Permit Developer and Facility Manager; Environmental Specialist

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Permit Developer and Facility Manager (Environmental Specialist
3) within the Water Quality Program.

• Central Region Office in Union Gap, 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 10% of your work schedule is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

• Apply by October 22, 2026
• Applications submitted after the date above may not be reviewed unless additional qualified applicants are needed.

As the Permit Developer and Facility Manager for the Central Regional Office (CRO) Water Quality Industrial Unit, you will be an integral part of a dynamic team of scientists, engineers, and hydro-geologists. With this team, you will collaboratively and independently develop and oversee National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)/State Waste Discharge (SWD) permits, industrial state waste discharge permits and accompanying fact sheets that control wastewater discharges in a manner protective of Washington’s waters in the Central Region.

You will use your knowledge on current and emerging industrial stormwater and wastewater trends and issues for development and compliance of NPDES and SWD permits.

Your work involves close collaboration with the Central Region Office Water Quality Industrial Unit staff, Water Quality staff throughout the state, as well as working with regulated entities and the public to provide regulatory oversight of industrial wastewater discharges. As permit writer and facility manager, you will be in the forefront of emerging trends and technology associated with industrial wastewater treatment and permitting.

Permits issued by the Industrial Unit are critical to protecting and maintaining water quality, support growth in our state, and keep our communities healthy and thriving. You will be a key partner in our collective efforts to protect public health, the waterways, and environment in Washington State.

• Develop draft permits and fact sheets using agency standard templates for internal and external review, solicits and responds to both permitted entity and public comments, and develop final permit for issuance.
• Works with Water Quality staff throughout the State to ensure Industrial Unit NPDES permit development is in accordance with current Whole Effluent Toxicity testing standards.
• Serves as Central Region Water Quality Industrial Unit expert on contaminants of emerging concern.
• Derive permit conditions based on legal and technical requirements for discharges to state waters, including evaluating the complex biological, chemical, and physical properties of the discharge and receiving environment.
• Perform statistical analyses on data from wastewater monitoring and receiving water.
• Conduct permit compliance inspections, prepare inspection reports, and communicate findings to facilities.
• Provide technical assistance to permit tees or other affected entities and individuals to achieve permit compliance and water quality goals and objectives.
• Provide technical assistance to legal counsel with the Attorney General’s Office on appeals of permits or enforcement actions; develop testimony and represent the agency as a witness in court cases or issues under consideration of administrative hearings boards.

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

• Regulatory Expertise – Ability to interpret and apply laws, rules, and policies to ensure decisions and documents are…