Watershed Modeler (Engineer II)

Summary

Come join our team as we protect our most vulnerable communities and aquatic life from toxic chemicals in the environment. Your work will help King County make good decisions about managing stormwater and wastewater to achieve the best water quality outcomes. As part of a three (3) year Special Duty/Term Limited Temp (TLT) assignment, you as a Watershed Modeler (Engineer II), will support work by other local governments and organizations who may use or ask support from King County with the use of our modeling toolkit. You will help us accomplish our goals in the following ways:

• Help us keep model inputs and results organized and accessible to the team and our partners.
• Use the watershed models to answer new questions to support effective investments.
• Work with colleagues across disciplines and agencies to improve the modeling toolkit to be more accurate and user-friendly.
• Support collaboration within the agency and across jurisdictions.

We need a hydrological modeler who is interested in managing and using watershed and optimization models to estimate contaminant loadings and evaluate the cost and effectiveness of suites of stormwater and wastewater options. If you love to work collaboratively with other scientists and utility managers to protect people and the natural environment from pollutants, this job is for you.

About the Role: King County is committed to reducing toxic chemicals in waters, sediments, and aquatic food webs to make fish and shellfish safer for people to eat, and improve the health of salmon, orca, and other wildlife in King County waters. Our Clean Water Healthy Habitat (CWHH) plan provides our guiding strategy on reducing toxic chemicals in aquatic ecosystems. King County has developed a toolkit of watershed models (Water Quality Benefit Evaluation) to help County leaders choose the best options to achieve water quality outcomes and improve natural stream flows. We need your help to manage and use these WQBE models to support investments for better environmental outcomes.

About the Team:
The Science and Technical Support Section is a unique workplace where scientists build the scientific frameworks informing evidence-based policies and management decisions. We are a Seattle-based team of more than 40 technical staff producing credible and innovative, applied science and technical guidance to benefit people and the environment. We lead environmental investigations, manage monitoring programs, and support clients and partners with technical services. We collaborate with many County sections, local jurisdictions, universities, and state agencies.
Commitment to Equity, Racial 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. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As an Engineer II , your work as a Watershed Modeler will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity .

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Water Land & Resources Division with King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits , and growth opportunities.

Job Duties
What You Will Be Doing:

• Develop and execute a data management plan for model inputs and results. Data types include: GIS data for aerial/satellite imagery, LiDAR generated topography, land use land cover, geology, other landscape features; and time-series data for stream flow, atmospheric, and water quality.
• Use County custom tools to modify existing watershed (LSPC) and optimization models (SUSTAIN) and run new analyses.
• Develop tools to visualize and interpret modeling results for use in a variety of settings and audiences. Write scripts, code, macros, etc. to process data for model use.
• Create technical memos and/or presentations on modelling outcomes and write reports to document for data collection, analyses, and outcomes.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Qualifications You Bring:

• Education or experience equivalent to a Bachelor's degree in geology, hydrology, environmental science, environmental engineering or closely related discipline.
• Two years of experience developing lumped parameter (e.g., HSPF, LSPC, SWMM), grid (e.g., VELMA), and/or hybrid versions (e.g., HEC, WMS, WWHM, etc.) of watershed modeling frameworks.
• Experience working independently in ESRI GIS applications (e.g., ArcMap, ArcPro).
• Work experience using R, Matlab, Python, VBA, or other programming language(s) for statistical analyses and processing of data.

Preferred Qualifications:
At least 2 years work experience or postgraduate experience developing and operating:

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  HSPF- or LSPC-based or similar modeling systems for watershed analyses.
  
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  SUSTAIN or similar functioning models for optimizing stormwater treatment.
  
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  Hydraulic modeling systems (e.g., HEC, SWMM, or other) for defining representative hydraulic conveyances (e.g., open channel, lakes, floodplains, wetlands, pipes, etc.).
  

At least 2 years work experience or postgraduate experience using:

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  ESRI products (e.g., ArcPro) to create, manipulate, and analyze raster and shapefile datasets to model stormwater runoff
  
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  At least one of the following programming language: Matlab, R, or Python.
  
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  Engineering plan sets, field notes, or landscape imagery to characterize conveyance hydraulics.
  

Experience communicating technical information and concepts clearly in writing and verbally to peers and clients.

Key Competencies:

• Communicates Effectively - developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Manages Complexity-- Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Ensures Accountability - Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.

Supplemental Information
Working Conditions:

• Work Location: This is a hybrid position. It will be partly remote with onsite work requirements as informed by business needs. This position reports onsite on the first day of employment for orientation and a minimum of 2-3 days per month onsite at King Street Center, potentially more as directed by supervisor. Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to meet workplace reporting requirements.
• Primary onsite location: is King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This location offers excellent accessibility through multiple mass transit options ensuring convenient and sustainable commuting. This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department's vision of Green Where We Work.
• Work Schedule: This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and it is overtime eligible. This full-time position works a 40 -hour work week.
• Union Membership: This position is represented by PROTEC 17A

Application and Selection Process: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, cover letter and resume, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

Applications without the following required materials may be considered for this position:

• King County application (REQUIRED)
• Cover Letter (Optional) detailing your background and what you can bring to this position.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:
William R. Herbert, Human Resource Analyst
wherbert@kingcounty.gov
(206) 477-5494

Commitment to Equity and Social Justice:
As the only jurisdiction in the world named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all - in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from vulnerable communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts. To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity .

WHY WORK FOR KING COUNTY?
King County was named "Best-in-State Employer" in the Forbes magazine 2019, ranking 16 on the list of best employers in Washington State - visit: Awards given to King County to see more! King County's Investing in YOU initiative is building a workplace where ALL employees can thrive so we can become the nation's Best Run Government. Enjoy a balanced life with benefits that support you! http://kingcounty.gov/audience/employees/careers/why-work-here.aspx

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers. Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer:
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. 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.

To Apply:
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Closing Date/Time:

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• King County Wastewater Treatment Division

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