Salary: $47.54 - $55.32 Hourly
Location : Seattle, WA
Job Type: Classified Civil Service, Regular, Full-Time
Job Number: 2025-00318
Department: Seattle Public Utilities
Division: Solid Waste Line of Business
Opening Date: 05/08/2025
Closing Date: 5/20/2025 4:00 PM Pacific

Position Description

SPU is hiring a Large Waste Generator Specialist (P&D Spec II). This position will focus on the largest generators of food waste in the commercial and multifamily sectors, including customers with garbage compactors and carry out compliance assessments and enforcement of the City's ban on food waste disposal (SMC 21.36.082-083).
This role is ideal for someone who thrives when collaborating across teams, persists through challenges and complexity, excels at working with multiple stakeholders and succeeds in multisector solutions.

Interested? Apply below!
About Seattle Public Utilities: Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) is a Community Centered Utility working to make Seattle the best place to live for everyone. We deliver high quality, vital services, across four major lines of business: providing water, solid waste, drainage and wastewater services for Seattle residents and businesses. In addition, SPU provides drinking water for 1.5 million regional customers in Seattle and other municipalities. Our customers depend on us to deliver high quality, reliable, and cost-conscious utility services and to achieve the highest benefits possible for every investment we make.

SPU commits to and as core principles that guide our work. We support and hold ourselves accountable to this commitment by eliminating barriers to access and providing employees with equitable opportunities for professional growth and advancement.
Job Responsibilities
The top 3 priorities for this position include:

1. Targeted Large Commercial & Multifamily Sector Engagement

• Develop engagement plans to reach the distinct largest commercial and multifamily garbage customers within different industries.
• Update targeted customer large generator lists by compiling data from SPU, solid waste contracted haulers, and other sources that reflect businesses and multifamily properties with the highest likelihood of having large amounts of food waste in their garbage.
• Establish working relationships and trust with large garbage generators while promoting success stories, developing case studies, and documenting protocols to engage a growing number of large generators.
• Leverage industry-specific interests, experience and knowledge to impact operational and behavioral change to get food out of the garbage.
• Support Solid Waste staff to deploy a coordinated and holistic approach to food waste prevention and diversion focused on operational and behavior change and compliance enforcement.
• Collaborate closely with program managers who lead commercial and multifamily residential sector technical assistance and outreach that encourages food waste prevention and diversion. Work closely with Code & Contract Compliance Team Manager and staff when developing enforcement protocols.
• Develop systems to allow for scaling this sector-specific engagement and partnerships in subsequent years.

2) Conduct Communication, On-site Visits, and Follow Up Recommendations & Actions with Large Generators

• Develop evaluation methods, conduct evaluation, and synthesize results which could include changes in garbage and/or food waste collection services, cost for SPU to execute these assessments and technical assistance, documented behavior changes, and resulting changes in costs for commercial or multifamily customers.
• Execute onsite waste assessments; and on and off-site audits as appropriate including the post waste assessment and audit report.
• Prepare and present follow-up recommendations to business and multifamily building managers/owners.
• Assist business and multifamily building managers/owners to execute recommendations.
• Share results within SPU, other departments focused on adjacent areas of compliance, and with internal and external leaders who may use findings to inform the development of policies and programs.
• Adapt and improve these strategies over time.

3) Develop and Carry Out Compliance Assistance and Enforcement Activities

• Identify and formalize workflows and communication materials for program implementation, including compliance assistance and enforcement activities.
• Collaborate and coordinate with City-contracted haulers and consultants, colleagues across divisions, departments, and agencies to gain insights that will foster effective enforcement.
• Develop and execute a plan for compliance and enforcement if customers are unresponsive in changing practices to keep food waste out of the garbage, including taking the necessary follow up actions to enforce compliance and issue notices of infractions as appropriate in accordance with Seattle Municipal Code and City protocols.

Please note this job advertisement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
Qualifications
Experience: Requires two years of experience in research, planning, and program implementation related to waste prevention, waste diversion, environmental issues, conservation, sustainability, land use, urban economics, or other directly related work.

Education: Bachelor's degree in environmental studies and sustainability, planning, urban design, public administration or related field.

Experience/Education Equivalency: A combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class may be substituted for the required education or experience.

You will be most successful in this role if you possess one or more of the following:

• Experience in providing customer outreach and education and conducting technical assistance in the field. This could include conducting a wide range of customer communications, site visits, and follow-up actions to change behaviors and practices, especially with large businesses, large residential or mixed-use properties, and assisted living facilities
• Knowledge of solid waste systems, prevention, and diversion.
• Experience in providing oversight and critical guidance to consultants.
• Experience working with large customers.
• Motivation to learn new areas of practice and skills on the job.
• Ability to think strategically, set up new processes in an efficient way, work independently, and coordinate closely with a larger team.

Additional Information
The full salary range for this position is $47.54 - $55.32 hourly.

Benefits Statement:

• The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at:

Who may apply:

• The City of Seattle encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experience. This position is open to all qualified candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

For questions, please contact Danielle Sheridan via

Learn more about at our web page
The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents.

More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at:
01

Do you have 2 (two) years of experience in in research, planning, and program implementation related to waste prevention, waste diversion, environmental issues, conservation, sustainability, land use, or urban economics?

• Yes
• No

02

If you answered yes, please briefly describe how this experience relates to this position (no more than 300 words). If you selected No, write N/A.
03

Please select the highest level of education you have completed.

• High School Diploma/GED
• Some College
• Associate's Degree
• Bachelor's Degree
• Master's Degree
• JD/Doctorate Degree
• None of the Above

04

Please describe your experience working with large businesses, large residential/mixed-use properties, or assisted living facilities to make changes in their operations or practices. Include challenges, solutions, and what you learned from this experience (limit your response to 500 words).
05

In addition to fully completing the online application, please attach your resume and cover letter. If you do not submit both of these, you will no longer be considered. Did you provide a complete application, resume and cover letter?

• Yes
• No

Required Question