Hydrogeologist

Position: Hydrogeologist 1
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Hydrogeologist 1 within the Environmental Assessment Program (EAP).

Location:

* Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.

* Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

* This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.

* This position has a combination of field work and office work. You may telework most of your office work time with occasional in-person meetings and activities.

* Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

* Apply by June 14, 2026.

* Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

In this role, you will experience a compelling mix of fieldwork, data analysis, and scientific investigation. You will work in rivers, lakes, and stream systems as well as in office and laboratory settings, collecting and interpreting data that help the state understand changing water quality and hydrologic conditions. You will operate in fast-paced environments where you will manage multiple monitoring efforts at once, requiring you to stay organized, adapt quickly, and pay close attention to detail.

You will also be challenged intellectually as you work with complex environmental datasets, apply statistical and computational tools, support water-quality and hydrologic modeling, and interpret scientific information to explain environmental patterns and trends. You will use advanced tools and technologies such as water-quality meters, data loggers, GIS mapping software, and autonomous survey vessels. You will continue building your scientific knowledge through ongoing training, professional conferences, and engagement with current hydrogeologic literature

What you will do:

* Collect freshwater and marine water samples for water quality, hydrologic, and ecological data following established field procedures and quality-assurance requirements.

* Operate, calibrate, maintain, and troubleshoot field instruments and sampling equipment to support accurate and reliable data collection.

* Compile, process, and analyze hydrologic, meteorological, and water quality datasets, using tools such as R, Python, MATLAB, or GIS to support scientific assessments and modeling.

* Support water-quality and TMDL modeling efforts by preparing datasets, reviewing model output, and assisting with data visualization and interpretation.

* Prepare clear technical documentation, including field notes, reports, data summaries, and figures, and communicate results through written and oral presentations.

* Manage field logistics, including pre-sampling notifications, bottle orders, sample submission forms, and coordination with laboratory staff.

* Load, review, and maintain environmental data in agency databases to ensure accuracy, completeness, and accessibility.

* Participate in multiple monitoring or research projects, supporting study design, implementation, quality assurance, and reporting activities.

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

Required Qualifications:

Five (5) years of experience and/or education as described below:

Experience as a hydrogeologist, hydrologist, geologist, watershed or marine water modeling technical support, or closely allied profession.

Experience must include demonstrated competence in the following skill sets:

* Field Data Collection - Ability to safely collect accurate water quality and hydrologic data in the field to support reliable environmental monitoring. Ability to follow and adhere to procedures in Quality Assurance Plans.

* Data Compilation and Analysis - Ability to compile, process and analyze environmental data to help interpret conditions and support scientific conclusions.

* Technical Tools and Software - Ability to develop, modify and run scripts needed for processing model input data plus analytical and mapping purposes. Ability to use R, Python and/or MATLAB, GIS, or similar software, to evaluate, summarize and visualize data.

* Equipment Operation and…