Science and Analysis Section Manager; WMS Band 2

Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Science and Analysis Section Manager (WMS Band
2) within the Air Quality Program (AQP)

• Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA.
• Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.

• This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
• A minimum of two days per week is required in the office.
• Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.

• Apply by January 27, 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.

In this role you will be responsible for balancing scientifically complex, high-risk regulatory decisions with intense public, political, and economic scrutiny—while ensuring environmental justice, legal defensibility, and long-term public health protection. You will be making and defending decisions with statewide and multi-decade impacts, often in areas with scientific uncertainty, evolving policy expectations, and strong interest groups, where errors could result in significant legal, financial, or public trust consequences.

• Direct and oversee technical analysis for State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and Clean Air Act compliance, including emissions inventories, modeling, and analyses.
• Lead and manage the Science and Analysis Section, supervising and developing approximately 12 senior technical staff and ensuring effective use of program resources.
• Direct the review and approval of second and third tier air toxics petitions under WAC 173-460 including engineering, modeling, and toxicological analyses.
• Oversee dispersion modeling and meteorological forecasting to support permitting decisions, air quality policy development, and emergency or burn ban responses.
• Lead toxicology support and public health impact assessments for rule making, policy development, and outreach initiatives.
• Direct environmental justice reviews for overburdened communities highly impacted by criteria air pollution and guide related complex, politically sensitive determinations under the Climate Commitment Act.
• Provide strategic technical and policy advice to senior leadership, the Governor’s Office, and external partners on air quality issues of statewide and national significance.
• Represent the agency in regional and national forums, including serving as Ecology’s management lead in NW-AIRQUEST and engaging with federal, state, and local air quality interested parties.

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

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

Experience in environmental project management, regulatory or technical experience. Knowledge of advanced principles of management, budget planning, strategic planning, air quality science and personnel administration. To include a minimum of 18 months supervisory experience managing technical staff.

• Technical Environmental Knowledge-Demonstrated understanding of environmental pollution scientific analysis and processes
• Regulatory and Policy Compliance-Ability to decipher multiple local, state, and federal laws and regulations regarding air quality management and administrative procedures requirements
• Environmental Justice (EJ)- Knowledge of EJ frameworks, tools and state laws
• Analytical and Decision-Making Skills-Demonstrated ability to interpret complex environmental and regulatory information to form clear, evidence-based conclusions. Applies structured reasoning to assess risks, identify trends and determine appropriate action.
• Leadership and Service Focus
  - Ability to guide technical work through strong service orientation by prioritizing environmental justice and transparent decision-making. Ability to foster collaboration through respectful engagement with all invested parties. Consistently work to build and maintain trust to reflect the Air Quality Program and…