Modeling Engineer - Entry

Full Job Description

This is a great opportunity to apply your skills to solve real world problems to improve our regional infrastructure, the environment and water quality.

You will combine data, analysis, and science to develop, synthesize, and communicate model simulations of sewer flows, wastewater conveyance and treatment plant operations, water and sediment quality.

This is advanced level engineering work developing, evaluating, and implementing hydraulic and hydrodynamic models, performing calibration, summarizing and interpreting model results.

These studies will include analyzing the impacts of proposed projects and operational changes for individual facility and system-wide scenarios.

You will have the opportunity to work individually and as part of a team with a wide range of people throughout WTD, with consultants and other governmental agencies.

About the Role:

As a Modeling Engineer within WTD’s Modeling Group you will provide technical support and guidance in support of King County’s Wastewater Treatment planning and capital infrastructure projects. In this role you will:

• Data analysis of observational data and model simulations
• Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling to support conveyance system capital projects
• Modeling effects of climate change on the wastewater system
• Programming to create, upgrade, or maintain data synthesis or visualization tools
• Apply mechanistic hydrodynamic and water quality models

You will work with a talented team of dedicated professionals to inform decisions that impact public health, environmental protection, and regional growth.

With large-scale capital projects, evolving regulations, and complex, completing needs on the horizon, this role offers the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the region’s infrastructure and water quality.

This position follows a hybrid work model, blending remote and in-person work.

About the Team:

The Modeling Group provides cost-effective analyses and predictions of the quality and quantity of water to support capital project planning, design and operating decisions/strategies that affect the protection and improvement of public health and the environment.

Our group is an open and supportive group of professionals dedicated to producing high quality products that inform many aspects of WTD.

Our work spans a wide range of activities, including calibrating models, analyzing data, collecting field data, evaluating design questions, addressing climate change and sea level rise issues, and solving urban hydrology problems.

Modeling works together as a team but also provides individual autonomy and responsibility to complete work tasks.

We seek to understand the big picture, encourage innovation, and strive to improve how we do our work. We have a strong work ethic and equally strong belief in a balanced work-life ethic.

Join our team dedicated to ensuring clean water for generations to come!

With about 1000 employees engaged in planning, designing, building, and operating treatment facilities, our agency is at the forefront of environmental stewardship.

Success for us means upholding our legacy while promising future generations a pristine environment.

We partner with regulatory agencies to reduce harmful waste discharge and actively educate the public and businesses on water quality protection.

We prioritize accountability to our ratepayers and operate a well-managed agency that services over 2.3 million King County residents.

Our regional wastewater treatment system not only sustains a healthy environment but also fuels economic development, fostering prosperity in our region.

If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a collaborative environment, join us in our mission to safeguard our precious water resources.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world.

Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees.

As a Wastewater Engineer - Modeling Entry, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Wastewater Treatment Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

Requirements

What You Will Be Doing:

• Perform hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for combined and separated sewer system

• Calibrate computer models and perform hydraulic modeling to determine sizing of conveyance and combined sewer overflow facilities.

• Develop wastewater flow projections to assess future wastewater facility needs.

• Perform hydrodynamic, water quality, wastewater treatment process, and/or Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling

• Develop data analysis, data management systems, and graphical display programs for computer model input/output and other data

Qualifications

Qualifications You Bring:

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or related field; Master’s or Ph.D. degree preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to synthesize technical information and communicate in writing and verbally to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Knowledge of hydrology, hydraulics, turbomachinery, environmental fluid mechanics, open channel flows
• Knowledge of computer programming methods and ability to develop computer programs.

Competencies You Bring:

• Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
  
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Resourcefulness: Securing and deploying resources effectively and efficiently.
• Instills Trust: Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• Strong background in numerical wastewater, stormwater, and/or water quality modeling.
• Extensive knowledge of environmental fluid mechanics, fate and transport modeling, open channel flow, wastewater treatment processes.
• Strong understanding of hydraulics, including unusual or severe situations that may impact facilities or data collection.
• Knowledge of hydraulic machinery, particularly hydraulics/hydrodynamics of pumps and pump stations and control strategies
• Strong computer programming experience (e.g., Python, FORTRAN, Visual Basic, VBA, R, MATLAB, C, C++, etc.)
• Experience calibrating the hydrologic, hydraulic and/or water quality responses for sewer, stormwater, or receiving water systems
• Experience with the MOUSE/MIKE Urban/MIKE+ model
• Experience with CFD modeling using STAR-CCM+, and/or FLOW-3D HYDRO software packages.
• Experience applying mechanistic hydrodynamic and water quality models, such as EFDC, CH3D, CE-QUAL-ICM, SSM
• Experience with Wastewater Treatment Process modeling using Biowin, GPS-X, or SUMO.
• Strong Excel spreadsheet programming experience.
• Knowledge of King County and City of Seattle sewer systems and controls.
• Knowledge of basic project management concepts.
• Possession of an Engineer-In-Training (EIT) certification

Additional Information

Working Conditions:

Work Location: The Modeling team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting.

The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely.

The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment.

Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.

Union Representation: This position is represented by Technical Employees’ Association (TEA) - Wastewater Treatment Division

Anticipated Timeline for this recruitment: (subject to change)

• Panel interviews: Virtual Teams Interview: Week of XX

Application and Selection Process:

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Mark Workinger at Mworkinger@kingcounty.gov

Discover More About the Wastewater Treatment Division: Visit our website and check us out atFacebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTubeand ourWTD Blog.

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce.

To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity.

Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards.

We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.