Western Operations Section Manager (WMS Band 2)

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring the Western Operations Section Manager (WMS Band 2)within the Environmental Assessment Program (EAP).

Location:

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, 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 per week is required in the office. 
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

Application Timeline:

• Apply by May 26, 2026.
• This position will remain open until filled. The agency reserves the right to make a hire at any time after application review begins. Applications received after the date above may not be considered.

Duties

Join the Washington State Department of Ecology in leading work that protects and enhances the health of our state’s waters. As a strategic leader within the Western Operations Section (WOS), you will guide teams who monitor marine and freshwater environments, assess environmental conditions, and generate the high-quality science that supports pollution control and long-term environmental stewardship.

In this role, you will shape program direction through strategic planning, quality assurance, and effective coordination of scientific work. You’ll steward resources, strengthen team effectiveness, and serve as a key communication link across Ecology programs, regional partners, and external interested parties. This is an opportunity to help advance credible science, support dedicated staff, and contribute to decisions that safeguard Washington’s environment for generations to come.

What you will do:

• Drive strategic leadership by contributing to program-wide planning, decision-making, budgeting, and management team initiatives.

 • Lead Section-level strategy by identifying resource needs, shaping priorities, and strengthening communication across teams.

 • Represent the Program and champion WOS needs on cross-program and regional management teams, fostering strong, collaborative relationships.

 • Manage staff performance, workload, safety, and compliance while promoting a positive, effective, and engaged team environment.

 • Oversee WOS operations and budget to ensure high-quality, timely scientific work, clear records management, and achievement of program performance measures.

 • Communicate clearly and credibly with diverse audiences, applying strong scientific knowledge, quality assurance principles, and sound judgment to support informed decisions.

Qualifications

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

Required Qualifications:

Nine (9) years of experience and/or education as described below:

Experience: in environmental monitoring or scientific investigations. Experience must include the following skill set:

• Leadership and Strategic Direction - Ability to lead teams, set priorities, and make well reasoned decisions that align with program and agency goals.

• Clear and Effective Communication - Ability to convey information in a clear, professional way so staff, leadership, and partners understand expectations, decisions, and technical content.

• Collaboration and Relationship Building - Ability to build trust and work effectively across teams, programs, and external partners to support shared goals.

• Workforce and Performance Management - Ability to set expectations, develop employees, and address performance issues in a fair, consistent, and timely manner.

• Operational and Resource Management - Ability to plan work, manage budgets and assets, and apply policies and procedures to ensure smooth, compliant operations.

• Equity, Science, and Problem Solving - Ability to apply inclusive and unbiased practices while interpreting scientific and policy information to ensure technical accuracy and identify practical solutions.

Education: in a natural or environmental science or related field.

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.
• 2 years of experience AND a Ph.D.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the collective bargaining agreement by and between "The State of Washington" and "Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE)", state civil service system rules, and agency policies concerning personnel development and personnel actions including recruitment, hiring, training, professional development, performance evaluation, and corrective or disciplinary actions.
• Knowledge of budget management, including budget planning and tracking, time accounting and employee leave, purchasing and procurement procedures, and negotiating and administering contracts and inter-agency agreements.
• Strategic management skills applied to personnel administration; negotiation and mediation skills; tactical planning and operations management; team building; and supervisor mentoring and coaching.
• Current knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations as they pertain to environmental protection, including the federal Clean Water Act, state Water Pollution Control Act, and state Model Toxics Control Act.
• Advanced management/personnel skills to promote effective and diverse staff recruitment, hiring, mentoring, training and performance.
• Ability to communicate, coordinate, and negotiate with employees, managers, clients, governmental agencies, tribes, interested parties, and the public.
• Technical expertise in aquatic pollution ecology, specifically in scientific research methods for sample collection, data analysis, and statistical testing.

If you are excited about this role and meet the required qualifications, we encourage you to apply. Desired qualifications reflect additional knowledge, skills, or experience that are nice to have but not required. Studies have shown that some applicants, especially women and people of color, are less likely to apply unless they meet every listed qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging, and we welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and unique perspectives.

Supplemental Information

Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.

Application Process

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 job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach:

• Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
• Resume 

Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.

For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.

Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.

Need an Accommodation?

If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:

• Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov
• If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.

Questions?

• For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Stacy Polkowskeat Stacy.Polkowske@ecy.wa.gov 
• If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team atcareers@ecy.wa.gov

Ecology's mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Washington's environment for current and future generations. The Program mission is to measure, assess, and communicate environmental conditions in Washington State.

This position directs the operation of the Western Operations Section (WOS) within the Environmental Assessment Program (EAP) and reports directly to the Program Manager. The section currently houses 3 units that serve multiple functions within the Program. The 3 units include:

•     Marine Monitoring Unit

•     Modeling and TMDL Unit

•     Freshwater Monitoring Unit

This position directly supervises three supervisors and two professional scientists, with a total section size of 43 staff (including temporary staff) in a highly technical, culturally, and scientifically diverse work environment.

About the Department of Ecology

As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology 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. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.

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.

We believe that DEIRis 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.

Ecology employees may be eligible for the following: 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 *Click here for more information

To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.

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.

Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency.