Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Shorelands & Environmental Assistance (SEA) program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Regional Section Assistant (Administrative Assistant 3) position. This position is located in our Northwest Region Office (NWRO) in Shoreline, WA.. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Please Note: The salary posted above includes the additional 5% premium pay that this position will receive due to its location in Shoreline, WA in King County.
In this role you will support both the agency and SEA program mission by providing high-level administrative assistance, related to all aspects of the section’s work on federal permitting, shoreline, floodplain, and wetland management.
NWRO SEA section staff embrace a work culture that is collaborative, inclusive, and respectful. Our work is dynamic and can gain wide spread attention throughout the region. Staff in the NWRO region are passionate about their work and are known for sharing their knowledge and mentoring colleagues new to our environmental work.
Agency Mission: The mission of the Department of Ecology's is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations.
Program Mission: The mission of the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program is to create community conservation partnerships to protect and restore our shorelands, wetlands, and floodplains.
Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 40% tele-work schedule. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
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(Download PDF reader), Combined Fund Drive, SmartHealth *Click here for more information
About the Department of Ecology
Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people. To learn more, check out our
Strategic Plan.
Ecology cares deeply about employee wellness; we go beyond traditional benefits, proudly offering:
- A healthy life/work balance by offering flexible schedules and telework options for most positions.
- An Infants at Work Program that is based on the long-term health values of infant-parent bonding and breastfeeding newborns.
- Continuous growth and development opportunities.
- Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.
Our commitment to DEIR
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.
Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.
Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.
Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.
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.
Duties
What makes this role unique?
In this position, you will be exposed to a wide array of activities within wetland, shoreline and floodplain management sectors, ranging from complex regulatory roles to facilitating community led ecological restoration. The northwest region houses half the state’s population, for which regional Ecology staff manage close to 50% of the agencies environmental reviews, providing exposure to a significant percentage of the state’s environmental management activities.
What you will do:
- Provide direct secretarial and administrative support to the section manager and section staff, including preparation and finalization of correspondence, documents, permits, and letters.
- Occasionally prepare and send mail via certified mail.
- Support agency review and processing of shoreline permits through distribution of review materials, input of project info into Shoreline Permit Tracking System (SPTS) and creating filing letters.
- Support agency review and solicitation of comments for SMP amendments.
- Coordinate regional SEPA and ERTS review through initial review and distribution of SEPA notice or ERTS report to proper section staff and ongoing support in completing agency response, when applicable.
- Initiate actions supporting achievement of section goals in a variety of ways, including but not limited to frequent contact with clients, the public, staff members from other Ecology programs, and state and federal agencies.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time. We would calculate this by looking at the total hours worked per week, divide this by 40, and then multiply by the total number of months worked. Examples of the proration calculations are:
- 30 hours worked per week for 20 months: (30/40) x 20 months = 15 months full-time equivalent
- 20 hours worked per week for 12 months: (20/40) x 12 months = 6 months full-time equivalent
Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, education, and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.
A total of 4 years of experience and/or education as described below:
- Experience: Clerical, secretarial, bookkeeping, accounting, or general administrative office work experience
- Education: A High School Diploma or GED or college degree.
All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:
Possible Combinations | College credit hours or degree As Described Above | Years of required experience As Described Above |
Combination 1 | High School Diploma or equivalent, no college credit hours or degree | 4 years of experience |
Combination 2 | 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits | 3 years of experience |
Combination 3 | 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree) | 2 years of experience |
Combination 4 | 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits | 1 year of experience |
Combination 5 | A Bachelor's Degree or above | No experience required |
Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below.
- Are service focused and have good communication skills
- Have knowledge of office procedures and practices; business management practices, research methods and data collections; communication and correspondence practices
- Have the ability to work independently; read, understand, and interpret policies and procedures; develop written reports; work effectively with others; communicate effectively, both in writing and speech
Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.
Supplemental Information
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 candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?
- Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
- If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application. You can view the latest status of your application on your profile's main page.
- If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology .
Application Instructions:
It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.
- A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
- A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.
- A list of three professional references.
Note: References will only be contacted during the final steps of the recruitment process for candidates selected as finalists. References will not be contacted without the candidate’s formal authorization.
Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.
For Your Privacy:
When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):
- Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc.
- Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded.
Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:
Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2 and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.
Application Attestation:
The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.
Other Information:
If you have specific questions about the position, please email Joe Burcar at: Joe.Burcar@ecy.wa.gov Please do not contact Joe to inquire about the status of your application.
To request the full position description: email careers@ecy.wa.gov
Why work for Ecology?
As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service 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.
To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.
Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.
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. Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388.
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.