Industrial Facility Management Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5)

State of Washington•Yakima County - Union Gap, WA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Ecology is hiring an Industrial Facility Management Engineer (Environmental Engineer 5) within the Water Quality Program. This role is located in the Central Region Office in Union Gap, WA. The position will initially require full-time office work for the first month, after which it will transition to a primarily telework schedule with occasional in-person meetings. The Industrial Facility Management Engineer will be at the forefront of emerging engineering technical issues and trends related to industrial wastewater treatment, reclaimed water, and permitting. They will provide engineering and regulatory oversight of industrial and municipal wastewater discharges to protect Washington state's water quality. The role involves representing the section statewide on industrial stormwater, pretreatment, and wastewater trends and issues, supporting a growing Water Quality program and diverse industrial sector in the Central Region. The engineer will collaborate with Central Region Office Water Quality Industrial staff, regulated entities, and the public to ensure regulatory oversight of industrial wastewater discharges, which are critical for maintaining water quality, supporting state growth, and ensuring community health.

Requirements

Registration as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or another state based on registration requirements equivalent to those in Washington.
Five (5) years of experience in environmental engineering.
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.
Applicants licensed in another U.S. jurisdiction or foreign country must qualify for licensure in Washington State by comity.

Nice To Haves

Experience or training in developing and/or implementing National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits.
Experience or training in wastewater and/or stormwater treatment, including reviewing or preparing engineering documents, and operation and maintenance manuals.
Excellent oral and written communication skills (especially technical writing skills).

Responsibilities

Negotiate and prepare wastewater discharge permits (State Waste Discharge & National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) for industrial facilities.
Apply conventional engineering techniques and principles to complex projects, including major permits for metal, milling, and mining activities, clean energy, data centers, and hydropower.
Derive permit conditions based on legal and technical requirements for discharges into state waters, utilizing mathematical models for mixing zones and considering complex biological, chemical, and physical properties.
Represent the agency in technical negotiations with private parties and their engineering consultants to resolve complex environmental engineering issues.
Collaborate with other Ecology engineers to interpret and revise internal and external engineering guidance materials.
Conduct permit compliance inspections, prepare inspection reports, and communicate findings to facilities.
Provide technical assistance to legal counsel with the Attorney General’s Office on appeals of permits or enforcement actions.
Develop expert testimony and serve as an expert witness in court cases or administrative hearings.