JOB
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Department of Ecology is hiring a
Permit Writer / Unit Lead (Environmental Specialist 3) within the Nuclear Waste Program.
Location:
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Richland Field Office in Richland, WA.
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Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Schedule:
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This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
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You may telework most of your work time with occasional in-person meetings and activities. Fieldwork and occasional travel may be required but will be infrequent.
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Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
Application Timeline:
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Apply by April 6, 2026
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This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
In this position, you will play a key role in advancing the safe cleanup of the Hanford Site by leading permit application reviews and developing permits for assigned facilities within the Facility Transition Project. Working within the Nuclear Waste Program’s Waste Management Section, you will interpret and apply state and federal environmental regulations, negotiate permit conditions, and provide oversight that ensures hazardous and mixed waste facilities meet the highest standards of environmental protection.
This role offers the opportunity to work on some of the most complex environmental cleanup challenges in the nation. You will collaborate with federal agencies, contractors, technical specialists, and local and regional partners; navigate the intricate and often complicated permitting history of Hanford facilities; and help resolve disagreements between Ecology and permittees as part of the permitting and oversight process. Through this work, you will build expertise in project management, environmental regulations and policies, interagency collaboration, and complex environmental negotiations. Your contributions will meaningfully shape cleanup progress at one of the most significant environmental sites in the country and help safeguard Washington’s land, air, water, and communities.
What you will do:
Conduct technical review of documents, reports, and permit applications for facilities on and off the Hanford Site to determine completeness and regulatory compliance.
Review permit applications for technical accuracy, negotiate permit conditions, conduct conflict resolution, and make decisions on the scientific and regulatory merit of proposed actions.
Provide oversight of compliance and waste management activities at permitted and regulated facilities, including supporting compliance inspections and evaluating technical information.
Represent the agency on Hanford cleanup issues through public presentations, technical and interagency meetings, collaborative discussions, negotiations, and consultations.
Evaluate sampling data, site characterization work, remedial investigations, and feasibility studies for contaminated Hanford sites, and communicate technical recommendations in written reports or verbal briefings.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.
Application Process
Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach:
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Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
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Resume
Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.
For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.
Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.
Need an Accommodation?
If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:
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Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or [email protected]
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If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.
Questions?
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For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Joseph Lippold at [email protected]
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If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at [email protected]
About the Department of Ecology
As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology's work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following: Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s), Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), Vacation, Sick, and other Leave, 11 Paid Holidays per year, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Long Term Disability & Life Insurance, Deferred Compensation Programs, Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP), Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), Employee Assistance Program, Commute Trip Reduction Incentives, Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information
To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.
Equal Opportunity Employer: 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.
Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.
Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.
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