Climate Change: Cap and Invest Allowance Auctions Lead

Per Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 21-14.2 (Download PDF reader), Washington State employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. As a condition of employment, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination as part of the hiring process, prior to their start date. Requests for medical and religious exemptions will be considered. If you have questions, please contact Careers@ecy.wa.gov with “COVID-19 vaccination” in the subject line.  

The Air Quality Program (AQP) is looking to fill a Cap and Invest position as an Auctions Lead (Environmental Planner 4)
 
 This position will be located at our Headquarters Building in Lacey, WA subject to Ecology’s telework policy.
 
 The mission of the Air Quality Program (AQP) is to protect and improve air quality in Washington and to protect our State’s environment for current and future generations.  Washington is in the process of building an economy-wide cap and invest program, and Air Quality’s newly created Climate Commitment Act Implementation Group is leading the design and implementation of this program.  As part of the cap-and-invest program, businesses and entities will be required to obtain allowances tied to their emissions, which can be bought, sold, and traded.  This market will begin in 2023, and the proceeds will be invested in initiatives to decarbonize transportation and other sectors of the economy, promote clean energy, and advance equity and environmental justice.  
 
 As the staff lead for auctions, you will be a crucial member of the cap-and-invest team. You will coordinate and implement allowance auctions that firms participate in to meet their emissions compliance obligations. These auctions are the linchpin of the cap-and-invest program.
 
In this role, you will provide staff leadership in the Cap-and-Invest Auctions and Market unit. The unit helps bring companies into the cap-and-invest program, facilitates allowance auctions and trading, and safeguards the cap-and-invest program’s integrity through ongoing market surveillance. The role includes substantial outreach to other jurisdictions (e.g., California and Québec), external agencies, stakeholders, and the Western Climate Initiative, Inc., which provides the platform for Washington’s allowance auctions. The position is not supervisory. E.g., as lead staff you will assign tasks and mentor staff, but will not take personnel actions. For more details on job duties and qualifications, please see below.

• 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. 
• A wellness program that offers education, fitness classes, and an agency-wide fondness for outdoor meetings.
• Opportunities to serve your community and make an impact through meaningful work.

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. 

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. 

Duties

As the Auctions Lead, you will coordinate and implement allowance auctions. You will be the lead staff on:
 

• Working with Washington’s market subcontractor (WCI, Inc.) to ensure cap-and-invest entities understand and can participate in allowance auctions
• Supporting the budget team in communicating revenue projections
• Working with external cap-and-invest entities to ensure entities send Ecology accurate, timely, and complete auction-related data required by the cap-and-invest regulations to participate in allowance auctions
• Working with WCI, Inc. on auction design improvements, and external jurisdictions (e.g., California and Québec, Canada) to harmonize auction processes as relevant

Qualifications

This is an In-Training position. The goal class for this position is an Environmental Planner 4 (EP4). We will consider applicants who meet the requirements for both the EP3 and EP4 levels. If the finalist meets the requirements at the EP3 level, they will be hired as at the EP3 level and will be placed in a training program to become an EP4 within a specified period of time. 

Required Qualifications:
Experience for both required and desired qualifications can be gained through various combinations of formal professional employment, educational and volunteer experience. See below for how you may qualify.

Experience: Professional experience may include some or all of the following: general experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.

Education:
Involving a major study in: Land use, Urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, Geography, Land use or environmental law, Public administration with an environmental emphasis, Environmental science and/or policy, Other areas of science and/or policy, Project or program management, Economics, Finance, Business, Other subjects or areas applicable to auctions and/or markets, or closely allied fields.

At the EP3 Level (Goal Class)(Salary Range 59: $4,974-$6,534 Monthly)
Option 1

• Four (4) years of experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.
• Bachelor’s degree involving a major study in:
  • Land use
  • Urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning
  • Geography
  • Land use or environmental law
  • Public administration with an environmental emphasis  
  • Environmental science and/or policy 
  • Other areas of science and/or policy 
  • Project or program management 
  • Economics 
  • Finance 
  • Business
  • Other subjects or areas applicable to auctions and/or markets
  • Closely allied fields

Option 2

• Two (2) years of experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.
• Master’s degree involving a major study in:
  • Land use
  • Urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning
  • Geography
  • Land use or environmental law
  • Public administration with an environmental emphasis  
  • Environmental science and/or policy 
  • Other areas of science and/or policy 
  • Project or program management 
  • Economics 
  • Finance 
  • Business 
  • Other subjects or areas applicable to auctions and/or markets
  • Closely allied fields

Option 3

One year as an Environmental Planner 2 at the Department of Ecology

At the EP4 Level (Goal Class)(Salary Range 63: $5,494-$7,207 Monthly)
Option 1

• Five (5) years of experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.
• Bachelor’s degree involving a major study in:
  • Land use
  • Urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning
  • Geography
  • Land use or environmental law
  • Public administration with an environmental emphasis  
  • Environmental science and/or policy 
  • Other areas of science and/or policy 
  • Project or program management 
  • Economics 
  • Finance 
  • Business
  • Other subjects or areas applicable to auctions and/or markets
  • Closely allied fields

Option 2

• Three (3) years of experience in project management and/or program management; environmental science and/or policy; other areas of science and/or policy; economics, finance, or business; or other areas applicable to auctions, and/or markets; and closely-related fields.
• Master’s degree involving a major study in:
  • Land use
  • Urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning
  • Geography
  • Land use or environmental law
  • Public administration with an environmental emphasis  
  • Environmental science and/or policy 
  • Other areas of science and/or policy 
  • Project or program management 
  • Economics 
  • Finance 
  • Business 
  • Other subjects or areas applicable to auctions and/or markets
  • Closely allied fields

Option 3

One year as an Environmental Planner 3 at the Department of Ecology

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

• These positions are subject to a background check, including felony convictions and credit because the incumbent may have access to highly sensitive carbon market information and/or the ability to electronically control such information

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

• Project management experience or training
• Experience working to address climate change in some capacity 
• An understanding of GHG markets, GHG reduction programs and policies
• Quantitative skills, course work, degrees, and/or experience that may be relevant to GHG reduction programs and policies

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 both—or either—position.
• A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of the positions.
• 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 Derek Nixon at: Derek.Nixon@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Derek 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.

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 *See the Benefits tab in this announcement for more information 

Student debt: how working for Ecology can help
The Department of Ecology is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Forgiveness Program (PSLF). See https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more details.

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.