Ballast Water Vessel Inspector - Marine Transportation and Safety Specialist - Perm

Position: Ballast Water Vessel Inspector - Marine Transportation and Safety Specialist 3 - Perm - 2026-09098

Title- Ballast Water Vessel Inspector

Classification- Marine Transportation and Safety Specialist 3

Job Status-Full-Time / Permanent

WDFW Program- Fish Program Duty Station- Stanwood, Washington – Snohomish County

Hybrid/Telework- This position offers a hybrid work schedule, with onsite work at the Stanwood, WA duty station as needed and up to 4 days of telework. The selected candidate must be available to work onsite for in-person meetings and to meet business needs.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW! A large MSC container ship loaded with multicolored shipping containers travels through icy water, with a bird flying alongside the vessel.

MSC Katie – Photo Credit:
Grace Thornton

As the Ballast Water Vessel Inspector
, you’ll help protect Washington’s waters from aquatic invasive species and support the long-term health of our marine ecosystems.

In this role, you’ll train to conduct onboard inspections of commercial vessels arriving in Washington State to ensure compliance with ballast water management regulations designed to prevent the spread of invasive species. You’ll work in active port environments throughout the Strait of Juan de Fuca, mid-Puget Sound, including Seattle and Everett, and north Puget Sound up to the Canadian border.

This is a great opportunity for someone interested in maritime operations, environmental compliance, vessel inspection, and protecting Washington’s natural resources through hands‑on fieldwork and regulatory enforcement.

What to Expect:

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Ballast Water Vessel Inspector will,

Vessel Ballast Water Risk Audits:

• Assess daily vessel arrivals to identify the highest ballast water risks using vessel compliance history, department protocols, and professional judgement.
• Select, board, and inspect at least 5% of all targeted vessel arrivals in assigned region.
• Explain state laws and regulations and assist vessel officers and crew in meeting compliance objectives for state ballast water management.
• Complete required department inspection forms per protocols.

Compliance Actions:

• Assess onboard evidence of ballast water management compliance using vessel records, equipment specifications, and certifications.
• Investigate and issue appropriate compliance actions per department protocols for vessel situations including Warnings, Notice of Corrections, or recommendations for Notice of Penalty.
• Compile evidence to create professional and legally defensible compliance actions.

Coordination, Planning, and Reporting:

• Coordinate with the U.S. Coast Guard and Department of Ecology to support cooperative vessel management and minimize duplication of efforts on concurrent vessel boardings.
• Analyze, evaluate, and interpret vessel inspection data.
• Assist senior staff in writing annual and biennial compliance, accomplishment, and recommendation reports.
• Support the development and implementation of work plans, regulatory updates, performance measures, management forms, protocols, and procedures.
• Participate in state, regional, and national work groups as assigned.

Monitoring and Research:

• Conduct onboard testing of new protocols and equipment as directed.
• Analyze ballast water treatment system (BWTS) voyage maintenance records and annual independent laboratory performance test reports to support the development of new regulatory requirements.
• Assist senior staff in developing and evaluating enhanced vessel ballast water and biofouling risk assessment protocols.
• Develop, evaluate, and interpret protocols, tools, and performance measures used to assess the effectiveness of ballast water management practices.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in potentially hazardous industrial port environments aboard merchant vessels conducting…