Reducing Toxic Threats Unit Supervisor (WMS Band 1)
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Department of Ecology Hazardous Waste & Toxics Reduction (HWTR) Program is currently looking for a supervisor for the Reducing Toxic Threats Unit, located in our Headquarters Building in Lacey, WA.
This position leads a unit responsible for advancing safer products for Washington, taking action on priority chemicals, and ensuring compliance with state laws like the Children's Safe Products Act.
As an agency, 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. Check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.
Local efforts... Diverse people... Statewide impacts
Duties
There is growing public health concerns from the use of everyday consumer products that contain chemicals of concern. In fact, the largest source of chemical pollution is not coming from point sources like smokestacks or sewer pipes, but from the combined slow and steady release of chemicals from consumer products.
The HWTR Program enforces Washington's toxics laws, including the Dangerous Waste regulations that many businesses need to comply with. We also offer technical assistance to businesses to reduce or eliminate their use of hazardous chemicals, work to identify safer chemical alternatives, support the development of green chemistry, and test consumer products for toxic chemicals.
The goal of this position is to lead a team of highly motivated chemists, scientists, and environmental specialists that are working to enhance protection of Washington's people and resources by reducing toxic threats caused by the use of toxic chemicals in our economy.
This position is expected to provide unit leadership with an emphasis on supporting the staff and teams that are doing the work of the program.
To support the work of the unit, this position:
- Strategically deploys staff resources in order to meet performance goals for the Unit, including implementing the Safer Products for Washington program, developing and implementing Chemical Action Plan (CAP) recommendations, identifying safer chemical alternatives, and engagement with interested parties to better inform our work.
- Assigns work, develops priorities, tracks progress, and evaluates team and individual performance so that the unit's staff are effective, efficient, and supported in their regulatory and technical assistance work.
- Oversees staff work to establish relationships and build credibility with a wide range of stakeholders and partners, both internal and external to Ecology including manufacturers, retailers, academia, NGOs, tribes and other state, local and federal governments.
- Recruits and works to retain high-quality, motivated staff, and foster creative and cooperative partnerships among agency programs as well as with external partners.
- Supports technical staff that work with staff from the air, water and waste environmental programs and regional offices.
Additional projects this position will oversee work on includes:
- Implementing the Safer Products for Washington program (based on the Pollution Prevention Act for Our Future Act (SB 5135) to identify priority chemicals in products and take regulatory action to address these sources of toxic pollution.
- Providing scientific and technical assistance support for Chemical Action Plans (CAPs).
- Ensuring compliance with the Children's Safe Products Act (CSPA), Toxics in Packaging, Better Brakes law, and other product statutes and rules.
- Setting the strategic direction for the testing of chemicals in consumer products. Product Testing program through scientific studies.
- Planning and implementing Safer Alternatives and Green Chemistry technical assistance and education programs.
This recruitment will remain open until filled. The next screening will be December 2, 2019. In order to be considered for the next screening, please submit an application on or before December 1, 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:
Bachelor's degree in environmental sciences, chemical engineering, environmental management, green chemistry, green engineering, planning or public administration or closely allied field
AND
Five years of professional level work in pollution prevention, toxics reduction, alternatives assessment, green chemistry, environmental sciences, green engineering, environmental management, environmental science or related environmental field.
Additional graduate level education in one of the fields listed above may substitute year for year experience, for up to two years.
Desired Qualifications:
- Three years of experience as a supervisor, project manager leading complex projects, or as a designated lead worker.
- Experience in chemical action plans, green chemistry or alternatives assessment.
- Knowledge of Washington State laws and regulations pertaining to consumer products, hazardous waste and pollution prevention.
- A certificate in green chemistry / green engineering or closely related environmental field.
Supplemental Information
Application Instructions:
In order to be considered, applicants MUST attach the following documents as attachments to their application:
- A cover letter describing how your experience, skills and abilities meet the required qualifications of this position.
- A resume.
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.
Please do NOT include your salary history.
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.
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 Ken Zarker at: Ken.Zarker@ECY.WA.GOV. Please do not contact Ken 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.
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.