Lakes Program Supervisor

About the Role

As the Lakes Program Supervisor, you will lead King County’s long‑term water quality monitoring program for Lake Washington, Lake Sammamish, and Lake Union. You will supervise a team of approximately 4–6 environmental scientists, provide strategic direction for scientific studies, oversee daily program operations, mentor staff, and ensure the collection and analysis of high‑quality environmental data.

The Science Section provides the scientific foundation that helps King County protect water quality, restore habitat, and make informed environmental decisions. Our team leads applied research, manages long‑term environmental monitoring programs, and supports evidence‑based policies that benefit people, salmon, and orca.

• Supervision – manage staffing, assign work, develop work plans, conduct performance evaluations, recruit, onboard, and train staff. Teach, lead, and coach a team of 4–6.
• Lead the Large Lakes program – develop and manage long‑term scientific monitoring programs and special‑study projects. Implement sampling protocols, coordinate field crews and contractors, conduct time‑series and trend analyses, build and maintain data management systems, and interpret findings.
• Expert scientific consultation & research – design and implement applied research and analyses to detect and diagnose changes in King County lakes, and support comprehensive reports and manuscripts for publication.
• Establish partnerships and engage collaborators – work with internal and external partners such as the Wastewater Treatment Division, Public Health, the University of Washington, and other regional organizations.

• Specialized
  
  Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences, environmental engineering, biology, earth sciences, or an equivalent combination of education and experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position.
• Supervision: Demonstrated people‑leadership experience as a supervisor or project lead managing people’s roles and deliverables.
• Scientific Consultation and Research: Ability to review technically advanced research and analyses and to help interpret findings.
• Program design and oversight: Experience establishing study objectives, experimental designs, sampling schedules, QA/QC, statistical approaches, SOPs, and managing long‑term monitoring and special‑study programs.
• Reporting & synthesis: Experience writing technical reports, peer‑reviewed papers, management summaries, and/or regulatory documents.

• Strategic Mindset – seeing ahead to future possibilities and translating them into breakthrough strategies.
• Action Oriented – taking on new opportunities with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Planning and Aligning – planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Ensuring Accountability – holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Values Differences – recognizing the value of different perspectives and cultures.
• Communicates Effectively – developing and delivering clear communications for varied audiences.
• Courage – stepping up to address difficult issues and speaking what needs to be said.

• A valid Washington State Driver’s License or the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire.

• Degree or specialized coursework in limnology, or 10+ years of professional experience working on lake ecosystems.
• Experience with aquatic food web dynamics, particularly involving fish populations (including salmon), and the use and interpretation of scientific models.
• Experience advising policymakers and translating scientific findings into recommendations for resource managers, regulators, and stakeholders.
• Demonstrated success developing, writing, and implementing scientific grant proposals.
• Experience representing an agency on multi‑jurisdictional working groups, technical advisory committees, or similar collaborative forums.

• Remote and onsite work details – hybrid model with some days in the office at the King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104, and other work…