Job Description

Job Description and Duties

Positions at the Water Boards may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position.

Are you interested in protecting California’s waters? Do you like forest and watershed health?  Are you concerned about protecting California’s waters in the aftermath of wildfire.  If yes, and you enjoy a career collaborating with others on challenging inter-disciplinary and cross-agency work, then this is the position for you. Apply today and join our team.

The State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Quality has an opening for Environmental Scientist in the Forestry and Wildfire Resiliency Unit. The position is located at 1001 I Street, 15th Floor, Sacramento, right in the heart of downtown next to light rail stations and other public transportation. Specific activities include: Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to ensure wildfire prevention activities meet public safety goals while protecting water quality, reviewing and observing fuels reduction projects (vegetation treatment) to ensure water quality is protected; developing policies and procedures to protect water quality from wildfire mitigation and wildfire recovery activities; preparing reports on program status and effectiveness; preparing correspondence with permittees and external stakeholders; and working with internal and external partners to reduce pollution and improve water quality in the state. Periodic travel will be required.

Review the Duty Statement attached for more information about the position.

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.

Salary information – CalHR salary rules allow appointment at the entrance rate (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 2, § 599.673) of a classification. For classes with alternate ranges, placement is based on education/experience.

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You will find additional information about the job in the .

Special Requirements

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

• RPA# 24-250-086 in 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 credentials 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 specification.

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:

• Environmental compliance and inspection experience
• Knowledge of scientific disciplines related to water resource forest management and wildfire prevention, such as hydrology, aquatic ecology, fisheries biology, water quality, watershed management, Forest management, wildfire prevention and response or related fields
• Knowledge and experience of California and federal statutes and regulations related to water quality and forest management, such as the California Environmental Quality Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, Clean Water Act, California Endangered Species Act, and Forest Practice Rules.
• 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
• Strong written and oral communication skills  
• Experience writing, implementing and enforcing complex permits.
• Experience preparing initial studies and/or environmental impact reports to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
• Knowledge of basic productivity software and computer skills, scientific methods, and statistics. Ability to research scientific subjects and understand and summarize scientific findings.
• Experience working with geographic information and mapping tools.
• Experience meeting commitments and soliciting internal and external customer input when completing work assignments. Ability to analyze and identify program inefficiencies and develop specific solution utilizing new tools and leveraging existing resources.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, presentation skills, organizational skills, and the ability to work cooperatively with internal and external customers.
• Knowledge and understanding of the terms, concepts, and principles related to the fields of Environmental Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and/or Racial Equity and demonstrated ability to work effectively with staff, teams, and stakeholders with diverse cultural, personal, and professional backgrounds and perspectives.
• Knowledge or experience writing academic or professional research papers, technical reports, inspection reports, policy documents, plans, procedures, or similar documents.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

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.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted along with the State Application and serves as documentation of candidate’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. It should be typed, no more than two (2) pages in length, using Arial 12pt font , and normal margins.

Indicate your total years of experience when answering the following statements/questions:

1. Describe your experience developing and implementing permits, policies and/or programs to control sources of pollution and prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants into the environment.

2. Describe your experience working with others (e.g., colleagues, classmates, regulated entity, public, etc.) on an environmental problem or environmental regulation.

3. Describe your understanding of wildfire in California and how it impacts waters of the state, and describe your experience with actions to control and reduce wildfire and/or mitigate the impacts of wildfire.

Applications received without the SOQ addressed as stated may not be considered.

Note: Resumes, letters, and other materials will not be evaluated or considered as a response to the SOQ.

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.
• Statement of Qualifications - Please see below for specific SOQ requirements.
• Other - Cover Letter is required and must be included.

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Temporary work, Part time, Work experience placement, Remote job,

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