Description

The salary listed includes the scheduled 2% general salary increase that goes into effect on July 1, 2026.

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Senior Industrial Wastewater Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5) within the Water Quality Program. 

Location:

• Eastern Region Office in Spokane, 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.
• The first 30 days will require full time in the office. After 30 days, a minimum of one day per week will be required in the office. 
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline: 

• Apply by June 29, 2026
• Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

Duties

As the Senior Industrial Wastewater Engineer, this position will join a dynamic team dedicated to protecting the surface and groundwater of Washington’s 13 easternmost counties. In this role, you will fulfill the Water Quality Program’s mission to provide cool, clean water for future generations through writing waste discharge permits, reviewing engineering, and providing technical assistance to industrial facilities. 

You will utilize your skills to write National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and State Waste Discharge Permits for a wide range of industrial dischargers with a focus on Industrial Metals, Mining, Milling, Energy, Pulp, and Paper (IMEP) facilities. As a Professional Engineer, you will utilize your knowledge and expertise in wastewater treatment to review engineering plans, designs, and specifications for industrial facilities to ensure protection of water quality. As the statewide subject matter expert and engineer for metals, mining, and milling operations and permitting, you will provide engineering review, cross program collaboration, consultation, and permitting support for active sites, site closures, and site remediations. You will also provide expertise to a dedicated team of engineers and permit writers addressing Contaminants of Emerging Concerns (CEC) in wastewater.

What you will do:

• As a Professional Engineer, represent the agency in technical reviews and negotiations to solve complex environmental engineering issues with the largest and most complex industrial facilities. 
• Review engineering documents for industrial facilities to ensure continued or increased protection of water quality in collaboration with other Ecology engineers.
• Author waste discharge permits to protect surface and groundwater through the derivation of permit conditions based on legal and technical requirements.
• Work collaboratively with the Ecology Toxic Cleanup and Hazardous Waste Programs, providing expertise on water quality permitting and operations support of metals, mining, and milling operations for industrial site closures and mining site remediations, including addressing the effects of long-term stormwater runoff to surface waters and pollution concerns due to infiltration to groundwater.
• Assist with site inspections and perform site visits for industrial and domestic wastewater facilities to ensure compliance with wastewater permits and provide technical assistance to help facilities meet their water quality permits. 
   

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, in good standing.
   

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:

• Environmental engineering experience with land treatment, land application, water reuse facilities and projects for industrial facilities including any or all of the following specialty areas: metals, minerals, milling, mining, cogeneration energy, hydroelectric energy, or pulp and paper mills.
• Environmental engineering experience providing wastewater treatment to protect and preserve state waters from toxics and Chemicals of Emerging Concern.
• Experience mentoring or leading project teams.
• Knowledge of water quality laws, rules, and permitting in the State of Washington.
   

If you are excited about this role and meet the required qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Desired qualifications reflect additional knowledge, skills, or experience that are nice to have but not required. Studies have shown that some applicants, especially women and people of color, are less likely to apply unless they meet every listed qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging, and we welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and unique perspectives.

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.

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 [email protected]
• 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 Greg Dobb at [email protected]
• 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 [email protected]

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.