Senior Municipal Stormwater Permit Writer (Environmental Planner 4) (17)

Senior Municipal Stormwater Permit Writer (Environmental Planner 4)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Senior Municipal Stormwater Permit Writer (Environmental Planner 4) within the Water Quality Program.

Location:

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

Schedule:

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of one day per week is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by May 26, 2026
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.

This is an exciting opportunity to be at the forefront of protecting Washington's state waters. You will be responsible for stormwater permitting for the state's largest cities, counties, and public entities including ports. You will work closely with a dedicated team of planners, engineers, scientists, and managers to write legally defensible, science-backed municipal stormwater permits. This is your opportunity to engage with external partners through committees, workgroups, and conferences.

What you will do:

• Develops, plans and coordinates the process of updating and writing the Phase 1 municipal stormwater permit with partner engagement.
• Assist with the development and writing of the Phase II stormwater permits and the WSDOT permit.
• Works with regional planners to implement the MS4 permits including audits, attending jurisdictional planning meetings, and developing programmatic approaches to stormwater treatment.
• Establishes and coordinates partner groups that provide recommendations for Department policy decisions and permitting actions.
• Drive manual equivalency efforts to ensure Phase I manuals are equivalent to SWMMs.
• Run the departmental permit modification workshops to provide information and opportunities for public comment to partners and permittees.
• Works with the Attorney General's office as a technical expert on permit appeals as needed.
• Provides independent, expert guidance on programs, policies, and regulations, in coordination with regional staff, to assist local government planning staff with Stormwater programs consistent with permit requirements.

Required Qualifications:

Nine (9) years of experience and/or education as described below:

• Experience in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, and/or program development, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related experience.
• Education involving a major study in land use, urban, regional, environmental, or natural resource planning, landscape architecture, geography, land use or environmental law, public administration with an environmental emphasis, or closely related field.

Examples of how to qualify:

• 9 years of experience.
• 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
• 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate's degree).
• 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
• 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor's degree.
• 3 years of experience AND a Master's degree or above.
• 1 year of experience as an Environmental Planner 3, at the Department of Ecology.