Environmental Engineer 5

Office of Drinking Water

Permanent · Full-time · Homebased

Join the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) in advancing our mission to protect and improve the health of people in Washington State. This position plays a key leadership role within the Division of Environmental Public Health (EPH), specifically in the Office of Drinking Water (ODW), an office dedicated to ensuring safe, reliable drinking water for all communities.

As a supervisor, you will lead and mentor a team of engineers who work closely with water systems, utilities, local health jurisdictions, consultants, and the public to ensure the safety, sustainability, and resilience of drinking water. Your work will have a direct impact on water system management, infrastructure, and emergency preparedness across the state.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supervise and mentor up to 10 engineering staff, fostering a cohesive and collaborative team environment.
• Hire, train, and coach new engineers while developing staff expertise through ongoing feedback and professional development.
• Serve as a technical resource for drinking water engineering programs, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of regulations and best practices.
• Promote and ensure consistency among engineers statewide through review of and feedback on work products and work processes, and development of appropriate individual training plans.
• Provide professional engineering oversight for Engineers-in-Training (EITs), including work review and co-signing of technical correspondence.
• Represent engineering interests and perspective by serving on Engineering, Planning, and Inspections Section and Extended Management Team and other internal workgroups and provide written comments and input during the development of Office Program Plans and other policy documents created by the Office of Drinking Water.
• Coordinate water system regulation and office’s emergency response, technical assistance activities across the ODW by ensuring cross-office collaboration and communication.
• Respond to drinking water emergencies and ensure all water systems meet their responsibility for protection of their consumers' health when facing an emergency or a situation that could have high health risks.

You’ll be expected to lead by example—modeling the department’s values of equity, innovation, and engagement. The role requires strong organizational, communication, and decision-making skills to manage complex projects, guide staff development, and respond effectively to drinking water emergencies.

This position offers the opportunity to shape the future of Washington’s drinking water systems through leadership, innovation, and mentorship. You’ll make a measurable difference in protecting public health while supporting a team of dedicated professionals in an inclusive and collaborative work environment.

Location and Flexibility 

We value work-life balance and offer the convenience of remote work with occasional in-person collaboration opportunities. Attending events or working In-office is rarely required and would be scheduled in advance. This is a remote/home-based position available to applicants residing anywhere in Washington State, as well as those living near the Oregon/Washington border and the Idaho/Washington border. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

We value all relevant experience (paid or unpaid) and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. You must meet at least ONE of the options provided and any additional criteria listed. Experience may have been gained through paid or unpaid activities. While “Preferred Experience” is not required, these skills or experiences can help you stand out as a candidate. 

• Licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) in the state of Washington or the ability to obtain licensure through comity within six months from the date of hire. 
• Three (3) years of experience working as a licensed professional engineer in the field of environmental engineering or public health administration.   
• Three (3) years of experience in fostering collaboration between cross-functional teams and coordinating and communicating effectively across multiple departments, divisions, or organizational units  
• One (1) year of experience in mentoring colleagues, providing feedback, and coaching  

About WA State DOH

Our programs and services help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live and work, provide information to help people make good health decisions and ensure our state is prepared for emergencies. To accomplish all of these, we collaborate with many partners every day. We help ensure a safer and healthier Washington by: Working to improve health through disease and injury prevention, immunization, and newborn screening Providing health and safety information, education and training so people can make healthy choices Promoting a health and wellness system where we live, learn, work, play and worship Addressing environmental health hazards associated with drinking water, food, air quality and pesticide exposure Protecting you and your family by licensing healthcare professionals, investigating disease outbreaks and preparing for emergencies

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