Public Involvement Coordinator (Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist 3) (Two)

Description

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) within the Department of Ecology (Ecology) is looking to fill two Public Involvement Coordinator (Community Outreach & Environmental Education Specialist 3) positions. These positions are located in our Southwest Region Office in Lacey, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

As a Public Involvement Coordinator, your work will involve developing, planning and implementing public involvement activities at cleanup sites in the Southwest Region of Washington, in line with the Model Toxics Control Act and other applicable laws. This includes researching, developing and maintaining a variety of content across media, including brochures, fact sheets, pamphlets, displays, and innovative public outreach materials to increase public knowledge, and engagement opportunities.

Opportunities to increase public engagement on cleanup activities also include:

• Developing strategic recommendations to improve access, reduce barriers, and ensure more inclusive and equitable outreach and engagement.
• Conducting demographic assessment of the intended audience and potentially affected population to identify planning needs related to providing culturally effective communication, language access, and other tailored outreach strategies.
  
  

If you are a passionate communications professional who is confident and experienced in the face of a wide range of public interactions, this position could be for you!

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

Program Mission: The mission of the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) is to protect Washington’s human health and the environment by preventing and cleaning up pollution and supporting sustainable communities and natural resources for the benefit of future and current generations.

Tele-work options for this position:This position will have flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint. This position will be eligible for up to an 80% 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 June 6, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before June 5, 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.

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?

The Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA), Washington’s cleanup law, is the engine that powers our work to improve Washington’s environment, economy, and quality of life – providing funding to clean up hazardous waste sites and properly dispose of the waste. As a Public Involvement Coordinator, you will be responsible for helping the public better understand the work of this and other environmental regulations at cleanup sites in the Southwest Region. You will work with Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) site managers to identify potentially affected parties and facilitate their participation in site activities. You’ll also be responsible for establishing effective communication between communities affected by the release of toxic substances, potentially liable parties, other affected/interested parties, and those parties responsible for the cleanup.

What You Will Do As a Public Involvement Coordinator

• Research, develop, update, and distribute educational outreach materials, such as newsletters, brochures, fact sheets, pamphlets, displays, and other educational/outreach materials.
• Communicate outreach program information to various TCP staff, managers, community leaders, and the public.
• Participate on educational task forces and committees to research and develop educational/outreach activities.
• Comply with TCP Southwest Region cleanup site cultural resource requirements, which include the TCP Tribal Engagement Plan, MTCA cultural resource policies, procedures, and guidance.
• Coordinate and/or implement workshops, conferences, seminars, public meetings, and/or hearings for disseminating required and appropriate information.
• Prepare, review, and comment on public participation plans and other related documents.
• Evaluate environmental justice (EJ) data as part of outreach to communities for cleanup projects. Use online EJ and risk mapping tools (e.g., Environmental Protection Agency’s EJScreen, Department of Health’s Environmental Health Disparities (EHD), Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)) to assess community demographic, environmental, health, and disparities data.
• Plan, coordinate, and develop all outreach materials so that they use plain language, meet accessibility standards, and comply with Title VI obligations including language access and digital accessibility.
  
  

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Required

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

• Experience: involving environmental analysis or control, environmental planning, environmental education, community outreach, or communications activities and conflict resolution.
• Education: with a major study in environmental, physical, or natural science, education, communications or closely related field.
  
  

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

Possible Combinations College credit hours or degree - as listed above Years of required experience - as listed above

Combination 1 No college credit hours or degree 7 years of experience

Combination 2 I have 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits. 6 years of experience

Combination 3 I have 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree). 5 years of experience

Combination 4 I have 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits. 4 years of experience

Combination 5 A Bachelor's Degree 3 years of experience

Combination 6 A Master’s Degree or above 1 year of experience

Special Requirements/Conditions Of Employment

• Must 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.

• Knowledge of MTCA (or similar environmental regulations) public involvement process.
• Understanding of public involvement, risk communication, behavior change, Title VI (Civil Rights), and environmental justice obligations and best practices.
• Experience with environmental and/or public health outreach and education planning and implementation.
• Experience developing and implementing community engagement strategies to reach and meaningfully engage underserved communities.
• Experience working or collaborating with Tribal communities, indigenous people, communities of color, immigrant populations, or populations who are linguistically isolated, rural, or low-income.
• Experience with outcome evaluation and tracking.
• Advanced skills in technical writing and editing.
  
  

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 Accommodationin 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 1-800-833-6384 .
• 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.
  
  

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 Jerome Lambiotte at: Jerome.Lambiotte@ecy.wa.gov . Please do not contact Jerome 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 1-800-833-6384 .

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.