Senior Geologist

Job Description:

Senior Geologist

Description

Summary

Are you ready to apply your fluvial geomorphology and engineering geology skills to the glacial landscape of scenic King County, Washington? Then come join us at King County's Habitat Restoration Unit, a leader in river and floodplain restoration, as we build multi-benefit projects that protect people and the environment. Working in the Habitat Restoration unit of the WLRD Capital Delivery Section, you will participate in multiple diverse, multi-disciplinary teams that manage flood risk and restore important aquatic habitat. While participating in the design, implementation and effectiveness monitoring of restoration projects, you will experience many opportunities to build and showcase your analytical and communications skills.

About the Role :
The Senior Geologist (Environmental Scientist III) in the Habitat Restoration Unit of the Capital Delivery Section (CDS) will work with design teams to identify potential benefits and risks associated with river and stream restoration projects. This position will collaborate with senior technical staff including water resource engineers and ecologists in developing project design criteria and risk assessments, and ensuring the success of river and floodplain restoration projects. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your technical skillset and add to your list of geology projects!

This position performs work remotely and onsite.

About the Team:

The Water & Land Resources Division delivers a diverse portfolio of environmental services, including stormwater management, salmon recovery, flood risk management, noxious weed removal and supporting agriculture and forestry. All of these functions are supported by a top-notch science section and a property acquisition unit. This portfolio puts the Water and Land Resources Division at the center of key plans and initiatives launched by the King County Executive, including Clean Water Healthy Habitat, Strategic Climate Action Plan, Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan and the Land Conservation Initiative. The work we do is diverse, stimulating and at the forefront of addressing today's environmental challenges.

Commitment To Equity 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 a Senior Geologist , you 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 and Land Resource Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) or Wastewater Treatment Division. 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:

• Perform office and field studies to assess the potential impacts of restoration actions or other activities on natural resources in the river environment. Includes evaluating previous studies, collecting and analyzing data, predicting future behavior of natural resources, and writing reports.
  
• Work with planners, engineers, and other scientists to identify and implement appropriate solutions to problems related to fluvial geomorphology, flood risk reduction, and critical salmon habitat.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in earth science, geology, geomorphology or closely related field OR work equivalent, four (4) years in a relevant position.
  
• Three (3) years of work experience in the field of fluvial geomorphology.
  
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
  
• Flexibility to work independently in a full-time telework environment while regularly collaborating on multiple project teams.
  

Required Licenses:

• Valid Washington State license in geology, or ability to obtain Washington State license in geology within six (6) months through reciprocity.

Competencies You Bring:

• 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.
• Communicates effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
• Nimble learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
• Tech Savvy: Anticipating and adopting innovations in business building digital and technology applications.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

• Master’s degree in Geology or geomorphology
  

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite visits at King Street Center 1-2 times per month and onsite field work 1-4 times per week . The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department’s vision of Green Where We Work .
• Remote Work Location Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to meet workplace reporting requirements.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position will work a 40-hour work week. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible. The typical work schedule is 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday- Friday. Attendance at evening meetings and weekend events may be required from time to time.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by PROTEC Local 17A bargaining unit.
• Duration : This recruitment aims to fill one (1) Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) position with an anticipated duration of 3 years . If the position is filled by a King County employee who has successfully completed their initial probation, they will be offered the role as a Special Duty Assignment.
• Physical Requirement: This position will be required to traverse uneven terrain in weather conditions including possible inclement weather.

Application and Selection Process: We welcome applications from all qualified candidates . We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. This posting may be used to create an eligibility list for future vacancies in similar positions over the next six months.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.

Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Online Application with response to supplemental questions.
• Resume.
• Cover Letter (not required but will be reviewed if submitted).

Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Isaac Good at (206) 848-0576 or igood@kingcounty.gov .

Discover More About the Water Land & Resources Division: Visit our website .

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website , explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook , X (formerly Twitter) , LinkedIn , TikTok , Instagram , YouTube and Keeping King County Green News .

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.

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.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what’s best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12paid holidays each year plus twopersonal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental,family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page .

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position.Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

Closing Date/Time: 4/27/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

Salary:

$108,652.75 - $137,723.66 Annually