AIS Prevention Program Staff Lead

City of Bellingham; Bellingham (WA); On-site; USD 32,000 - 43,000; Part time

Job summary

The City of Bellingham is seeking a Seasonal AIS program team member to educate boaters, perform watercraft inspections and decontaminations, and assist in data collection and reporting.

You will lead on-site instruction for junior staff, collaborate with state and local agencies, and support stormwater inspections while maintaining excellent public service standards. A Washington driver’s license and required certifications must be obtained within specified timelines.

Qualifications

• Minimum of six months AIS Prevention Program experience.
• One year of experience working with the public daily in public outreach, education, customer service or similar.
• Course work in environmental science or demonstrated general knowledge of lake aquatic ecology.
• Demonstrated experience in a team leader role preferred.
• Experience working with watercraft or basic knowledge of watercraft design and operation preferred.
• High level of comfort using smart phones to collect and process data preferred.
• Experience and comfort towing (and backing in) trailers preferred.
• Experience in a stormwater related field is preferred.
• Valid Washington State driver's license and satisfactory driving record. Must provide a three-year driver's abstract prior to hire.
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.
• Watercraft Inspection Training Level II Inspector and Decontaminator certification required within three months of hire.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Employment is contingent upon passing a Washington State Adult/Child Abuse records check, criminal conviction and local background check.
• Failure to secure required certification or skill standards within established time limits will result in dismissal.

Responsibilities

• Provide education, watercraft inspection and decontamination services to recreational boaters.
• Interact with the public and collect and track survey information.
• Provide AIS training and communicate with state and local government staff.
• Assist in preparation and launch of the AIS season and in data gathering and final reports.
• Serve as lead to lower AIS Program staff with on-site instruction and day-to-day direction.
• Support the stormwater program through inspection of privately owned stormwater systems and responding to complaints.

Skills

Public outreach

Team leadership

Water ecology

Data collection

Customer service

Communication

Education

Environmental science coursework

Job description

Are you passionate about protecting our waters? As part of the Aquatic Invasive Species Program, you’ll contribute to essential efforts to protect our aquatic ecosystems from harmful invasive species. This position offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the environment and the communities that depend on it.

JOB SUMMARY:

This position fulfills seasonal Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Program objectives by providing education, watercraft inspection and decontamination services to recreational boaters. The position will interact with members of the public, collect and track survey information, provide boat inspection and decontamination training and communicate with other state and local government staff. This position is responsible for assisting in the preparation and launch of the AIS season as well as in the gathering of data and report preparation at the end of the season. Serves as lead to lower classified AIS Program Staff with responsibility for providing on-site instruction, day-to-day direction, communication and assisting in ensuring professional delivery of service to the public. Supports the stormwater program through assisting with field inspections of privately owned stormwater systems to ensure private stormwater facilities are functioning as permitted and designed and responds to complaints and reports of stormwater violations such as illicit discharges

For more information, please review the job classification.

WHY JOIN OUR TEAM?

Joining the City of Bellingham means becoming a part of a team that believes our greatest impact comes from working together with purpose, humility and a shared commitment to our community. Every employee contributes to delivering meaningful results for the people who live, work and visit here. We value people who approach challenges with curiosity, respect and collaboration. If you are motivated by building a career in public service, we encourage you to apply.

SALARY AND BENEFITS INFORMATION:

This position will start at Step 1 ($23.68/hour). Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the Guild of Pacific Northwest Employees, Local 1937 Collective Bargaining Agreement and City policy. The full hourly range for this position is $23.68 - $30.89. For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 10 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 8 hours sick leave accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation (Retirement Savings Plan) with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Mon., Oct, 19 2026 at 8:30 AM Pacific Time

• Minimum of six months AIS Prevention Program experience.

• One year of experience working with the public daily in public outreach, education, customer service or similar.
• Course work in environmental science or demonstrated general knowledge of lake aquatic ecology.
• Demonstrated experience in a team leader role preferred.
• Experience working with watercraft or basic knowledge of watercraft design and operation preferred.
• High level of comfort using smart phones to collect and process data preferred.

• Experience and comfort towing (and backing in) trailers preferred.
• Experience in a stormwater related field is preferred.

• Valid Washington State driver's license and satisfactory driving record. Must provide a three-year driver's abstract prior to hire.
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire.

• Watercraft Inspection Training Level II Inspector and Decontaminator certification required within three months of hire.
• Must be at least 18 years of age.
• Employment is contingent upon passing a Washington State Adult/Child Abuse records check, criminal conviction and local background check.
• Failure to secure required certification or skill standards within established time limits will result in dismissal.

**You are encouraged to print a copy of this job announcement for your reference as the process moves along**

PLEASE ENSURE YOUR APPLICATION IS COMPLETE AND ALL REQUIRED INFORMATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED. STANDARD COMPLETENESS MEANS ALL APPLICATION FIELDS (CONTACT INFORMATION, PERSONAL INFORMATION, EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE, REFERENCES, AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS). APPLICATION MATERIALS SHOULD COMPREHENSIVELY DOCUMENT YOUR EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS RELATED TO THE POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPERIENCE/TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. AS PART OF THE CITY’S COMMITMENT TO REDUCING BIAS IN THE HIRING PROCESS, HUMAN RESOURCES REDACTS PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION FOR REVIEWERS. ONLY THE DOCUMENTS LISTED AS REQUIRED WILL BE REVIEWED.

APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS:

1. Minimum Qualifications: Applicants must provide specific, detailed information so an initial determination can be made regarding your level of qualifications for this position. Applicant status will be updated on or around October 19, 2026.
2. If there are eight (8) or more qualified candidates:
   • Applications will go through an Experience and Training Rating. Applicant status will be updated on or around October 30, 2026.
   • The top eight (8) scoring applicants from the Experience and Training Review will be invited to participate in an Oral Board Interview, tentatively scheduled for the week of November 9, 2026.
3. If eight (8) or less candidates meet the minimum qualifications, all will be invited to the Oral Board Interviews, tentatively scheduled for the week of November 9, 2026.
4. Applicants will be notified via email of Final Scores & Ranks. The final ranking of the register will be based on total scores for the following:
   • If eight (8) or less candidates meet the minimum qualifications, the Oral Board Interview will be 100% of overall score. Applicants must have a passing total score of 60% or higher to be placed on the eligibility register.
   • If there are eight (8) or more applicants that meet minimum qualifications, the Experience and Training Rating will be 40% of overall score and Oral Board Interview will be 60% of overall score. Applicants must have a total passing score of 60% or higher in the oral board interview to be placed on the eligibility register.

Final candidates will be referred to the department for additional examination, assessment, or test.

This recruitment process will create a Civil Service eligibility register that will be used to fill current and future vacancies as they become available. There is currently one full-time vacancy in Public Works. This position is represented by a union.

If you wish to claim Veterans’ Preference Points, please complete the Veterans Scoring Criteria Declaration Form and upload it to your application with your DD214.

Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.

Equal Opportunity:

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.

Fair Hiring Practices:

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment.
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made.
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied.
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.