Wastewater Utility Planner

Wastewater Utility Planners (Water Quality Planner/Project Manager II)

Join us in shaping the future of clean water in King County. Are you passionate about protecting the environment and ensuring a sustainable future for our communities? King County Wastewater Treatment is seeking four Wastewater Utility Planners to help shape the next generation of regional water infrastructure. Be a part of the long-term planning teams that are at the forefront of planning the upgrades and investments needed to keep our regional sewer system reliable, resilient, and environmentally sound for decades to come.

These positions offer an opportunity to influence how the region meets evolving environmental regulations and maintains the health of Puget Sound. You will work alongside a talented team of planners on complex, meaningful projects that directly protect public health and improve water quality. The work provides technical challenges and interdisciplinary collaboration while offering fulfilling long-term impact and exceptional growth potential. You'll work on strategic planning, infrastructure investment planning, and interagency coordination experience that positions you for advancement within one of the nation's most forward-thinking wastewater utilities. Whether your interests lie in policy, project management, or environmental systems planning, you'll have the chance to help set the direction for the future of clean water in our region.

As a Wastewater Utility Planner, you'll play a key role in shaping the future of King County's regional wastewater system, supporting essential infrastructure that protects public health, safeguards our waterways, and advances environmental equity across our communities. These positions are within the Combined System and Utility Planning group and the Treatment and Separated Conveyance Planning group. These positions will help chart both short- and long-range plans for upgrading and renewing critical infrastructure. Your work will help the County replace aging assets, address and prevent sewer overflows, and plan system improvements that provide sufficient capacity and meet current and future regulatory requirements.

You will collaborate across disciplines, working closely with engineers, scientists, consultants, and community partners, to develop conceptual capital projects that will drive billions of dollars in future investment. From planning upgrades to the combined sewer system to improving treatment plants and separated conveyance system, your contributions will directly influence how the County delivers reliable, sustainable wastewater services for generations to come.

This role is ideal for an excellent communicator who thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment and is motivated by complex planning challenges that have real-world impact. You'll have the opportunity to apply your technical and analytical skills while supporting King County's commitment to innovation, equity, and environmental stewardship. Work is performed in a hybrid environment with a balance of remote collaboration and onsite engagement.

The Combined System and Utility Planning and Treatment and Separated Conveyance Planning groups serve a critical role at the leading edge of Wastewater Treatment's capital delivery pipeline by identifying future projects that help to shape the future of the region's wastewater system. Wastewater Treatment's capital delivery program has over 250 employees, is on track to deliver over $500M in capital projects this year and is anticipated to expand to deliver nearly $2B per year within a decade. Our work within the Planning Groups guides major investments that improve public health and protect water quality and the environment in the Puget Sound region for decades to come.

Our teams value adaptability and collaboration and we're committed to solutions that reflect King County's priorities for environmental stewardship, quality of service, social equity, and financial accountability. Our team members are empowered to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, learn and grow from each other, and drive innovative approaches to complex challenges.

Highlights of working with us include:

• Supportive, collaborative colleagues
• Professional growth and learning opportunities
• Flexible schedules and work arrangements
• A mix of independent and team-based work

As strategic partners in planning and project delivery, our staff help guide major decisions that strengthen King County's wastewater system now and for the future.

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. In this role, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work.

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Wastewater Treatment Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). 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.

Review initiatives, plans, regulations, policies, technical studies, and documents for impacts on the wastewater system.

Assist in the coordination and development of various types of planning processes and documents, including but not limited project cost estimates, policy analyses, cost/benefit analysis, literature reviews, sustainability analyses, data analyses, and technology reviews.

Coordinate with other units within Wastewater Treatment to consider and incorporate other system needs, opportunities, and priorities as they relate to various planning programs.

Incorporate principles of sustainability and equity, as described in the County's Strategic Climate Action Plan and Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan, into planning programs and projects.

Prepare written reports, memos, presentations, spreadsheets, and other documents necessary to support various planning programs and inform decision making processes.

Support project teams by managing SharePoint sites, document reviews, meeting notes, decision logs, etc.

Qualifications you must bring:

• Experience in planning, engineering, environmental science, public administration, environmental review, research, or policy analysis.
• Experience reviewing, evaluating the feasibility of, and drawing logical conclusions from technical studies, plans, policies, or research findings.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for conveying technical information to a wide variety of expert and non-expert audiences.
• Experience and/or knowledge of project management, contract management, and/or team management techniques, principles, and/or practices.

Competencies you bring:

• Communicates Effectively Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Collaborates Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives. Represents own interests while being fair to others and their areas. Partners with others to get work done. Credits others for their contributions and accomplishments. Gains trust and support of others.
• Action Oriented Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Interpersonal Savvy Relating openly and comfortably with diverse groups of people.
• Nimble Learning Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience and/or knowledge of planning techniques, principles, and practices to develop plans and solutions for complex projects.
• Knowledge of wastewater conveyance and/or treatment methods and techniques.
• Knowledge of environmental regulations, such as federal Clean Water Act, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

Working conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: The Combined System and Utility Planning and Treatment and Separated Conveyance Planning Groups work in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is the Collaboration space at King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104 and King County Treatment Plants. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week, Monday - Friday. This position is exempt from the overtime provision of the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA) and is not overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by Technical Employees' Association (TEA) - Wastewater Treatment Division.

Application and selection process:

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter

Anticipated timeline for this recruitment (subject to change):

• Virtual Technical Interviews (20 minutes) - Week of TBD
• Panel Interviews with writing exercise (120 minutes