AGO Investigator/Analyst, Environmental Protection Division, Seattle

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

King County Location Pay 5%

Job summary

State of Washington’s Environmental Protection Division seeks an AGO Investigator/Analyst in Seattle to conduct investigations of civil environmental violations and support enforcement of the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, and related statutes.

The role involves planning investigations, reviewing permits and reports, interviewing witnesses, collecting evidence, and drafting formal documents for use in litigation while collaborating with state and federal partners.

Qualifications

• Experience writing investigative reports for civil environmental violations.
• Familiarity with or ability to learn database tools such as PARIS, ICIS-AIR, RCRAInfo, and FRS.
• Ability to identify and document environmental law violations and collaborate with attorneys.

Responsibilities

• Plan and conduct investigations of civil environmental violations.
• Draft investigative reports, memoranda, evidence logs, and case summaries.
• Collaborate with attorneys and agencies to develop case strategy and prove violations.

Skills

Investigations

Report writing

Data analysis

Interagency collaboration

Compliance knowledge

Tools

PARIS

ICIS-AIR

RCRAInfo

FRS

XRF analyzer

Job description

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation in the application process or requiring information in an alternative format may contact the recruitment team at [e-mail]. Those with a hearing impairment in need of accommodation are encouraged to contact the Washington Relay Service at 1-800-676-3777 or www.washingtonrelay.com.

Position and Salary

The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting for a permanent full time AGO Investigator/Analyst in the Environmental Protection Division. This position is located in Seattle, Washington, and is represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

AGO Investigator/Analyst Salary Range (63)

$76,608 - $102,996 (annually) The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

The following stipends may apply based on position requirements:

• Incumbents assigned to our Seattle office location receive an additional 5% King County Location Pay stipend.

The AGO provides a workplace that is understanding of work-life balance and promotes advancement by offering a wide variety of professional development and growth opportunities.

Excellent benefits

Washington State offers one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation, including Medical/Dental/Vision for employees & dependent(s); Vacation, Sick, and Other Leave; 11 Paid Holidays per year; Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) plans; and Life Insurance. Beyond these traditional benefits, we offer Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave, and more. With the goal of employee health and wellness, we also offer:

• Flexible schedules and part-time/hybrid telework options;
• A Wellness Program, an Infants in the Workplace Program, and the Employee Assistance Program, which provides counseling, webinar, and other cost-free support resources;
• Numerous employee-driven affinity groups to foster community and connection, including Bereavement, Elder Care, Parenting, POC, LGBTQ+, Veterans and more. The AGO is a place to belong and make a difference!

About the Environmental Protection Division

The Environmental Protection Division (EDP) is hiring an investigator/analyst who will find, document and analyze evidence to help prove civil environmental violations, including claims under the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, waste disposal statutes, and state laws protecting Washingtonians from toxics in products. We are looking for someone with a passion for protecting Washington’s people, environment, and natural resources, and with the skills and dedication to delve into databases, permits, and compliance reports, to directly observe and document violations in the field, and to work with partners across a wide variety of local, state, and federal agencies, including the Department of Ecology and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In keeping with the AGO’s anti-racist commitment, this investigator will also play a key role in developing cases pursuing environmental justice.

This investigator will work closely and collaboratively with a dynamic team of attorneys and professional staff. The successful candidate for this position will have experience writing investigative reports, organizing information, and working with rules, policies, permits, and compliance. This position should have familiarity with or should be capable of developing expertise in gleaning information from databases like the Water Quality Permitting and Reporting Information System (PARIS), ICIS-AIR, RCRAInfo, and the Facility Registry Service (FRS). A successful candidate will understand how or will be able to quickly develop skills to identify a violation of environmental law, document it, and work with attorneys and professional help to prove that violation. The ideal applicant will also have experience in, or an interest in learning to use, equipment like a portable X-ray fluorescent (XRF) analyzer, which can identify certain chemicals.

Experience that may be applicable to environmental investigations may include that of an inspector, auditor, compliance technician, scientist, researcher, or law enforcement officer with investigation experience.

Duties and Essential Functions of an AGO Investigator/Analyst

The Environmental Investigator (AGO Investigator/Analyst) will conduct investigations of civil environmental violations. This position will have the opportunity and responsibility to build and maintain professional relationships with partners in the Attorney General’s Office, other state agencies like the Department of Ecology, local agencies like utility and waste regulators, and federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency.

This position will design investigation plans, review paper and electronic records, conduct witness interviews, collect evidence, identify applicable laws, and collaborate with attorneys on case strategy. The Investigator/Analyst will draft investigative reports, memoranda, evidence logs and spreadsheets, case summaries for internal use, and declarations or affidavits that may be filed in support of environmental litigation, and testify at trial or other court proceedings.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Independently initiating, designing, and planning the scope and direction of complex investigations.
• Identifying, locating, collecting, organizing, analyzing, and assessing documentary, statistical, computer, and demonstrative evidence, including records and other information obtained from public and private sources for use in civil litigation proceedings;
• Reviewing, permit conditions, inspection and clean-up reports from databases such as PARIS, ICIS-AIR, RCRAInfo, and the FRS to help prove civil environmental violations;
• Working closely with state and federal agencies, the public, local and statewide law enforcement, and AGO attorneys to develop and help to prove civil environmental violations in the State of Washington.
• Collecting, analyzing, and processing data, tips, and complaints from a myriad of sources to develop environmental investigations.
• Observing and documenting data in the field; using technical equipment to measure or test items or samples in the field; taking environmental samples for laboratory testing.
• Conducting witness interviews; collecting, taking, and analyzing evidence; reviewing financial statements and documents.
• Exercising excellent judgment and maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and ethical conduct.
• Effectively conveying ideas and information both in writing and verbally using language that is appropriate to both the complexity of the topic and knowledge of the recipient.