Description
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Nuclear Waste Program (NWP) within the Department of Ecology is looking to fill a Senior Toxicologist (Toxicologist 3) position. This position is located in our Richland Field Office (RFO) in Richland, WA. Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
In this position, you will apply your toxicology and public health experience to address issues resulting from human and ecological receptor exposure to environmental contaminants. You will provide technical evaluation and input on nuclear waste and Hanford cleanup activities with respect to risk assessment and toxicological effects to human health and the environment. Moreover, you will serve as a lead toxicologist, supporting other toxicology staff in analysis and review activities, to ensure consistency of evaluation and protectiveness in agency cleanup strategies.
Agency Mission: Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington’s environment for current and future generations.
Program Mission: The Nuclear Waste Program (NWP) mission is to lead the effective and efficient cleanup of the United States Department of Energy’s Hanford Site; to ensure sound management of mixed hazardous wastes in Washington; and to protect the state’s air, water, and land at and adjacent to the Hanford site.
Tele-work options for this position: This position will have flexibility of a hybrid schedule, empowering work from home and office, providing less time in traffic and shrinking your carbon footprint. This position will be eligible for up to a 90% tele-work schedule after completion of new employee onboarding and training. Applicants with questions about position location options, tele-work, and flexible or compressed schedules are encouraged to reach out to the contact person listed below in “other information.” Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
Application Timeline: This position will remain open until filled; we will review applications on November 12, 2024. In order to be considered, please submit an application on or before November 11, 2024. If your application isn't received by this date, it may not be considered. The agency reserves the right to make a Hire any time after the initial screening date.
Please Note: We will review all applications received before the date above. Additional reviews after this date typically only occur if we have a small applicant pool, or if a successful Hire was not made.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following benefits:
- Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- Vacation, Sick, and other Leave
- 11 Paid Holidays per year
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Tuition Waiver
- Long Term Disability & Life Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Programs
- Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
- Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commute Trip Reduction Incentives
- Combined Fund Drive
- SmartHealth
About the Department of Ecology: Protecting Washington State's environment for current and future generations is what we do every day at Ecology. We are a culture that is invested in making a difference. Join a team that is highly effective and collaborative, with leadership that embraces the value of people.
Our commitment to DEIR: Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.
Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.
Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to Ecology’s work.
Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.
We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.
Duties
What makes this role unique? In this role, you will serve as a lead Toxicologist, supporting other toxicology staff in analysis and review activities. You will provide toxicological evaluation and input on nuclear waste and Hanford cleanup activities, and you will provide updates to program leadership as needed regarding risk assessment and toxicology issues.
What you will do:
- Apply toxicology experience and practices to address a broad array of human health and ecotoxicological issues.
- Evaluate research studies in the literature and other toxicological, exposure, and environmental data to conclude potential adverse human health and ecological effects.
- Identify acceptable regulatory thresholds for various chemical and radiological contaminants (environmental media cleanup levels, radiation standards, hazardous waste designation levels).
- Investigate issues in regulatory, clinical, epidemiological, and ecological toxicology with risk assessment methods by examining appropriate characteristics.
- Review and perform statistical analysis of environmental and exposure data.
- Prepare proposals for research grants and design and conduct well-defined toxicological studies when additional key data are needed.
- Provide regulatory oversight, review laboratory and field data, and recommend research or modifications to remedy data gaps or inaccuracies.
Qualifications
Years of required experience indicated below are full-time equivalent years. Full-time equivalent experience means that any experience where working hours were less than 40 hours per week will be prorated in order to meet the equivalency of full-time.
Required Qualifications:
A total of ten years of experience and/or education as described below:
- Toxicological experience
- Education in: Toxicology or in a health or ecological-related science with a major emphasis in toxicology.
All experience and education combinations that meet the requirements for this position:
- Combination 1: No college credit hours or degree - 10 years of experience
- Combination 2: 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter credits - 9 years of experience
- Combination 3: 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter credits (AA degree) - 8 years of experience
- Combination 4: 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter credits - 7 years of experience
- Combination 5: A Bachelor's Degree - 6 years of experience
- Combination 6: A Master's Degree - 4 years of experience
- Combination 7: A Ph.D. - 3 years of experience
Supplemental Information
Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Need an Accommodation in the application and/or screening process or this job announcement in an alternative format?
- Please call: (360) 407-6186 or email: careers@ecy.wa.gov and we will be happy to assist.
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing you can reach the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
- If you need assistance applying for this job, please e-mail careers@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not send an email to this address to follow-up on the status of your application.
- If you are reading this announcement in print format, please enter the following URL to your search engine to apply: https://ecology.wa.gov/About-us/Get-to-know-us/Jobs-at-Ecology.
Application Instructions: It's in the applicant's best interest to submit all of the documents listed below. Applications without these documents may be declined.
- A cover letter describing why you are interested in this position.
- A resume outlining your experience and education (if applicable) as it relates to the minimum qualifications of this position.
Please do NOT include your salary history. Wage/salary depends on qualifications or rules of promotion, if applicable.
For Your Privacy: When attaching documents to your application (such as Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, DD-214, etc.):
- Please be sure to remove private information such as your social security number, date of birth, etc.
- Do not attach documents that are password-protected, as these documents may not be reviewed and may cause errors within your application when downloaded.
Additional Application Instructions for Current Ecology Employees:
Please make sure to answer the agency-wide questions regarding permanent status as a classified employee within the Washington General Service or Washington Management Service. Do not forget to select Department of Ecology as a response to question 2, and type your personnel ID number for question 3. If you are not sure of your status or do not know your personnel ID number, please contact Human Resources.
Application Attestation: The act of submitting application materials electronically is considered affirmation that the information is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information and any untruthful or misleading answers are cause for rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.
Other Information: If you have specific questions about the position, please email Jay Decker at Jay.Decker@ecy.wa.gov. Please do not contact Jay to inquire about the status of your application.
Why work for Ecology? As an agency, our mission is to protect, preserve and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
Joining Ecology means becoming a part of a team committed to protecting and restoring Washington State's environment. A career in public service allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance.
To learn more about The Department of Ecology, please visit our website at www.ecology.wa.gov and follow, like or visit us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or our blog.
Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.
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.
Persons needing accommodation in the application/testing process or this job announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 407-6186. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.
Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.
