Noxious Weeds Control Specialist II

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

County-issued laptop

Job summary

King County's Noxious Weed Control Program seeks a dedicated Specialist II to survey, map, and control noxious weeds across a designated region, supporting residents and landowners with technical assistance and education.

This full-time, hybrid role offers field work in diverse terrains, collaboration with municipal partners, and opportunities to advance environmental outcomes through integrated pest management and landscape-scale projects throughout King County, Washington.

Qualifications

• Subject matter expert in noxious weed identification and biology.
• Demonstrated field experience managing weed infestations.
• Ability to work in challenging terrain and urban/wetland areas.
• Strong communication with the public, both verbal and written.
• Experience planning and managing complex weed-control projects.

Responsibilities

• Conduct field surveys to identify, document and map noxious weed infestations.
• Coordinate rapid response weed control protocols for high-priority infestations.
• Engage land managers regarding regulatory compliance and provide education/assistance.
• Enter and maintain data in program databases (spatial/relational).
• Lead outreach, trainings, and educational events for communities.

Skills

Noxious weed ID & biology

Field survey & mapping

Regulatory compliance

Public communication

Project management

Driving license

Job description

In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future vacancies within the Water and Land Resources Division or throughout the Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) over the next six months.

Join Our Team

This position is a unique opportunity for a knowledgeable and motivated environmental professional to make tangible and substantial positive impacts to significant environmental outcomes through noxious weed control in a designated region of King County. This position joins a dynamic team that seeks to reduce the impacts of Noxious Weeds throughout King County through collaborative and innovative approaches to noxious weed control on a landscape scale. These outcomes contribute to King County environmental initiatives including the Healthy Lands Project, the Land Conservation Initiative (LCI) and the Clean Water Healthy Habitat Initiative.

About the Role

The Noxious Weed Control Program employs 14 Noxious Weed Specialists to survey and ensure control of noxious weeds throughout King County. This successful candidate will be assigned to one region, supporting the residents and landowners of this region with technical assistance to control noxious weeds and reduce their impacts. The person hired for this position will work under the direction of the County Lands and Regional Specialist Supervisor.

About the Team

The Noxious Weed Control Program is a national leader in the early detection of noxious weeds, integrated pest management, community engagement, and rapid response to high impact weed concerns. We work throughout King County to prevent and reduce the economic, environmental, and social impacts of noxious weeds in King County, Washington.

Our mission is to provide benefits to the environment, recreation, public health, and economic resources of King County by preventing and minimizing harmful impacts of noxious weeds. We do this through education and technical assistance to landowners and public agencies to help everyone find the best control options for noxious weeds on each site and to reduce the overall impact of noxious weeds throughout the county.

Commitment to Equity and Social Justice

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Noxious Weed Control Specialist II, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

What You Will Be Doing

• Conduct field surveys to identify, document and map noxious weed infestations.
• Coordinate rapid response weed control protocols for high-priority infestations.
• Engage land managers regarding regulatory compliance requirements and provide educational and technical assistance.
• Enter and maintain data in program databases (spatial and relational databases).
• Conduct municipal partner and community outreach, public presentations, trainings and educational events.

Qualifications You Bring

• Subject matter expert in noxious weed identification, biology, control, and impacts.
• Demonstrated field experience and expertise in managing noxious weed infestations and their impacts to natural resources.
• Demonstrated ability to do field work and weed control activities in challenging terrain including urban areas, wetlands, rivers, streams, and lakes.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with the public on difficult, sensitive and technical issues, both verbally and in writing.
• Familiarity with integrated pest management and weed control methods including cultural, chemical, biocontrol, and manual methods.
• Ability to successfully plan and manage complex weed control projects across multiple species and timelines. Ability to perform multiple tasks simultaneously under tight deadlines, prioritizing work and managing own time.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to do field work and weed control activities in challenging terrain including wetlands, rivers, streams, and lakes.
• Ability to carry heavy loads on back (up to 45 pounds) over very uneven terrain.
• Ability to work in a range of difficult conditions including inclement weather – rain, heat, etc.
• Ability to drive/operate work vehicle in a range of difficult driving conditions ranging from dense urban to highway to unpaved off-road, and inclement weather.

Workplace Exposures

• Field work and weed control activities in challenging terrain including dense forest, wetlands, rivers, streams, and lakes.
• Proximity to spiny poisonous plants.
• Stinging insects.
• Use of herbicides.
• Driving a variety of vehicles.

Competencies You Bring:

• Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

Required Licenses:

• Hold or able to obtain a WSDA Pesticide Applications License with Aquatic Endorsement within 30 days of hire.
• WA State Drivers License.

It Would Be Great If You Also Bring:

• Demonstrated success developing, managing, and expanding environmental services projects to improve ecological and social outcomes on a landscape scale.
• Demonstrated field experience and expertise in managing noxious weed infestations and their impacts to natural resources.
• Familiarity with integrated pest management and weed control methods including chemical, biocontrol, and manual methods.

Onsite Work Details:

The Noxious Weed Control team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

Work Schedule:

This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.

Union Representation:

This position is not represented by a union.

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Please ensure that your application materials clearly detail how your skills and experience meet the minimum qualifications outlined in this posting.

Discover More About the Division: Visit our website.

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

King County’s Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.