Job Description

Job Description and Duties

The State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Rights has an opening for one (1) Environmental Scientist position in the Public Trust Unit of the Bay-Delta Section. The position is located at 1001 I Street, 14 th Floor, Sacramento, California 95814.

Duties:

Under the close supervision of the Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor), the incumbent will work collaboratively with other members of the Public Trust Unit to support the Bay-Delta Section’s efforts to protect public trust resources and other beneficial uses of water in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta) watershed. The incumbent will develop, evaluate, and implement flow, water quality and related requirements in the Bay-Delta and its tributaries, and develop related plans, policies, and regulations. The incumbent will administer the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as it relates to State Water Board actions on water resources development projects, including projects of statewide significance. The incumbent will represent the State Water Board and coordinate with governmental agencies, water users, and other interested parties on instream flow and related efforts to protect public trust resources and beneficial uses of water. The incumbent will coordinate with other related State Water Board and Regional Water Quality Control Board staff and programs to ensure consistent and appropriate development and implementation of flow, water quality, and related requirements. Knowledge of scientific disciplines related to water resources management such as aquatic ecology, fisheries biology, hydrology, water quality, or related fields is required.

Additional information: Candidates must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class.

If the position requires driving, you must possess a current and valid driver’s license. Please Do Not include full Social Security Number, method of eligibility, and LEAP information in your application package.

Please let us know how you heard about this position by taking this brief survey: .

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Please note, the Water Boards do not participate in E-Verify.

Positions at the Water Boards may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position and might be expected to comply with  Executive Order (EO) 22-25 after July 1, 2026.

Salary Information - CalHR salary rules allow appointment at the entrance rate (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 2, § 599.673) of classification. For classes with alternate ranges, placement is based on education/experience. Employees appointed to the Attorney or Water Resource Control Engineer classification will receive Recruitment Higher Above Minimum (HAM) rate in accordance with the approved  Civil Service Pay Scales.

In addition, note: Effective July 1, 2025, the State of California implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) which reduces an employee’s monthly salary in exchange for leave credits. Employees appointed to this classification will have their monthly salary reduced and will accrue hours of PLP 2025 on the first day of each pay period in accordance with the applicable bargaining contract. The salary range(s) included on this job posting do not reflect the reduction in pay.

Special Requirements

In order to be considered for this position, you must include the following:

• RPA# 25-300-090in the “Examination or Job Title(s)” section of the State application when submitting a hardcopy application.
• Photocopies of degree and official transcripts (if needed to establish eligibility).

Must have Environmental Scientist list, transfer, or reinstatement eligibility and be reachable on the certification list.

Here is the link to the exam:   .

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States that does meet accreditation standards must have education records evaluated by a credential’s evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due during final minimum qualification evaluation of candidate(s). A link of accepted evaluation agencies can be found here: .

Electronic submittal of applications and attachments through jobs.ca.gov is preferred. Emailed or faxed applications will not be accepted. You are required to complete employment history on the application form (STD. 678), including work experience, dates, hours worked, contact names and phone numbers of supervisors on the state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD. 678 may be disqualified.

In the hiring interview, the panel will consider education, experience, personal development, personal traits and fitness for the job. In appraising experience, more weight may be given to the breadth of pertinent experience and evidence of the candidate's ability to accept and fulfill increasing responsibilities than to the length of his/her experience. For additional information, you may refer to the class specifications.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge of scientific disciplines related to water resource management, such as hydrology, aquatic ecology, fisheries biology, water quality, or related fields.
• Knowledge and experience related to the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta) watershed’s hydrology, fisheries biology, water supply infrastructure, and other issues.
• Knowledge and experience related to environmental laws, such as the California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, Clean Water Act, and California’s water right system.
• Experience with the preparation and review of environmental documentation pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, or experience writing other technical scientific documents.
• Experience working with ArcGIS or comparable geographic information system software to organize and analyze geospatial datasets and generate related maps and graphics.
• Experience working with large datasets using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, or comparable database software.
• Ability to work well independently and as a team in cooperation with other scientists, engineers, and geologists, promote partnerships with internal/external customers, follow through on commitments, and solicit and consider internal/external customer input when completing work assignments.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities effectively and meet deadlines.

Please submit a cover letter describing how your knowledge and experience relate to the desirable qualifications listed above.

Benefits

Water Board employees may be eligible for benefits. Health benefits and leave programs are available for most permanent, full-time employees, and some permanent, part-time employees. Benefit eligibility may depend on length of service and may be subject to collective bargaining agreements negotiated between the State of California and employee organizations that define wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment. and

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Other - Cover Letter is required and must be included. It should describe how your knowledge and experience relate to the desirable qualifications listed below.
  

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Contract work, Part time, Work experience placement, Remote work,

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