Restoration Project Coordinator (Environmental Planner 2)

State of Washington•Skagit County - Mt. Vernon, WA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Restoration Project Coordinator (Environmental Planner 2) within the Shorelands & Environmental Assistance Program. This position will be located in our Padilla Bay Office in Mount Vernon, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station. This is a project position that is funded until March 31, 2029. Continuation of the position beyond this date is determined on an annual basis and contingent upon funding and satisfactory performance of job duties. This position is NOT eligible for telework. This Restoration Project Coordinator position offers a unique opportunity to support the mission of the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (PBNERR) by coordinating collaborative planning efforts that advance habitat restoration and coastal resilience. In this role, you will help shape and implement restoration and stewardship projects by working closely with staff, consultants, landowners, and diverse agency and community partners. You will serve as a central facilitator of project design and development for a large saltmarsh restoration, ensuring that planning processes are well-organized, technically informed, inclusive, and aligned with the Reserve’s ecological priorities. You will play a key role in strengthening partnerships with community stakeholders, and local, Tribal, state and federal agencies in order to restore habitat and improve the resilience of coastal communities and infrastructure. You will also collaborate with staff and partners to promote regional coastal resilience of habitats and communities by identifying gaps in knowledge and capacity, and facilitating efforts to fill them. You will advance the Reserve’s stewardship, education, research, and professional training goals by supporting staff in the development of restoration-related programs including classes, workshops, field visits, volunteer events, monitoring programs, internships, and other forms of community engagement. In addition, you will manage consultant contracts, coordinate grant writing, and collaborate with agency staff to track budgets, deliverables, and grant progress reporting. Through thoughtful organization, communication, and collaboration, you will contribute to the Reserve’s efforts to restore coastal habitats, build climate resilience, and support thriving communities and ecosystems in Washington.

Requirements

Seven (7) years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following: Experience mentioned above must include demonstrated competencies in the following skill sets— Restoration & Natural Resource Project Coordination: Ability to coordinate multi-partner restoration or stewardship projects from concept through planning phases, including organizing tasks, reviewing technical documents, and supporting development of designs, plans, reports, and other project materials.
Grant, Contract & Budget Management: Ability to prepare competitive grant applications; negotiate and manage consultant contracts; track budgets, deliverables, and schedules across multiple concurrent grants; and coordinate with fiscal staff to ensure compliance.
Partner Engagement & Stakeholder Collaboration: Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with diverse partners including local, state, federal, tribal, NGO, and community stakeholders; facilitate productive dialogue; and support conflict resolution in collaborative settings.
Meeting Facilitation & Communication: Skilled in planning, facilitating, and documenting in-person, hybrid, and virtual meetings; communicating technical or planning information clearly; and representing program priorities with professionalism across varied audiences.
Planning, Analysis & Problem Solving: Ability to interpret environmental data, policies, and technical inputs; synthesize information from multiple sources; identify issues and options; and apply sound judgment to advance restoration and stewardship objectives.
On-Site Field Coordination & Situational Awareness: Ability to work safely and effectively in field environments, coordinate site visits with partners, assess field conditions relevant to project planning, and adapt to changing on-the-ground circumstances to support project needs.
Education: Involving a major study in environmental, natural resource, land use, urban, or regional planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience coordinating, managing, or designing coastal habitat restoration projects
Knowledge and experience of coastal habitat restoration, management, and institutional frameworks specific to areas in and around the Salish Sea

Responsibilities

Coordinate saltmarsh restoration project planning, including organizing tasks, facilitating communication among staff and partners, scheduling meetings and site visits, and supporting the development and review of designs, technical documents, plans, reports, and other project materials.
Collaborate with staff, landowners, and local, state, federal, Tribal, and nonprofit partners to identify, scope, and advance new habitat restoration project opportunities that support ecological and community resilience.
Serve as a primary liaison with project partners, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community participants, maintaining constructive relationships and fostering open, inclusive, and respectful collaboration.
Organize and facilitate project-related meetings, field trips, workshops, and community engagement activities; coordinate with staff to support student field trips and professional Coastal Training Program classes.
Represent PBNERR’s ecological mission and restoration priorities in meetings, collaborative planning efforts, and cross-agency coordination, communicating planning information clearly to practitioners, decision makers, and the public.
Prepare and coordinate the review of plans, reports, designs, and other technical or communication products that support restoration project development and enhance knowledge-sharing among partners and collaborators.
Manage consultant contracts, including evaluating prospective consultants, negotiating scopes and budgets, tracking deliverables and work schedules, and coordinating with Ecology’s fiscal and contracting offices to ensure compliance.
Lead and support competitive grant writing for planning and implementation projects, collaborating with local governments, partners, and PBNERR staff to prepare high-quality applications and advance funding opportunities.
Maintain accurate and organized project records, electronic files, and correspondence in accordance with agency policies and records retention requirements.
Contribute to broader stewardship team priorities, adapt to changing project needs, and perform additional duties as assigned in support of the Reserve’s mission.