Ocean Career: Aquatic Toxicologist State of Washington Department of Ecology

Aquatic Toxicologist

As an aquatic toxicologist with expertise in aquatic and benthic ecology, you will work with a team to help lead the Toxic Cleanup Program's efforts to regulate and clean up toxic contaminants including emerging and/or persistent, bioaccumulative chemicals (such as PBDEs, PFAS, PCBs, dioxins/furans). Your expertise in aquatic toxicological protocols and procedures will help to ensure that the analytical and testing requirements in the Sediment Management Standards (Chapter 173-204 WAC) and the Sediment Cleanup User's Manual are kept up to date using best available science.

As the Toxics Cleanup Program's senior scientific and technical expert in these areas, you will work closely with other program and agency toxicologists, benthic experts, and other technical experts to conduct risk assessments and make site-specific decisions that are technically and scientifically sound.

The mission of the Toxics Cleanup Program is to protect Washington's human health and the environment by preventing and cleaning up pollution and supporting sustainable communities and natural resources for the benefit of future and current generations. This position directly supports TCP's strategic goal to clean up sites.

Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day  are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embrace the value of people.

You will work as part of a team in implementing the nation's first sediment regulation, the Sediment Management Standards Chapter 173-204 WAC, and accompanying Sediment Cleanup User's Manual. Our state has tens of thousands of miles of freshwater and marine shoreline, which supports critical habitat and abundant and diverse aquatic resources. Your work will help keep the Toxic Cleanup Program's sediment site cleanup – and the regulation and guidance supporting cleanup – consistent with best available science as well as remaining a national leader in sediment management and protection of our aquatic environment.

• Serve as a senior sediment cleanup expert to the Toxics Cleanup Program, specifically supporting regional office sediment specialists on a wide variety of sediment cleanup issues including designing remedial investigations, identifying practical remedial alternatives for sites that pose physical, chemical, biological, and hydrological challenges.
• Train and mentor sediment specialists on the cleanup process, Sediment Management Standards and related guidance, and aquatic toxicology principles.
• Guide the development of policy by identifying emerging issues associated with sediment cleanups in Washington.

Required Qualifications:

Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment and educational experience. See below for how you may qualify.

Option 1: A Master's of Science degree in toxicology or in a health or ecological related science with a major emphasis in toxicology AND Four (4) years of toxicological experience.

Option 2: A Ph.D. degree in toxicology or in a health or ecological related science with a major emphasis in toxicology AND Three (3) years of toxicological experience.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must possess or be able to attain a 40-hour Haz Woper Certification and maintain an annual certification.
• Valid driver's license

Desired Qualifications:

• Expert working knowledge of the SMS, MTCA, WPCA, and Washington Hazardous and Solid Waste regulations.
• Expert knowledge of aquatic toxicological principles, sediment chemistry and biology, risk assessment techniques, advanced statistical techniques, laboratory and analytical methods related to cleaning up contaminated sites, and risk communication strategies.
• Extensive experience with sediment rule and policy development.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, obtain, and evaluate the relevant scientific and policy information necessary for cleanup level development and evaluate whether proposed cleanup levels meet the requirements of cleanup…