Environmental Scientist II
- Summary
King County's Science and Technical Support Section in the Water and Land Resource Division (WLRD) is hiring an Environmental Scientist II in the Watershed and Ecological Assessment Team.
Join the Science Section whose mission is to provide scientific knowledge, information, and analysis in support of regional environmental management. The Section employs 40 staff organized into three units with broad-ranging technical expertise in applied sciences: Water Quality and Quantity, Watershed and Ecological Assessment, and Toxicology and Contaminant Assessment. Together, these units play a critical role in providing scientific guidance for water and land management in a dynamic county home to 2.2 million people, a surging economy, and ESA-listed orcas, salmon, and steelhead.
Our staff get to lead and carry out studies in applied environmental sciences, run monitoring programs, deliver specialized scientific and technical services, and inform evidence-based policies and regulations. We have the honor of partnering with other science agencies around Puget Sound, such as the Washington Department of Ecology, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, University of Washington and others. Learn more at our website.
In this position, you will bring wildlife, wetland, and other technical skills (e.g., freshwater and marine nearshore fish identification, freshwater and marine nearshore habitat assessment, and analysis and report writing) to an interdisciplinary team composed of seven ecologists. This team carries out monitoring, assessments, and other studies in streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands, marine nearshore and uplands throughout King County and neighboring jurisdictions. Staff support a variety of projects and programs throughout the Division, ranging from salmon recovery efforts, large salmon habitat restoration projects, wildlife habitats, and environmental policies and programs, like the Shoreline Master Program and Critical Areas Ordinance.
You will be a member of the ecology team, responsible for data collection, analysis, reporting, and presenting results and products to entities inside and outside the County.
WHO MAY APPLY: This position is open to all qualified candidates.
King County values diverse perspectives, life experiences, and differences. The Water and Land Resources Division encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, men, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans. We are committed to making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive.
WORK LOCATION: King Street Center-201 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104.
REQUIRED MATERIALS TO APPLY: Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.- King County application (applying online satisfies this requirement)
- Resume (please limit your response to no more than two pages).
- Response to supplemental questions (please limit your response to no more than two pages total).
- Cover Letter describing how your education and experience meet or exceed the qualifications and have prepared you to perform the essential functions of the job (please limit your letter to no more than two pages)
- Job Duties
- Perform as an ecology team member - assist in planning, coordinating, and implementing a broad range of projects involving ecological assessments, investigations, analyses, and reporting.
- Carry out field assessments and monitoring activities - primarily vegetation surveys, wetland surveys (including identification, classification, and delineation), and wildlife surveys (including birds and mammals) and secondarily, fisheries and stream/river surveys.
- Follow accepted policies and procedures for data acquisition, management, analysis, and QA/QC used by the ecology team and other jurisdiction. (e.g., Ecology's wetland assessments and classification).
- Review ecological articles, reports, legislation, and regulations.
- Carry out ecological data analysis with commonly used statistical and modeling software.
- Analyze, organize and manipulate spatial data and create shapefiles and geodatabases in ArcGIS. Conduct pertinent land use assessments and analyses.
- Prepare data summaries, memos, and reports for clients inside and outside the County.
- Make oral presentations to colleagues, project managers, citizens, management, and the public.
- Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree OR equivalent experience in biology, zoology, ecology, wildlife management, environmental science, natural resource management, or closely related field OR an equivalent combination of education and experience
- At least two years of full-time work experience carrying out wetland and riparian assessments and investigations, including delineating wetlands, preparing wetland reports, conducting functional assessments, and reviewing regulations and mitigation plans.
- At least two years of full-time work experience carrying out wildlife assessments, including bird surveys, and habitat surveys in streams and rivers.
- Experience carrying out analyses of ecological data sets and preparing ecological reports and presentations for various clients and nontechnical audiences.
- Knowledge and expertise in wetland ecology (including a PWS wetland certification) and wildlife biology.
- Knowledge and experience carrying out wildlife surveys, vegetation surveys, and wetland delineations.
- Proficiency in identifying vegetation and wildlife species of the Pacific Northwest Ecoregion.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (specifically Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), GPS equipment and GIS software, and statistical software, specifically R.
- Experience synthesizing, analyzing, and presenting technical information and reports to clients, team members, managers, and the public/general audiences - both written and orally.
- Experience and ability to work effectively with interdisciplinary teams on complex technical projects including county colleagues, agency and government staff, Tribes, consultants, and community groups.
- Experience and ability to understand and fulfill client goals and issues and to respond to changing priorities and weather dependent issues.
- Ability to effectively plan, organize, and prioritize work on a daily basis and work on multiple tasks accurately.
- Ability to communicate effectively and work productively with team members to carry out priority field work, conduct data analysis, and produce excellent and timely products.
- Experience with aerial photo and lidar map analysis.
- Experience applying for and obtaining permits.
- Experience working with local and state resource rules, regulations, and policies.
- Experience preparing scopes, schedules, and budgets for projects using standard project management tools.
- Demonstrated ability to synthesize technical information to inform program and policy development, and project prioritization.
- Supplemental Information
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to complete Swift Water Safety training course within 6 months of employment.
- Ability to conduct extensive field work in occasionally difficult conditions which includes: walking on uneven and slippery surfaces, walking through thick brush or densely forested sites, working in and around streams, rivers, and wetlands, and carrying up to 50lbs of field equipment for short distances.
- Long hours are occasionally needed for field work. This field work is sometimes carried out in inclement conditions and in remote locations.
- A valid Washington State Driver's License and the willingness to travel to field and meetings sites in King County, adjacent counties, or other travel destinations in a safe and timely manner.
- The successful candidate will be required to complete First Aid and CPR training, Swift Water Awareness Training and other safety training deemed necessary for employee safety within the first 6 months of being hired.
- Ability to attend occasional evening meetings.
- A final offer of employment will be contingent upon successfully passing a pre-employment physical examination.
SELECTION PROCESS: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. References checks will be conducted before making a final offer.
UNION MEMBERSHIP: Positions in this classification are represented by PROTEC, Local 17.
For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
Pamela Johnson, Human Resources Manager
Email: pamela.johnson@kingcounty.gov
Phone: 206-477-4717
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
- Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
- Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
- Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
- 10 paid holidays each year (plus 2 personal holidays)
- Generous vacation and paid sick leave
- Paid parental leave, family and medical leaves, and volunteer leave
- Flexible Spending Account
- Wellness programs
- Onsite gyms and activity centers
- Employee giving program
- Employee assistance programs
- Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
- Training and career development programs
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. Also, in the event of any incorrect information in this document, applicable laws, policies, rules, CBAs, or official plan documents will prevail.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
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01Please describe your experience working on an inter-disciplinary work project with multiple team members. What was your role, and what did you contribute to the project?02Please describe a project where you collected, analyzed and reported ecological data. How did your findings inform management actions?03Please tell us how climate change is expected to impact wetlands in the Pacific Northwest and the role that wetlands will play a role in our ability to manage risks from climate change.
Required Question