Cleanup Project Manager / Periodic Reviewer (Environmental Engineer 2 or 3)

Washington State Department of Ecology; Lacey (WA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington State Department of Ecology is seeking a Cleanup Project Manager / Periodic Reviewer to lead MTCA/UECA cleanup efforts in the Toxics Cleanup Program. The role includes serving as UECA Coordinator, leading 5-year reviews, and supervising site engineers in the Southwest Region.

You will plan engineering analyses, review remedial investigations and designs, and ensure adherence to laws and agency policies. Telework is allowed with in-office requirements.

Qualifications

• Experience interpreting environmental laws and regulations to ensure cleanup standards.
• Reviewing project documents for consistency with rules, guidance, and policies.

Responsibilities

• Manage cleanup of assigned sites under MTCA and UECA.
• Draft agreed orders, consent decrees, administrative orders, and cleanup action plans.
• Travel to conduct field investigations and ensure compliance with orders and requirements.
• Plan and direct cleanup projects with timelines and project team coordination.
• Review technical documents including RI/FS, health and safety plans, and design reports.
• Coordinate with consultants, responsible parties, local governments, and the public.

Skills

Environmental regulations

Project management

Field investigations

Engineering analysis

Communication

Education

Engineering degree (sanitary, civil, environmental)

Job description

Cleanup Project Manager / Periodic Reviewer (Environmental Engineer 2 or 3)

The Department of Ecology is hiring a cleanup project manager / periodic reviewer within the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP).

Location

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

Schedule

• Eligible for telework and flexible schedule options
• A minimum of one day every other week is required in the office

Duties

As the Cleanup Project Manager / Periodic Reviewer, you will help protect Washington’s communities and environment by managing cleanup projects under the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) and the Uniform Environmental Covenants Act (UECA). You will serve as the section’s UECA Coordinator, lead 5‑year periodic reviews for completed cleanup sites, and ensure long‑term protectiveness. In addition, you will act as a project engineer and site manager for contaminated sites in the Southwest Region, working independently or as part of a technical team to advance sites toward successful cleanup.

You will plan, develop, and carry out engineering analyses; review and direct remedial investigations, feasibility studies, and design work; and oversee cleanup actions at a range of complex sites. The work includes field inspections, interpreting environmental data, coordinating technical reviews, and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and agency requirements.

What You Will Do

• Manage cleanup of assigned contaminated sites through the implementation of applicable statutes, administrative codes, and agency guidance and policy.
• Negotiate and draft agreed orders, consent decrees, administrative orders, and cleanup action plans, which can include work to be performed and associated work schedules.
• Travel to and conduct field investigations of site activities to assure compliance with Orders, Decrees, Cleanup Actions, and other agency requirements.
• Recommend compliance schedules and/or formal enforcement actions necessary to expedite contaminated site cleanups.
• Plan and direct cleanup projects by coordinating with project team members on document reviews and timelines.
• Review, evaluate, and comment on cleanup project documents, including remedial investigations, feasibility studies, site health and safety plans, engineering studies and design reports, post‑cleanup as‑built drawings, and soil and groundwater lab reports including quality assurance/quality control documentation.
• Determine compliance with applicable state regulations, laws and guidelines with emphasis on design and performance requirements.
• Conduct engineering analysis of project documents, evaluating the completeness and accuracy of the engineering characterization.
• Determine adequacy of engineering computations performed.

Qualifications

This position offers an in‑training plan and may be filled at the Environmental Engineer (EE) 2 or 3 level, depending on your qualifications. If you qualify at the EE2 level and are hired, you must be able to meet the requirements to qualify for and attain a Professional Engineering license within the length of the in‑training plan.

Required Qualifications

Regulatory and Compliance

• Experience supporting the interpretation and application of environmental laws and regulations to help ensure cleanup work aligns with required standards.
• Skilled in reviewing portions of project documents for consistency with applicable rules, guidance, and policies, and identifying questions or issues for senior engineering staff.

Professional Engineering

• Demonstrated ability to assist in evaluating engineering designs and calculations under the direction of a licensed engineer.
• Skilled in applying engineering principles to assess the technical appropriateness of proposed project approaches and to recommend areas needing clarification or further review.

Technical Environmental Engineering

• Experience collecting and analyzing site data, modeling information, or cleanup technology options to support project recommendations developed by more senior engineers.
• Skilled in reviewing technical studies and reports to determine whether they provide sufficient information and to flag data gaps or uncertainties for supervisory review.

Field Investigation

• Skilled in conducting or participating in site inspections to verify that field activities follow project requirements and engineering expectations.
• Experience documenting field observations, noting potential issues, and communicating them to senior project staff for further evaluation.

Project Management and Oversight

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate assigned project tasks, deadlines, and technical reviews to support timely progress on cleanup work.
• Skilled in reviewing consultant or staff work products for accuracy and completeness and confirming that they meet project expectations before final review by senior engineers.

Communication and Collaboration

• Skilled in preparing clear written and verbal summaries of technical and regulatory information to support team understanding and project decision making.
• Experience working collaboratively with consultants, responsible parties, local governments, and the public to address routine technical questions and support forward movement on projects.

Education

Major study in one of the following engineering fields: sanitary, water resource, civil, geotechnical, environmental, chemical, mechanical or a related field.

Eligibility

For EE2 level: Six years of experience and/or education related to the duties, with at least four of the categories above. Pay Range: $6,229 – $8,374 monthly.

For EE3 level: Three years of experience related to the duties, with at least four of the categories above and registration as a Professional Engineer in Washington or an equivalent state. Pay Range: $7,224 – $9,712 monthly.

Desired Qualifications

• Regulatory and Policy Knowledge: Ability to interpret and apply environmental regulations and cleanup requirements to support sound project decisions and ensure compliance.
• Site Assessment and Remediation Knowledge: Demonstrated competence evaluating environmental sampling data, site conditions, and cleanup approaches to guide effective and protective remediation actions.
• Negotiation and Facilitation Skills: Skilled in guiding discussions, resolving differences, and facilitating collaborative solutions to move projects forward and achieve mutually workable outcomes.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a work 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, and people with military status are encouraged to apply.

Collective Bargaining: This position is covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.