Environmental Science and Hazardous Materials Management Program Supervisor (TPS5)

Full Job Description

About WSDOT

Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is a multimodal organization with a global reputation for excellence!

Our dedicated workforce is responsible to plan, design, build, and operate an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently moves people and goods throughout the state.

In addition to maintaining over 18,000 lane miles of state highway and 4,100 bridges, WSDOT manages the world's longest floating bridge, executes an award-winning Active Transportation Plan, holds a record for the world's widest tunneling project, and operates the largest ferry system in the nation!

The Opportunity

WSDOT is seeking an experienced Transportation Planning Specialist 5 to lead the Hazardous Materials Management Program within the Environmental Services Office’s Compliance Solutions Branch.

This role plays a critical part in advancing WSDOT’s strategic priorities by ensuring environmental compliance, reducing long-term risk, and supporting safe, efficient project delivery across the agency.

In this position, you will lead and supervise a team that provides technical, regulatory, and coordination support for hazardous materials, contamination, and waste management throughout project design and construction.

You will guide program delivery, support environmental policy and workforce development, and help regions and modes consistently meet environmental commitments while minimizing legal risks and liabilities.

In this role, you will build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with program staff, customers, delivery partners, and regulatory agencies, ensuring the program provides responsive, solutions-oriented service statewide.

You will also support regulatory coordination, policy development, and workforce training, promoting consistent practices that help project teams meet environmental commitments.

Through supervision, coaching, and workforce development, you will foster a collaborative, inclusive, service-oriented team culture that supports staff success and high-quality program delivery while advancing proactive risk management across the agency.

This position draws on a strong foundation in hazardous materials, environmental science, geology, or related discipline, applied in complex, real-world projects and program settings.

What to Expect

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the TPS 5 will:

• Oversee day-to-day program operations by assigning work to program staff and consultants, facilitating regular program meetings, and administering a biennial work plan, performance measures, and program priorities aligned with Branch goals.
• Administer and monitor a biennial budget of approximately $1 million, including financial planning, tracking expenditures, preparing budget requests, and developing and overseeing consultant contracts and scopes of work.

Supervise, guide, coach, and support program staff and consultants by establishing expectations, assigning work, reviewing deliverables, providing feedback, and fostering a collaborative and high-performing work environment.

Work commonly performed by the program includes, but is not limited to, completing Hazardous Materials Discipline Reports that meet requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), Phase I Environmental Site Assessments, Good Faith Inspections, responding to hazardous materials encountered during construction, and performing other site investigations and reports.

• Provide responsive hazardous materials management and compliance support to WSDOT construction projects by coordinating program staff and resources to deliver consistent, high-quality technical, regulatory compliance, and coordination services during design and construction.
• Provide technical guidance on hazardous materials, contamination, and waste issues, advising staff and customers on compliance approaches, resolving complex issues, and supporting project teams in meeting environmental commitments during construction.
• Advise and support WSDOT remediation efforts at contaminated sites, including reviewing technical work, coordinating with regulatory agencies, and supporting compliance with federal and state cleanup laws and regulations such as the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA).
• Develop and maintain procedures, guidance, tools, and training to support consistent program-wide implementation of hazardous materials policies and compliance requirements located in Chapter 447 of the WSDOT Environmental Manual and corresponding WSDOT manuals.
• Support coordination with regulatory agencies and external partners, including participation in interagency agreements, work groups, and forums that support program delivery and environmental compliance.

Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity, the following are required:

Technical Leadership and Expertise in Hazardous Materials Management and Compliance: Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership and expertise to ensure effective, consistent delivery of hazardous materials and compliance deliverables and services in transportation design, construction and operations or a closely related field.

Demonstrated knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, rules, policies, and procedures and applies this knowledge to guide staff, evaluate compliance, assess and mitigate risk, and support project delivery in applied settings while maintaining safe practices.

Applied Technical Skills: Demonstrated ability to perform, lead, or directly support hands-on hazardous materials management and compliance work, including site investigations, sampling, assessments, and report preparation, ensuring adherence to regulatory and organizational standards.

Team Leadership and Supervision: Demonstrated ability to lead, supervise, coach, or coordinate a team of staff and consultants performing hazardous materials and compliance work in transportation design, construction and operations or a closely related field, including providing direction or guidance with or without formal supervisory authority.

Skilled in setting clear expectations, providing feedback, fostering staff development through training, mentoring, performance oversight, and role clarity, promoting a safe, collaborative, and high-performing work environment, and ensuring consistent quality, compliance, and program outcomes.

Program Deliverables Oversight: Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, and lead or oversee program deliverables to ensure work is completed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with regulatory, organizational, and project standards.

Skilled in tracking progress and quality of deliverables, identifying and addressing delivery issues, and ensuring that projects and program outputs are completed on schedule, within scope, and meet expected outcomes.

Program Supervision: Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, coordinate, and administer program resources, including budgets, contracts, work plans, and staff assignments, to ensure consistent delivery of hazardous materials and compliance services and effective program outcomes.

Focuses on allocating resources, assigning staff and consultant responsibilities, coaching staff, and overseeing administrative program operations, ensuring efficiency, quality, and compliance while supporting teams in completing their work within program constraints and resources.

Regulatory and Policy Analysis: Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret regulatory and policy changes related to hazardous materials, communicate clearly to staff, customers, and delivery partners, and ensure program-level guidance supports consistent compliance and operational effectiveness.

Evaluates applicability of laws and regulations to project or program operations, providing guidance to staff or teams, and supporting program decision-making to maintain compliance and effective outcomes.

Customer and Delivery Partner Relationships: Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain positive trust-based relationships with customers, colleagues, delivery partners, and regulatory agencies.

Guides, coaches, or influences staff and peers in effective communication, collaboration, and service delivery to achieve high-quality outcomes consistently.

Communication and Plain Language Writing: Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively throughout the organization and to stakeholders outside the agency, ensuring staff understand program objectives and expectations.

Coaches or guides staff and peers in professional communication, plain language writing, and effective customer and delivery partner engagement to support program objectives.

Analytical and Critical Thinking: Demonstrated ability to apply critical thinking and program-level analysis to evaluate operations, identify risks and inefficiencies, recommend solutions, and support or guide staff and teams in problem-solving and decision-making.

Includes analyzing complex technical, regulatory, or operational information to inform program and project decisions and to ensure compliance and efficiency.

Technical and Digital Proficiency Effectively uses digital tools, computers, and office technology to track deliverables, monitor program performance, guide or support staff and teamwork.

Guides or supports others in using these tools to achieve program objectives and improve operational efficiency.

Training and Workforce Development: Demonstrated ability to oversee or support staff development, coaching, and training to ensure team capability aligns with program objectives. Includes mentoring, skill-building, and supporting staff in applied work settings to maintain quality and compliance.

Emergency and Environmental Incident Support: Provides technical and regulatory expertise to support emergency and environmental incident activities.

Oversees or supports staff response to hazardous materials and contamination issues, ensuring safe and compliant resolution. This role does not serve as an on-scene first responder.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation: Demonstrated ability to drive continuous improvement of program operations, processes, and staff performance to achieve consistent, high-quality program outcomes.

Encourages innovative approaches, identifies process efficiencies, and supports staff in implementing improvements to meet program objectives.

Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.

Service-Oriented: Takes action to meet the needs of others.

The following are also required:

• Valid driver’s license and the ability to operate state-owned vehicles
• Meet the criteria of an Environmental Professional - 40 CFR 312.10(b) or be eligible within 1 year
• 40-hour HAZWOPER Certification or obtain within 1 year if not current
• AHERA Building Inspector Certification or obtain within 1 year if not current
• Washington Registered Site Assessor Certification or obtain within 1 year if not current

It is preferred that qualified candidates also demonstrate:

Important Notes

Why WSDOT

Check out this video to learn more: Why WSDOT?

How to Apply

Applications for this recruitment will be accepted electronically. Your relevant experience may be evaluated to determine salary. Therefore, it is very important that the “Work Experience” portion of the application be completed in as much detail as possible.

In order to be considered for this opportunity, please include the following with your online application:

Please click the "APPLY" button to proceed. Note that you will be prompted to either sign in or create an account. This step is required in order to submit an application to this opportunity.

WSDOT is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included, and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency.

Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace.

All persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, and/ or gender identity, are encouraged to apply.

Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the recruiter listed.

Contact Us

For inquiries about this posting, you may contact the assigned Recruiter, Amanda Strebeck, at amanda.strebeck@wsdot.wa.gov. Please be sure to reference Transportation Planning Specialist 5 #00859-1 in the subject line.