Senior Hydrogeologist (Hydrogeologist 4)

This position is eligible for 7.5% assignment pay.

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Senior Hydrogeologist (Hydrogeologist 4) within the Water Quality Program.

Location:

• Central Region Office in Union Gap, 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.
• For the first month, the position will be required to work full time in the office, but after successful completion of onboarding and training, the position may be eligible for up to a 90% telework schedule with 10% of the time spent in-office. 
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline: 

• Apply by September 3, 2025.
• 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 above date may not be considered.

Duties

As the Senior Hydrogeologist for the Central Regional Office (CRO) Water Quality Industrial Unit, you will be in the forefront of emerging groundwater related issues, land application, reclaimed water use, and trends associated with industrial wastewater treatment and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination/State Waste Discharge permitting. You will assist in fulfilling the Water Quality Program’s mission by providing hydrogeologic knowledge and regulatory oversight of industrial wastewater discharges to protect and preserve water quality in Washington state. You will use your experience and knowledge of groundwater, industrial discharges to ground, land treatment applications and wastewater trends and issues to take a key role in oversight of groundwater projects in the Section and water quality permitting in the Region. Your expertise in hydrogeology will support a rapidly growing Water Quality program and industrial sector in the Central Region. 

You will work closely with Central Region Office Water Quality Industrial Unit staff, regulated entities, and the public to provide regulatory oversight of industrial and municipal wastewater discharges. In this position, you will also have primary responsibility for providing hydrogeologic expertise to groundwater projects in the Section.  Permits issued by the Industrial Unit are critical to protecting and maintaining water quality, supporting growth in our state, and keeping our communities healthy and thriving. You will be a key partner in our collective efforts to protect public health, the waterways, and the environment in Washington state.

What you will do:

• Negotiate and prepare wastewater discharge permits (State Waste Discharge (SWD) & National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)) for industrial facilities.
• Apply conventional geology and hydrogeology principles and practices to verify that submitted hydrogeological assessments and documents conform to requirements in relevant state and federal laws and regulations.
• Implement state Groundwater Quality Standards in wastewater discharge permits, utilizing groundwater monitoring data, statistical analysis and hydrogeologic assessments to derive permit conditions, and to determine compliance with permit requirements.  
• Represent the agency in technical negotiations with private parties and their consultants to resolve complex environmental issues involving regulatory interpretation and compliance; treatment technologies and the feasibility of their applications, permit limits, conditions, and applicability; and water quality investigations, pollutant sampling, documentation, data interpretation, and quality assurance.
• Apply a working knowledge of groundwater, reclaimed water, and potential impacts wastewater collection systems and their components found at industrial wastewater treatment facilities have on surface and groundwater to conduct permit compliance inspections, prepare inspection reports, and communicate findings to facilities. 
• Collaborate with other Ecology hydrogeologists to interpret and, when necessary, revise internal and external land treatment guidance materials.

Qualifications

For detailed information on how we calculate experience, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications:

Possession of a valid Washington State Hydrogeologist Specialty license

AND

Nine (9) years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience as a hydrogeologist, hydrologist, geologist, or closely allied profession.
• Education involving a major study in hydrogeology, hydrology, geology, or closely allied field.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 9 years of experience.
• 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
• 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
• 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
• 3 years of experience AND a Master’s degree.
• 2 years of experience AND a Ph.D.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
• This position requires possession of a valid Washington State Hydrogeologist specialty license within 6 months after hiring.

NOTE: Individuals who are interested in applying to this position, and believe they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington based on reciprocity, are responsible for ensuring they meet licensing requirements for the State of Washington prior to submitting their application materials. These requirements can be found at the following website:  WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: How to get your license: Geologists, engineering geologists, or hydrogeologists by reciprocity.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience working with environmental legislation and regulations at the federal, state, and local level.
• Experience with oral and written communication of complex issues and interpreting technical documents for a variety of audiences.
• Experience or demonstrated familiarity with groundwater analysis and land treatment techniques at industrial facilities.

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.

Supplemental 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.

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 Andrea Jedel at Andrea.Jedel@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 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 (Download PDF reader), 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.

State of Washington Job Opportunities | Work that Matters