Water Quality Financial Assistance Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5)

Full Job Description

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Water Quality Financial Assistance Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5) within the Water Quality Program.

Location:

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of one day per week is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by March 9, 2026
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.

Requirements

In this exciting and dynamic position, you will work with a great team of environmental specialists, planners, and engineers focused on helping communities and Tribes with technical and financial assistance to meet their clean water infrastructure needs.

As the senior professional engineer you will provide technical information to policy makers and provide engineering technical advice, guidance, mentoring, and consulting expertise to funding recipients, as well as Water Quality Program engineers and non-engineering staff responsible for implementing the state and federal grant and loan programs, including emerging programs such as emerging contaminants, stormwater, and reclaimed water.

You will represent the Section as an authority in wastewater engineering requirements related to Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and work closely and collaboratively with Ecology regional engineers, project managers, and permit managers, and other state and federal infrastructure funding agencies, in addressing CWSRF loan requirements.

What you will do:

• Provide leadership and engineering support to Ecology staff who help communities that need wastewater and stormwater infrastructure improvements and upgrades.
• Lead the Wastewater Financial Assistance Workgroup to ensure consistency and coordination of financial assistance policies and procedures. Facilitate process improvement and development of new tools to improve project management and program outcomes.
• Provide guidance and develop policies, procedures, and trainings on project alternatives analysis, value planning, and asset management in support of community wastewater projects.
• Provide leadership and develop policies and procedures for addressing federal funding requirements, including American Iron and Steel, Davis Bacon wages, and the Build America Buy America Act.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other state and federal funding agencies and groups, and participate and support the efforts of the Infrastructure Assistance Coordinating Council.
• Act as Ecology’s water quality financial assistance representative with other state and federal funding agencies and groups that coordinate and collaborate on resources, tools, policies, methods, and means to provide consistent technical assistance to communities with infrastructure challenges.
• Develop technical guidance on cost effective wastewater management principles and best management practices for addressing community wastewater systems.
• Support the financial management section throughout the annual funding cycle. This includes guideline development, application, evaluation, agreement negotiation, and presenting information in support of annual Application Workshops, Evaluator Trainings, and Recipient Training.

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

Qualifications

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications:

• Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington, AND

• Five (5) years of experience in environmental engineering

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
• Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington.

NOTE: Individuals who are licensed as professional engineers in another U.S.

jurisdiction or foreign country and wish to apply for this position must qualify for licensure in Washington State by comity.

Applicants are responsible for reviewing and ensuring they meet Washington’s comity requirements before submitting application materials.Licensing requirements can be found on the Washington State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors website: How to Get Your Professional Engineer License When Licensed in Another Jurisdiction.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience performing wastewater facility engineering related work.
• Experience with contract or grant management, inter-local agreements, procurement and bid
  processes.

If you are excited about this role but not sure if your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification.

At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.

Additional Information

Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

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.

Application Process

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 job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach:

• Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
• Resume

Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly.

A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa.

Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.

For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.

Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful.

The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Need an Accommodation?

If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:

• Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.

Questions?

• For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Seth Elsen at Seth.Elsen@ecy.wa.gov
• If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at careers@ecy.wa.gov

About the Water Quality Program

The Water Quality Program vision is for Washington's communities to work together and with us to sustain healthy, thriving watersheds and provide cool, clean water to fish, shellfish, wildlife, people, and businesses.

As part of the Financial Management Section, you will see policy and public funding meet boots-on-the-ground to do the work to realize this vision.

About the Department of Ecology

As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations.

Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy.

A career in public service at Ecology 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.

We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

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, Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information

To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.

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.

Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.

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.

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