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Lead PSD Permit Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5)

                
         
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
 
Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We have a culture that is invested in making a difference. If you want to join a team that is highly effective, collaborative, has leadership that embraces the value of people, Ecology is a good fit.

The Air Quality Program (AQP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Lead PSD Permit Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5) position. This position is located in our Headquarters Building in Lacey, WA.

The Lead PSD Permit Engineer position provides a variety of modeling, emissions inventory and related analytical services to the program. Specifically, this position leads the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) permitting activities for the agency and works to ensure that PSD permits are issued timely and in accordance with federal and state statutes and regulations. In addition to preparing PSD permits, this position provides leadership via a variety of project management, communication, mentoring and training responsibilities.

We are looking for applicants who possess excellent facilitation skills, the ability to coordinate information sharing and program tracking internally and externally and the ability to coordinate large projects with multiple stakeholders. We'd like to hire someone with experience in New Source Review and ideally Permit of Significant Deterioration experience. We are looking for someone with the ability to learn and interpret statutes and regulations while mentoring junior staff. We're looking for someone with the ability to present highly technical information to decision makers, permit applicants, and the public in small and large audiences.

As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism and accountability.

To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedInTwitterFacebookInstagram or our blog.

Local efforts... Diverse people... Statewide impacts
 
Duties

 
Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington's environment, and promote the wise management of our air, land, and water. Ecology's goals are to prevent pollution, clean up pollution and support sustainable communities and natural resources.

The mission of the Air Quality Program is to protect, preserve, and enhance the air quality of Washington to safeguard public health and the environment and support high quality of life. The federal Clean Air Act requires all states to have statewide operating permit programs for businesses and industries that are the largest sources of air pollution. An air operating permit contains all the permit requirements that apply to an air pollution source.

Some of the key duties of the Lead PSD Permit Engineer position include:

Reviews complex NSR/PSD applications to determine if the industries will be in compliance with NSR PSD requirements including Best Available Control Technology (BACT) and other applicable state and federal requirements. 

This includes but is not limited to:
  • Meeting with industry representatives to discuss requirements of NSR/PSD permits.
  • Ensuring project modeling meets all state and federal ambient air quality standards.
  • Coordinating comment reviews from other state and local air agencies and evaluates those comments to determine appropriateness and applicability to permit.
  • Negotiating permit conditions with industry, state, federal and local agencies.
  • Researching and interpreting EPA guidance.
  • Preparing PSD applicability determinations.
  • Issuing draft and final NSR/PSD permits and technical support documents.
 
Leads the two (2) PSD engineers, reviews PSD permits and TSDs, coordinates work assignments, and trains new PSD engineering staff.
 
This position:
Sees projects through completion. This involves managing expectations of involved managers, staff and permit applicants and their consultants through clear communication, adequate scheduling timelines, and ensures project completeness, including supporting responses to legal challenges if necessary. The position requires travel, not routinely, but occasionally to local air agencies, EPA office and out of state travel for training and coordination regionally.

The Team:
The Science & Engineering Section includes four (4) engineers, two (2) toxicologists, three (3) scientists and three (3) environmental specialists. This is a very diverse group of professionals with responsibilities to provide emissions inventory, modeling, toxicology and conduct air quality permitting for major emission increases and a yearning for technological, scientific and program advancement.
 
This recruitment will remain open until filled. The initial screening will be August 13, 2019. In order to be considered for the initial screening, please submit an application on or before August 12, 2019. The agency reserves the right to make an appointment any time after the initial screening date.

Please do NOT include your salary history.
 
Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

A Master's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical, or related field

AND

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

AND

Four (4) years of experience in environmental engineering, which includes at least two (2) years of experience in writing New Source Review (NSR) air quality permits.

OR

A Bachelor's degree with a major study in one of the following engineering fields: civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical or related field

AND

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, which includes at least two (2) years of experience in writing New Source Review (NSR) air quality permits.

Note: A Ph.D. in one of the above engineering fields will substitute for two (2) years of the environmental engineering experience (but not the NSR experience).

Note: Requirements for registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington are eight (8) years of professional experience (which may include up to four (4) years of college-level engineering education) and successful completion of sixteen (16) hours of professional licensing exams. Applicants qualifying through the licensing equivalency option must achieve registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington within six (6) months of appointment to this class.
 
 
Desired Qualifications:
  • At least one (1) year of experience writing PSD permits and a thorough knowledge of PSD permitting regulations and guidance.
  • Knowledge of Washington State air pollution control law and regulations, including RCW 70.94.152, WAC 173-400, -401 and -460.
  • Knowledge of State Implementation Plan (SIP) procedures and requirements and experience with nonattainment permitting.
  • Ability to understand and run air dispersion models.
 
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
  • Registration as a professional engineer in Washington State or ability to obtain such license within 6 months of appointment.
  • Must be licensed to drive a motor vehicle in WA.
 
 
Why work for Ecology?

Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment.

A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping the health and financial security of you and your family a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to work/life balance.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
 
Student debt and how working for Ecology can help
Employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, which forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.
 
*See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information
 
Supplemental Information

Application Instructions:

Please include the following documents as an attachment to your application:
  • A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required qualifications of this position.
  • A resume outlining your professional experience.
Please do NOT include your salary history.
 
Please complete the applicant profile when applying for this position. Or, you may paste the text of your resume within the profile's resume text field.

Please read the supplemental questions carefully and answer completely. Incomplete responses, including "please see resume" may disqualify you from further consideration.

Department of Ecology employees, please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources at (360) 407-6186.

If you are reading this announcement in print format, please visit www.careers.wa.gov to access the online recruitment system. Click on "Look for Jobs" and select Dept. of Ecology under the "Department" search list. Click "Apply Search."
 
Other Information:
 
If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.

If you have specific questions about the position, please email Christopher Hanlon-Meyer at: christopher.hanlon-meyer@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Christopher to inquire about the status of your application.

The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

This position is included in the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) union bargaining unit for the Department of Ecology.

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 or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.