Environmental Visa Sponsorship Jobs in Washington
Washington state is a strong market for environmental visa sponsorship jobs, with hiring concentrated in Seattle, Bellevue, and Olympia across consulting firms like Tetra Tech and WSP, federal agencies, utilities such as Puget Sound Energy, and tribal environmental programs. The state's aggressive clean energy and salmon recovery mandates drive consistent demand for environmental scientists, engineers, and planners.
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Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Department of Ecology is hiring a Senior Environmental Inspector - Underground Storage Tanks (Environmental Specialist 4) within the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP).
Location: Central Region Office in Union Gap, WA.
* Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Schedule: This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
This position is a mix of field and office time.
Field work to complete inspections is expected approximately 8 to 10 days per month. Field work includes travel within the counties of central Washington.
* Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
Application Timeline: Apply by April 23, 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.
Duties
As a Senior Environmental Inspector - Underground Storage Tanks (UST), you will play a critical role in protecting the state’s land, water, and air by preventing environmental contamination through regulatory oversight of underground storage tank (UST) facilities. As a regional UST technical specialist, you will ensure UST systems are operated and maintained in compliance with state regulations to prevent releases to the environment. This position offers a dynamic mix of fieldwork, technical problem-solving, and collaboration, including conducting UST inspections, educating facility owners on compliance, and issuing enforcement actions. You will serve as a trusted resource for interpreting and implementing the state’s UST laws, regulations, and standard operating guidelines, and as a key point of contact for resolving high-priority and emerging UST issues in coordination with other Ecology programs.
In this role, you will support and mentor UST staff, collaborate with statewide peers, and engage with regulated entities and other interested parties. You will also serve on the Statewide UST Task Team, helping shape technical and regulatory decisions that affect UST program implementation across the state. As a Senior UST Inspector, you will mentor, advise, and train junior inspectors, sharing your expertise in UST regulations and technical equipment.
Duties will include:
- Conduct UST inspections in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) technical compliance guidance, independently applying professional judgment to identify violations and determine appropriate corrective actions.
- Perform UST system installation, retrofit, and decommissioning inspections to ensure work meets regulatory and environmental protection standards.
- Issue enforcement actions consistent with the UST Inspector Enforcement Manual and follow up with responsible parties to return facilities to compliance.
- Investigate complaints of suspected leaking underground storage tanks, documenting findings and recommending next steps.
- Provide technical assistance and education to UST owners, operators, contractors, and internal staff on UST regulations, forms, and compliance requirements.
- Provide testimony for Pollution Control Hearing Board hearings, case reviews, and court cases involving UST regulations and enforcements.
- Advise and train junior UST inspectors in all aspects of UST duties.
- Create and revise guidance documents and develop tools to assist UST inspectors.
- Coordinate with owners, operators, contractors, and local governments on complex UST projects, and contribute to special projects such as developing or updating guidance, tools, and resources for inspectors.
- Maintain accurate and complete UST files and databases by reviewing submittals, documenting compliance data, and supporting performance measures related to UST compliance.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications: Nine years of experience and/or education as described below:
Experience performing environmental-based work, OR work related to the duties of the position, that includes one or more of the following:
- Regulatory Communication: Experience explaining and translating regulations, codes, or operational procedures to various audiences to ensure they understand required actions and can successfully comply.
- Technical Systems Interpretation: Skilled with understanding how complex equipment or mechanical systems function in order to evaluate whether they meet required standards, regulations, codes or procedures, and identify potential problems.
Experience must include demonstrated competence in the following skill sets:
- Using critical / analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to make decisions or determine a course of action.
- Reviewing / assessing information and data to draw conclusions and recommending decisions or actions.
- Reading, interpreting and applying regulations and/or code of practices.
Education involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences; environmental or natural science interdisciplinary studies; environmental planning, or an academic discipline related to the duties of the position.
Examples of how to qualify:
- 9 years of experience.
- 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
- 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
- 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
- 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
- 3 years of experience AND a Master’s degree.
- 2 years of experience AND a Ph.D.
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
- Must pass initial 40-hour hazardous materials training within six months of hire and complete annual 8-hour refreshers.
Desired Qualifications:
- Technical knowledge of underground storage tank (UST) systems.
- Education, compliance, and enforcement experience in an environmental field.
- Strong capacity for scientific data assimilation and analysis.
- Experience in regulation interpretation and reporting.
- Routine work with database and spreadsheet software for data management and interpretation.
- Experience working with UST systems, including tank installation/retrofitting, tank decommissioning, site assessments, cathodic protection testing, or tightness testing of UST systems and leak detection equipment.
If you are excited about this role but not sure if your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.
Supplemental Information
Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.
Application Process
Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach the following requested documents:
- Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
- Resume
Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.
For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.
Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.
Need an Accommodation?
If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:
- Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.
Questions?
For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Valerie Bound at Valerie.Bound@ecy.wa.gov.
If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at careers@ecy.wa.gov.
About the Toxics Cleanup Program
Accidental spills of dangerous materials and past business practices have contaminated land and water throughout the state. The Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) works to remedy these situations, which range from cleaning up contamination from leaking underground storage tanks (LUST) to large complex projects requiring engineering solutions. Our mission is to protect Washington's human health and the environment by preventing and cleaning up pollution and supporting communities and natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.
About the Department of Ecology
As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
Our Commitment to DEIR
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology's work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
- Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- Vacation, Sick, and other Leave
- 11 Paid Holidays per year
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Tuition Waiver
- Long Term Disability & Life Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Programs
- Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
- Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commute Trip Reduction Incentives
- Combined Fund Drive
- SmartHealth
Click here for more information
To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.
Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.
Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.
LI-Hybrid
Description
Keeping Washington Clean and Evergreen
The Department of Ecology is hiring a Senior Environmental Inspector - Underground Storage Tanks (Environmental Specialist 4) within the Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP).
Location: Central Region Office in Union Gap, WA.
* Upon hire, you must live within a commutable distance from the duty station.
Schedule: This position is eligible for telework and flexible schedule options.
This position is a mix of field and office time.
Field work to complete inspections is expected approximately 8 to 10 days per month. Field work includes travel within the counties of central Washington.
* Schedules are dependent upon position needs and are subject to change.
Application Timeline: Apply by April 23, 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.
Duties
As a Senior Environmental Inspector - Underground Storage Tanks (UST), you will play a critical role in protecting the state’s land, water, and air by preventing environmental contamination through regulatory oversight of underground storage tank (UST) facilities. As a regional UST technical specialist, you will ensure UST systems are operated and maintained in compliance with state regulations to prevent releases to the environment. This position offers a dynamic mix of fieldwork, technical problem-solving, and collaboration, including conducting UST inspections, educating facility owners on compliance, and issuing enforcement actions. You will serve as a trusted resource for interpreting and implementing the state’s UST laws, regulations, and standard operating guidelines, and as a key point of contact for resolving high-priority and emerging UST issues in coordination with other Ecology programs.
In this role, you will support and mentor UST staff, collaborate with statewide peers, and engage with regulated entities and other interested parties. You will also serve on the Statewide UST Task Team, helping shape technical and regulatory decisions that affect UST program implementation across the state. As a Senior UST Inspector, you will mentor, advise, and train junior inspectors, sharing your expertise in UST regulations and technical equipment.
Duties will include:
- Conduct UST inspections in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) technical compliance guidance, independently applying professional judgment to identify violations and determine appropriate corrective actions.
- Perform UST system installation, retrofit, and decommissioning inspections to ensure work meets regulatory and environmental protection standards.
- Issue enforcement actions consistent with the UST Inspector Enforcement Manual and follow up with responsible parties to return facilities to compliance.
- Investigate complaints of suspected leaking underground storage tanks, documenting findings and recommending next steps.
- Provide technical assistance and education to UST owners, operators, contractors, and internal staff on UST regulations, forms, and compliance requirements.
- Provide testimony for Pollution Control Hearing Board hearings, case reviews, and court cases involving UST regulations and enforcements.
- Advise and train junior UST inspectors in all aspects of UST duties.
- Create and revise guidance documents and develop tools to assist UST inspectors.
- Coordinate with owners, operators, contractors, and local governments on complex UST projects, and contribute to special projects such as developing or updating guidance, tools, and resources for inspectors.
- Maintain accurate and complete UST files and databases by reviewing submittals, documenting compliance data, and supporting performance measures related to UST compliance.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications: Nine years of experience and/or education as described below:
Experience performing environmental-based work, OR work related to the duties of the position, that includes one or more of the following:
- Regulatory Communication: Experience explaining and translating regulations, codes, or operational procedures to various audiences to ensure they understand required actions and can successfully comply.
- Technical Systems Interpretation: Skilled with understanding how complex equipment or mechanical systems function in order to evaluate whether they meet required standards, regulations, codes or procedures, and identify potential problems.
Experience must include demonstrated competence in the following skill sets:
- Using critical / analytical thinking and problem-solving skills to make decisions or determine a course of action.
- Reviewing / assessing information and data to draw conclusions and recommending decisions or actions.
- Reading, interpreting and applying regulations and/or code of practices.
Education involving a major study in environmental, physical, or one of the natural sciences; environmental or natural science interdisciplinary studies; environmental planning, or an academic discipline related to the duties of the position.
Examples of how to qualify:
- 9 years of experience.
- 8 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
- 7 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
- 6 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
- 5 years of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.
- 3 years of experience AND a Master’s degree.
- 2 years of experience AND a Ph.D.
Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment:
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
- Must pass initial 40-hour hazardous materials training within six months of hire and complete annual 8-hour refreshers.
Desired Qualifications:
- Technical knowledge of underground storage tank (UST) systems.
- Education, compliance, and enforcement experience in an environmental field.
- Strong capacity for scientific data assimilation and analysis.
- Experience in regulation interpretation and reporting.
- Routine work with database and spreadsheet software for data management and interpretation.
- Experience working with UST systems, including tank installation/retrofitting, tank decommissioning, site assessments, cathodic protection testing, or tightness testing of UST systems and leak detection equipment.
If you are excited about this role but not sure if your experience aligns perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply. Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At the Department of Ecology, we are dedicated to building a diverse and authentic workplace centered in belonging. You may just be the needed candidate for this or other roles.
Supplemental Information
Ecology does not use the E-Verify system; therefore, we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov.
Application Process
Ecology seeks diverse applicants: We view diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect through a broad lens including race, ethnicity, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, military background, language, education, life experience, physical disability, neurodiversity, and intersectional identities. Qualified job seekers from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
Click “Apply” at the top of this page. Complete the entire application, including full work history and responses to all supplemental questions, and attach the following requested documents:
- Cover letter, describing your interest in and qualifications for this position
- Resume
Because we base our selection on the information you provide, it is in your best interest to complete the application thoroughly. A resume will not substitute for the “work experience” section of the application or vice versa. Applications with blank fields or supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may be considered incomplete.
For detailed application information, please visit our Recruitment website.
Application Attestation: By submitting an application, you are affirming that the information contained in your application and on all attachments is complete and truthful. The state may verify this information, and any false or misleading answers may result in rejection of your application or dismissal if employed.
Need an Accommodation?
If you need reasonable accommodation during the application and/or screening process, including this job announcement in an alternate format:
- Please contact us at 360-407-6186 or careers@ecy.wa.gov
- If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call through the Washington Relay Service by dialing 711 or 1-800-833-6384.
Questions?
For specific questions about the position location options, schedule, or duties, please contact Valerie Bound at Valerie.Bound@ecy.wa.gov.
If you need assistance applying for this job, are inquiring about the status of your application, would like to request the full position description, or have any other questions, please contact the Recruitment Team at careers@ecy.wa.gov.
About the Toxics Cleanup Program
Accidental spills of dangerous materials and past business practices have contaminated land and water throughout the state. The Toxics Cleanup Program (TCP) works to remedy these situations, which range from cleaning up contamination from leaking underground storage tanks (LUST) to large complex projects requiring engineering solutions. Our mission is to protect Washington's human health and the environment by preventing and cleaning up pollution and supporting communities and natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.
About the Department of Ecology
As the State of Washington’s environmental protection agency, we are deeply committed to protecting, preserving, and enhancing Washington’s environment for current and future generations. Joining Ecology means becoming part of a team dedicated to protecting and sustaining healthy land, air, water, and climate in harmony with a strong economy. A career in public service at Ecology allows you to help solve some of the most challenging problems facing our state, while keeping your health and financial security a priority. We combine one of the most competitive benefits packages in the nation with a strong commitment to life/work balance. We invest in our employees to create and sustain a working environment that encourages creative leadership, effective resource management, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability.
Our Commitment to DEIR
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect (DEIR) are core values central to Ecology's work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities, while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations. We believe that DEIR is both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued.
Ecology employees may be eligible for the following:
- Medical/Dental/Vision for employee & dependent(s)
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
- Vacation, Sick, and other Leave
- 11 Paid Holidays per year
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Tuition Waiver
- Long Term Disability & Life Insurance
- Deferred Compensation Programs
- Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
- Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Commute Trip Reduction Incentives
- Combined Fund Drive
- SmartHealth
Click here for more information
To learn more about Ecology, please visit our website, explore Working at Ecology, check out our Strategic Plan, and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or our blog.
Equal Opportunity Employer: The Washington State Department of Ecology is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, veterans, military spouses or people with military status, and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.
Collective Bargaining: This is a position covered by a bargaining unit for which the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE) is the exclusive representative.
Note: This recruitment may be used to fill other positions of the same job classification across the agency. Once all the position(s) from the recruitment announcement are filled, the recruitment may only be used to fill additional open positions for the next sixty (60) days.
LI-Hybrid
Environmental Job Roles in Washington
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Search Environmental Jobs in WashingtonEnvironmental Jobs in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for environmental roles in Washington?
Tetra Tech, WSP, AECOM, and Ecology and Environment are among the consulting firms with established H-1B sponsorship histories in Washington. Federal agencies including the EPA Region 10 office in Seattle and the Army Corps of Engineers also hire environmental professionals with visa sponsorship. Washington's tribal nations and utilities like Puget Sound Energy round out the major sponsoring employer categories for environmental roles.
Which visa types are most common for environmental roles in Washington?
The H-1B is the most common visa for environmental scientists and engineers in Washington, covering specialty occupations that require a relevant bachelor's degree or higher. Environmental roles in hydrology, geotechnical engineering, and environmental science typically qualify. Candidates with Canadian or Mexican citizenship may use the TN visa under the USMCA for specific qualifying occupations. Those with extraordinary recognition in their field may qualify for the O-1.
Which cities in Washington have the most environmental sponsorship jobs?
Seattle and its eastern suburbs, particularly Bellevue and Redmond, account for the largest share of environmental sponsorship jobs in Washington, driven by consulting firm offices and proximity to state regulatory agencies. Olympia, as the state capital, concentrates government and regulatory environmental positions. Tacoma and Spokane also have active environmental hiring tied to remediation projects and regional utilities.
How to find environmental visa sponsorship jobs in Washington?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship availability, making it straightforward to identify environmental roles in Washington where employers are actively open to sponsoring. You can search by job category and state to surface positions in environmental science, engineering, and consulting. Given Washington's active remediation, clean energy, and water resource sectors, new sponsored roles appear regularly on the platform.
Are there state-specific factors that affect environmental visa sponsorship in Washington?
Washington's Department of Ecology and the Puget Sound Partnership generate significant demand for environmental specialists, particularly in water quality, wetlands, and climate resilience, which can strengthen the case for specialty occupation classification under H-1B petitions. Washington's prevailing wage requirements align with federal LCA standards, and the state's active university pipeline through the University of Washington and Washington State University supplies candidates familiar with local regulatory requirements.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored environmental jobs in Washington?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
See which environmental employers are hiring and sponsoring visas in Washington right now.
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