Toxicologist 2

Washington State Department of Ecology; Richland (WA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Washington State Department of Ecology is seeking a Toxicologist 2 to join the Nuclear Waste Program. This position is critical for supporting environmental risk assessments and ensuring compliance with regulations at the Hanford Site.

The ideal candidate will lead the regulatory review processes, provide technical consulting, and communicate complex toxicological findings to guide cleanup decisions. A major study in toxicology is required along with several years of relevant experience.

Qualifications

• Ability to evaluate chemical and radiological hazards.
• Ability to interpret environmental sampling data.
• Ability to apply regulatory requirements.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate information.
• Ability to explain technical information clearly.
• Ability to plan and manage work tasks effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the regulatory review of risk assessment activities.
• Provide consultation on risk assessment issues.
• Coordinate sample design and analysis.
• Perform calculations for cleanup levels.
• Review documents for compliance and technical merit.
• Evaluate physicochemical properties of toxic agents.
• Represent the Program in task groups.

Skills

Risk Assessment

Environmental Data Interpretation

Regulatory Application

Critical Thinking

Technical Communication

Planning & Prioritization

Education

Major study in toxicology or related science

Job description

Toxicologist 2

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Toxicologist 2 within the Nuclear Waste Program.

Location

• Richland Field Office in Richland, 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 every other week is required in the office. You may telework most of your work time with occasional in-person meetings and activities.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline

• Apply by June 23, 2026

Duties

Join our team and help shape the future of environmental cleanup at the Hanford Site. In this role, you will support environmental risk assessments that protect human health and the environment and ensure regulatory compliance throughout cleanup activities. You will provide toxicological expertise on study design, risk analysis, and the development of soil and water cleanup levels, working closely with the program’s senior toxicologist and project teams to build a holistic understanding of human and ecological risks across the site. Your work directly informs decisions at one of the nation’s most complex cleanup sites, offering the chance to make a meaningful impact on public health, environmental protection, and long-term site recovery.

This position integrates the risk assessment requirements of Washington state regulations with federal Superfund cleanup and hazardous waste regulations. You will translate complex toxicological findings into clear recommendations that guide cleanup decisions, promote regulatory consistency, and support communication with technical staff, managers, and other involved groups. As part of this work, you will have opportunities to deepen your expertise by staying current with evolving toxicology and risk-assessment methods, participating in professional development, and collaborating with state and federal technical experts across multiple disciplines.

What You Will Do

• Lead the regulatory review of the Department of Energy’s risk assessment and performance assessment activities
• Provide consultation on risk and performance assessment issues, including the development and evaluation of constituent cleanup levels within the program and agency.
• Coordinate with tank farm and environmental restoration chemists on sample design, analysis, and data quality to ensure usability in risk assessments.
• Perform calculations and collaborate with agency toxicologists and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop and recommend cleanup levels for environmental media.
• Review documents for technical merit, regulatory compliance, and consistency with established risk assessment guidance.
• Evaluate and prepare professional comments on the appropriateness and adequacy of physicochemical properties, environmental fate and transport characteristics, environmental models, bioavailability issues, dose-response functions, and toxicokinetic and toxicodynamic characteristics of toxic agents in hazardous waste.
• Represent the Program on task groups within the department and in coordination with external agencies and other partners.

Qualifications

For detailed information on how we calculate experience and responses to other frequently asked questions, please visit our Recruitment website.

Required Qualifications

• Risk Assessment – Ability to evaluate chemical and radiological hazards to provide clear, science-based conclusions that support protective environmental and public health decisions.
• Environmental Data Interpretation – Ability to evaluate environmental sampling data to ensure the information is reliable and appropriate for decision-making.
• Regulatory Application – Ability to apply state and federal environmental requirements to determine cleanup levels and assess compliance to support consistent and defensible regulatory decisions.
• Critical Thinking – Ability to analyze information, evaluate assumptions, and identify uncertainties to support well-reasoned and defensible recommendations.
• Technical Communication – Ability to explain technical information in clear, understandable terms to support informed decision-making by managers, partners, and the public.
• Planning & Prioritization – Ability to plan and manage work tasks, timelines, and commitments to successfully meet program and project expectations.

Education

Involving a major study in toxicology or a health or ecological related science with a major emphasis in toxicology.

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.
• 1 year of experience AND a Ph.D.

Special Requirements/Conditions Of Employment

• Must meet U.S. Department of Energy requirements to acquire and maintain a badge for access to the Hanford Site.

Desired Qualifications

• Ph.D. in toxicology or a health or ecological related science with a major emphasis in toxicology and one year of toxicology experience.

• Master of Science degree in toxicology or a health or ecological related science with a major emphasis in toxicology and three years of toxicology experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working 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 or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.