Climate Change: GHG Emissions and Verification, Third-Party Verifier Program Specialist

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.  

During Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery, employees are working a combination of in-office and/or telework based on position and business need. This position is not currently required to work in the office on a regular basis. Ecology is following current state guidance regarding mask requirements, health screening questions before entry, and social distancing. Looking ahead, Ecology has recently updated the agency policies on telework and flexible and compressed work schedules. Applicants with questions about position location options, telework, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.”

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.

• 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. 

• 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 you will do: 

This position is responsible for establishing the third-party verification program and ensuring its success, including:

• Certifying verification bodies and individual third-party verifiers to provide services within Washington’s cap-and-invest program. 
• Training and providing technical assistance to prospective third party verifiers in order to obtain certification, and once certified to maintain knowledge and proficiency.
• Designing training materials and programs and helping to carry out trainings.
• Tracking, organizing, and monitoring reports from third party verifiers and contracts between verification bodies and clients to ensure quality and compliance with all applicable guidelines.
• Developing, maintaining, and ensuring the accuracy and completeness of Washington’s list of approved third party verifiers and ensuring that all approved verifiers and verification bodies meet certification requirements. 
• Supporting reporting and verification efforts; working closely with other Ecology and external experts to design, improve, implement, and maintain tracking databases, tools and systems. 
• Developing forms and procedures relevant to third party verifiers and their activities; lead and coordinate the development of guidance documents and standards for verifiers. 
• Serving as the subject matter expert on third party verifiers in other jurisdictions such as California, best practices, and developments in this subject area. 
• Supporting the members of the GHG Reporting and Verification Unit in compliance activities and procedures and potential enforcement actions.

We are also hiring for the position listed below. Please follow the link below to apply:

Climate Change: GHG Emissions and Verification Fuel Supplier Specialist (Environmental Specialist 5) | Job Details tab | Career Pages (governmentjobs.com)

Qualifications

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.

Option 1

Ten (10) years of education and/ or experience:

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

Option 2

• A Bachelors degree involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning, or other closely allied field. 
• Six (6) years of experience in environmental analysis or control, environmental planning, or a related field, which may include experience as listed in Option 1 above. 

Option 3 

• A Master’s degree involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning, or other closely allied field.  
• Four (4) years of experience in environmental analysis or control, environmental planning, or a related field, which may include experience as listed in Option 1 above. 

Option 4 

• A PhD involving major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences, environmental planning, or other closely allied field. 
• Three (3) years of experience in environmental analysis or control, environmental planning, or a related field, which may include experience as listed in Option 1 above.

Note: Check out this post on our website to see a chart that lists all experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position. 

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment: 

• Possess and maintain a valid 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.

Working knowledge of:

• Greenhouse gas reporting and verification
• Emission reporting and tracking systems and protocols
• Carbon trading programs and cap-and-invest programs

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 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:

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 (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.

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.
• Three professional references.

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 Luke Martland at: luke.martland@ecy.wa.gov.
• Please do not contact Luke 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 and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.

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 

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.

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. 

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 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.

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.