Saddle Stitch Operator Assistant jobs in Olympia, WA

The Water Quality Program within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Wastewater Operator Certification Program Assistant (Environmental Specialist 3) position. 

This position is located in our Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

In this position in the Permit and Technical Services (PTS) Section, you will support the mission by helping wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operators understand certification and professional growth requirements. You will be responsible for reviewing applications for WWTP operator training classes to ensure that the proposed classes will provide wastewater treatment plant operators with the continuing growth and development education they need to properly operate WWTPs. You will provide support to higher-level staff managing the Wastewater Operator Certification Program by providing timely, accurate, and helpful assistance to operators and the public. You will also assist with communicating with the public by writing and editing web pages for PTS staff.

 
Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

Program Mission: The mission of the Water Quality Program is to ensure that all aquatic life and communities in the watershed experience cool, clean water to refresh and sustain us in a changing climate.
 

Tele-work options for this position: This position will be eligible for up to a 90% 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.

Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled; we will review applications on March 4, 2024. To be considered, please submit an application on or before March 3, 2024. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date. 

Please Note: We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.

About the Department of Ecology

• 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.

What makes this role unique? 

There are over 300 wastewater treatment facilities in Washington, all of which rely on the Op-Cert program to maintain their credentials and training to continue operations. You will be assisting wastewater operators maintain their certification status by tracking and reporting Continuing Education. You will be responsible for compliance and enforcement assessments for Operator Certifications (Op-Cert) and Training. You will also provide technical assistance to certified operators, trainers, and applicants to help them meet certification regulations. 

 
What you will do: 

• Generate reports, invoices, upload documents into databases. 
• Present program information to wastewater operators, trainers, and the public. 
• Identify violations of Op-Cert compliance.
• Update webpages, track data in Excel spreadsheets and Word documents. 
• Work with IT to develop user stories and tests improvements in multiple databases.
• Respond to requests from individuals, agencies, regulated facilities, local government, and the public.

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 6 years of experience and/or education as described below:
 

• Experience in environmental analysis or control or environmental planning.
• Education: involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning or other allied field.

All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:
 

OR

One year of experience as an Environmental Specialist 2, at the Department of Ecology.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license.

Desired Qualifications:
We highly encourage you to apply even if you do not have some (or all) of the desired experience below. 

• Accuracy and attention to detail when transcribing a large number of documents.
• Advanced Microsoft Office and Excel skills for merging documents and conducting mailings.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service via phone and email to a high rate of incoming requests for assistance.

 Note: Having some (or all) of this desired experience may make your application more competitive in a highly competitive applicant pool.

• 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.

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 Katie Rathmell at: katie.rathmell@ecy.wa.gov  Please do not contact Katie 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.