Senior Municipal Stormwater Permit Writer; Environmental Planner

Senior Municipal Stormwater Permit Writer (Environmental Planner
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The Department of Ecology is hiring a senior municipal stormwater permit writer who will focus on stormwater permitting for Washington’s largest cities, counties, and public entities, including ports. The position is based in Lacey, WA and requires that applicants live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Must live within a commutable distance from the duty station upon hire.

• Eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• Requires a minimum of one day per week in the office.
• Schedules are dependent on position needs and may change.

• Apply by May 26, 2026.
• The position remains open until filled. The agency reserves the right to hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the deadline may not be considered.

This position is at the forefront of protecting Washington’s state waters.

Responsibilities include:

• Writing legally defensible, science‑backed municipal stormwater permits for the state’s largest cities, counties, and public entities.
• Engaging with external partners through committees, work groups, and conferences.

• Develop, plan, and coordinate the process of updating and writing Phase 1 municipal stormwater permits with partner engagement.
• Assist with the development and writing of Phase II stormwater permits and the WSDOT permit.
• Work with regional planners to implement MS4 permits including audits, attending jurisdictional planning meetings, and developing programmatic approaches to stormwater treatment.
• Establish and coordinate partner groups that provide recommendations for Department policy decisions and permitting actions.
• Drive manual equivalency efforts to ensure Phase I manuals are equivalent to SWMMs.
• Run departmental permit modification workshops to provide information and public comment opportunities to partners and permit tees.
• Work with the Attorney General’s office as a technical expert on permit appeals as needed.
• Provide independent, expert guidance on programs, policies, and regulations in coordination with regional staff to assist local government planning staff with Stormwater programs consistent with permit requirements.

• Experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related experience.
• Education involving a major study in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

• 9 years of experience.
• 8 years of experience AND 30‑59 semester or 45‑89 quarter college credits.
• 7 years of experience AND 60‑89 semester or 90‑134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
• 6 years of experience AND 90‑119 semester or 135‑179 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
• 3 years of experience AND a Master’s degree or above.
• 1 year of experience as an Environmental Planner 3, at the Department of Ecology.

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.

This position is covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.