Regional Shoreline Compliance/Enforcement Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4)(Two Positions)

About the role

Two Regional Shoreline Compliance/Enforcement Specialist (Environmental Specialist 4) positions within the Shorelands & Environmental Assistance (SEA) program of the Washington State Department of Ecology. The positions are temporary, ending June 30 2027 with possible extension based on funding. One position will be based at the Northwest Region Office in Shoreline, WA; the other will be based at either the Headquarters Office in Lacey, WA or the Central Region Office in Union Gap, WA. Employees must reside within a commutable distance from the selected duty station.

Responsibilities

• Implement the regional Shoreline Master Program (SMP) audit and technical assistance program, evaluating shoreline permits, monitoring reports, mitigation obligations, and riparian protection measures for consistency with the Shoreline Management Act (SMA) and local SMPs.
• Provide targeted compliance support to local governments, developing monitoring processes, evaluation methods, and systematic approaches to track permit effectiveness and ecological performance.
• Conduct field verification for priority shoreline projects, confirming as‑built conditions, validating monitoring findings, documenting ecological outcomes, and providing follow‑up direction to permittees and local partners.
• Lead regional shoreline enforcement activities: identify unauthorized activities, develop defensible case documentation, conduct site investigations, prepare notices of violation and administrative orders, and coordinate enforcement actions with the SEA Program Enforcement Coordinator and the Attorney General’s Office.
• Represent Ecology as senior technical experts in enforcement hearings, settlement discussions, and legal proceedings involving complex shoreline violations and high‑priority environmental resources.
• Serve as project officer for compliance‑related grants and agreements, negotiating work elements, tracking deliverables, and ensuring alignment with shoreline protection and SMP improvement goals.
• Collaborate with regional shoreline planners, headquarters staff, local governments, tribal, state, and federal partners to ensure consistent implementation of shoreline management requirements and improve statewide SMP compliance.
• Contribute to development and refinement of statewide shoreline compliance tools, guidance, training, and best practices that support adaptive management and improve long‑term ecological outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Nine (9) years of experience and/or education related to shoreline and environmental permit review, compliance evaluation, field verification, enforcement case development, grant and agreement administration, intergovernmental coordination, and clear professional communication.
• Ability to interpret and evaluate shoreline authorizations, permit conditions, mitigation obligations, and riparian protection requirements for consistency with the SMA and local SMPs.
• Skill in assessing compliance through document review and site inspections, including verification of as‑built conditions, monitoring reports, and ecological performance standards.
• Experience gathering defensible environmental data, documenting violations, preparing enforcement documents (e.g., notices of violation, administrative orders), and coordinating with enforcement leads and legal partners.
• Ability to serve as a project officer—developing, negotiating, and monitoring grant or agreement terms, reviewing deliverables, and ensuring alignment with program objectives.
• Proven ability to work effectively with local governments, state and federal partners, tribal entities, and internal regional staff.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical, regulatory, and enforcement matters.
• Education in environmental, physical, or natural sciences; environmental planning; or a related interdisciplinary field.

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of regulatory programs and Ecology’s statutory authority under the SMA.
• Understanding of local government roles and responsibilities under the SMA.
• Familiarity with environmental legislation and regulations at federal, state, and local levels.
• Experience with complex environmental permitting processes.

Pay

Salary range: $6,068 – $8,163 per month. Positions based at the Northwest Region Office in Shoreline receive an additional 5 % premium pay due to the King County location.

Schedule

Eligible for telework and flexible schedule options. Requires reporting to the office one day every two weeks. Schedules are dependent on position needs and may change.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employee and dependents
• Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
• Vacation, sick, and other leave
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
• Tuition waiver
• Long‑term disability and life insurance
• Deferred compensation programs
• Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
• Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program