Wastewater Project and Financial Specialist; Environmental Specialist

Description

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Wastewater Project and Financial Specialist (Environmental Specialist
4) within the Water Quality Program.

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of one day per week is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

• Apply by January 11, 2026
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.

This is your opportunity to be part of a dynamic team charged with assisting Washington communities with building affordable and resilient wastewater infrastructure. As a Wastewater Project and Financial Specialist, you’ll provide technical and financial assistance to funding recipients to advance wastewater infrastructure projects statewide. You’ll help manage and oversee individual funding agreements with municipalities, Tribes, and sewer districts. You’ll collaborate with Ecology engineers and project managers, monitor project performance, conduct site visits, and play a lead role in providing oversight for state and federal funding programs.

• Develop relationships with local, state, and federal partners, Tribes, and other eligible funding recipients to support wastewater infrastructure needs.
• Negotiate and write new funding agreements, in coordination with regional engineers and project managers.
• Serve as a senior financial manager on funding agreements for several large and complex wastewater projects across the state. Assess project compliance with funding agreement terms, funding program guidelines, agency policy, and state and federal funding program requirements through review and processing of quarterly progress reports, payment requests, backup documentation, project deliverables, and site visits throughout the project duration, specifically at critical milestone stages.
• Collaborate with colleagues in the Financial Management Section to promote funding opportunities through various workshops for funding applicants and recipients.
• Collaborate with Fiscal staff on annual development of grant and loan agreement template documents to ensure all state and federal conditions and requirements are accounted for.
• Review, analyze, and develop policies, procedures, and guidelines necessary to implement financial assistance programs with an emphasis on contract language, state and federal requirements, and fiscal accountability.
• In coordination with section supervisors and Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) planner, provide project level audit support and leadership related to financial management of projects, supporting education of state auditors and EPA staff, and providing information and follow-up as needed to meet audit and program performance review needs.

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

Nine (9)

• Experience performing environmental-based work, OR work related to the essential functions and key activities of the position, that includes two or more of the following:

• Financial Management & Oversight – Review and monitor financial transactions, payment requests, and project budgets to ensure appropriate use of funds and adherence to financial guidelines.

• Regulatory & Policy Experience – Interpret and apply relevant laws, policies, and guidelines to ensure projects comply with funding requirements.

• Grant and Contract Administration – Manage the full lifecycle of grants and loans, including application, monitoring, and closeout to support successful project execution and reporting.

• Technical Environmental Experience – Understand basic water quality or wastewater treatment operations and nutrient reduction strategies to provide informed technical assistance and contextualize…