What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Wastewater Utility Planner position at King County?
King County Wastewater Treatment is seeking a Senior Wastewater Utility Planner to be part of its Asset Renewal and Replacement Planning Program. This program is responsible for developing and maintaining short and long-term plans for capital investments to renew and replace aging King County’s aging wastewater infrastructure prior to failure. This is an excellent opportunity to help King County become a national leader by renewing and replacing wastewater infrastructure in a timely and cost-effective manner.
About the Role:
As a senior planning on the Asset Renewal and Replacement Planning Program, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our regional wastewater system. This position is part of a team of talented planning professionals who are tackling some of the most challenging infrastructure management issues faced by utilities throughout the country and world. In this role you will:
- Drive major planning efforts, such as the Strategic Asset Management Plan and the Long-term Asset Renewal and Replacement Plan, to provide a roadmap to guide capital investments for decades to come.
- Report on the status and progress of the planning program and asset renewal and replacement implementation.
- Lead technical analyses of asset management data and information to inform planning.
- Develop conceptual capital projects that progress into project delivery and drive large capital investments in wastewater infrastructure.
- Lead strategic planning processes and recommend policy, guiding decision-making at the intersection of infrastructure, environmental stewardship, and equity.
- Build strong partnerships with other Wastewater Treatment programs, component agencies and consultants.
This position follows a hybrid work model, blending remote and in-person work.
About the Team:
King County Wastewater Treatment’s mission is to protect public health and the environment by collecting and cleaning wastewater while recovering valuable resources for a thriving Puget Sound. Our regional wastewater treatment system serves about 2 million residents and an area of about 424 square miles in the greater Seattle metropolitan area. The system operates around the clock to sustain a healthy environment and support economic development that enables our region to flourish. Wastewater Treatment’s Planning and Project Delivery Section has over 250 employees, is on track to deliver nearly $500M in capital projects this year and is anticipated to deliver over $1B per year by the end of the decade. The Combined System and Utility Planning group within this section serves a critical role at the leading edge of the capital delivery pipeline by identifying future projects to be constructed.
Our Combined System and Utility Planning group develops short and long-range plans for upgrading the combined system, adapting to climate change, renewing and replacing aging assets, and updating the agency’s comprehensive sewer system plan. The Combined System and Utility Planning Group is committed to Wastewater Treatment’s core values of environmental stewardship, quality of service, and financial accountability. Team members are empowered to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, learn and grow from each other, and create innovative solutions. Our commitment to equity and social justice, consistent with King County’s values, makes our teams stronger and allows us to serve King County residents more effectively, especially related to environmental determinants of equity.
Working in the Combined System and Utility Planning Group offers:
- Highly collaborative and supportive colleagues
- Opportunities for professional growth and continuous learning
- Flexible schedules and work arrangements
- A mix of independent and team-based work
- Cross-divisional collaboration with staff across operations and other work units
Our staff are critical strategic partners in shaping the processes and deliverables that guide major investment decisions, contributing directly to the long-term resilience and sustainability of King County’s wastewater system.
Commitment to Equity, Racial 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 Wastewater Utility Planner, 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 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.What You Will Be Doing:
- Lead various technical analyses: Lead the preparation of studies, technical analyses, cost estimates, risk analyses, and policy evaluations related to asset renewal and replacement necessary to inform planning efforts and support decision-making.
- Lead or assist the development of planning and decision-making processes: Lead or assist with the development and implementation of various types of planning and decision-making roadmaps to ensure successful plan adoption and decision making by Wastewater leadership.
- Foster collaboration: Work closely and coordinate across divisions, sections, and agencies to integrate system needs, opportunities, and priorities with capacity and regulatory planning. Build strong relationships with county staff, leadership, local sewer agencies, regulators, and other interested parties.
- Prepare planning documentation: Lead or guide the creation of planning documents, technical reports, memos, presentations, and other materials that outline methods and strategies for long-term investment in treatment plants.
- Communicate program information: Communicate about the planning program with multiple technical and non-technical audiences in a variety of formal and informal settings.
- Incorporate principles of sustainability and equity, as described in the County’s Strategic Climate Action Plan and Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan, into the Asset Renewal and Replacement Planning Program.
- Professional work experience and/or education in planning, engineering, science, business administration, public administration, or a related field, with increasing responsibility for managing large and complex programs or projects.
- Experience conducting or developing public-sector long-term planning.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for conveying technical information to a wide variety of expert and non-expert audiences.
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge of project management, contract management, team management, and planning techniques, principles, and practices to develop plans and solutions for complex projects.
- Experience working independently with minimal guidance where there may be ambiguity and established procedures and policies may not exist and must be developed to craft solutions and pathways leading to recommendations.
- Experience analyzing and interpreting complex data to support decision-making processes.
- Manages Complexity - Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
- Plans and Aligns - Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals.
- Collaborates - Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
- Communicates Effectively - Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
- Manages Ambiguity - Operating effectively, even when things are not certain or the way forward is not clear.
- Familiarity with King County’s wastewater system.
- Knowledge of asset management best practices.
- Knowledge of wastewater conveyance and treatment methods and techniques.
- Work Details: The Comprehensive Planning team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on the business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is the collaboration space at King Street Center - 201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104 and other wastewater treatment facilities.
- Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite 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 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:
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply. 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.
Anticipated Timeline for this recruitment: (subject to change)
Technical interview - Virtual interviews will be held the end of January 2026
Panel interview: Virtual interviews will be held the week in February 2026
- Complete Application
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- Responses to the supplemental questions
Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.
Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Mark Workinger at mworkinger@kingcounty.gov
Discover More About DNRP: Visit our DNRP 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.
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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.
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Salary : $105,168 - $133,307