is coordinating with others under stress. However, every response is a new opportunity to collaborate with partner agencies and impacted citizens.

You will use skill and empathy to mitigate stresses so that everyone involved is able to perform at their best and get the job done safely. What you will do :

• Conduct responses to spills of oil and HAZMAT, abandoned waste, fish kills, pressurized cylinders, illegal drug manufacturing facilities, and other environmental and human health emergencies.
• Under supervision, conduct operations to control, contain, and cleanup spills, and investigate their cause.
• Under supervision, perform hands-on cleanup actions at oil and HAZMAT spills and illegal drug manufacturing facilities.
• As State On-Scene Coordinator, oversee cleanup actions of spillers and their contractors.
• Complete detailed documentation of response actions.
• Complete ongoing training related to growth and competence as a Spill Responder.
• Ensure safe and appropriate management of dangerous wastes generated as part of emergency oil and hazmat cleanup activities.

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.

A total of six (6) years of experience and / or education as described below :

• Education : involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, engineering, 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

6 years of experience

Combination 2

30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits

5 years of experience

Combination 3

60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree)

4 years of experience

Combination 4

90-119 semester or 135-179 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

One (1) year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 2, at the Department of Ecology.

ICS 100, 200, 700 and 800 certification is required . Free on-line ICS training and certification is available at : ICS 100 : ICS 200 : ICS 700 : ICS 800 :

80-hour HAZWOPER Technician Certification is required meeting the Hazardous Materials Specialist requirements in WAC 296-824 and 296-843 (can be obtained after hire).

Current 8-hour HAZWOPER refresher certificate is also required (can be obtained after hire).

Special Requirements / Conditions of Employment :

• Must possess a valid Washington State driver’s license and maintain the license throughout employment.
• Must pass employment medical surveillance physical and demonstrate the ability to wear respiratory protection and chemical protective clothing.

Must successfully pass physical agilities test.

• Must maintain a personal level of fitness necessary to successfully pass periodic medical surveillance exams, which may include a stress test, as detailed in the Spill Response Procedures.
• Must be able to clear a detailed background check required to obtain and maintain a (TWIC).
• Must hold and maintain eligibility and certification (valid passport or enhanced driver’s license) to permit travel to Canada in the event of a transboundary spill.
• Must successfully complete initial SAFETRAC requirements and other required training outlined in the Spills Program Policy and Procedures Manual within 6 months of entering the position.
• Must be prepared for a minimum 3-day field deployment within 1 hour of notification.
• This position is identified as an Essential Agency Employee and is expected to work during facility closures and natural disasters.
• This position is required to perform after-hours on-call duty on a rotation.
• Assess Threats to Worker Safety & Perform Field Duties in a Safe Manner Safety of workers and the public is the first priority of spill response positions.
• You will receive SPPR Program safety training and demonstrate understanding and performance of safe field operations. Threats to worker safety may include physical, chemical, biological hazards of materials;

traffic; site conditions; weather; and threats posed by animals or contentious people at a work site.

Hazardous Materials Management Accurate assessment of hazards from chemicals involved in environmental incidents is critical to the effective performance of this position.

You will receive the training and equipment to perform this competency. Certification as a Hazardous Materials Specialist under State law is required before independently acting as the State On-Scene Coordinator during incidents.

• Must live within a 60-minute commuting distance of Ecology’s Central Region Office in Union Gap, WA.
• After hired, the expectation is that you would notify your supervisor immediately if you are unable to obtain any of the above required licenses or certifications, or if any of the above are revoked, expired, or suspended for any reason.

Desired Qualifications :

• Familiarity with the NW Area Contingency Plan.
• Other emergency response experience.
• Experience working in the Incident Command System.

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

Last updated : 2024-05-03

Salary : $55,224 - $74,376