Environmental Scientist

Job Description and Duties

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

This position is entitled to a $250.00 pay differential per month based on Bargaining Unit and/or work location.

Are you passionate about protecting creeks, wetlands, and San Francisco Bay, and working collaboratively on issues like climate change adaptation and creek and tidal marsh restoration? The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has an opening for an Environmental Scientist in the Watershed Management Division’s North Bay and Enforcement Wetland Protection Section.

The office is located at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400, Oakland, CA 94612, near BART and other public transportation, restaurants, and more.

Duties:

The incumbent will review applications and reports for Water Quality Certification under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act, and Reports of Waste Discharge under the Porter-Cologne Act related to dredge and fill of streams, and wetlands for projects in the North Bay and Enforcement Wetland Protection section of the Watershed Management Division. Using scientific and regulatory skills, the incumbent will review applications for impacts avoidance and minimization to beneficial uses of streams and wetlands; review and interpret stormwater management plans, hydrologic data, hydraulic modeling data, rainfall data, climate data, existing land uses and ambient water quality and biological resources data, to determine if the applications are complete; review the adequacy of compensatory mitigation; conduct site inspections; write Certifications; and draft Orders for Board consideration.

For specific duties, please see the attached Duty Statement.

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

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.

In accordance with the Statewide Telework Policy and GC 14200, the successful candidate must reside in California upon appointment.  Proof of residency may be required.

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. 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# 25-120-082 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:

• Project management knowledge and experience, including strong organizational skills and adaptability.
• Oral and written communication knowledge and experience.
• Collaboration knowledge and/or experience working in teams; leading teams; managing group discussions; and integrating multiple different ideas and views to make a recommendation or to facilitate a decision.
• Knowledge of and/or experience in aquatic systems and processes.
• Knowledge of and/or experience in scientific practices/techniques that optimize ecosystems benefits, such as biotechnical bank stabilization, living seawalls, multi-benefit flood control projects with wetland and floodplain expansion.
• Knowledge of and/or experience conducting wetland delineations;
• Knowledge of and/or experience with dredge and fill projects;
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills and experience evaluating complex environmental documents.
• Working knowledge of the California Water Code, federal Clean Water Act, relevant policies, regulations, and guidance, and an understanding of water quality issues in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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

Statement of Qualifications

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 size 12 point font , and normal margins.

Describe your experience related to the job duties, listed on the attached duty statement, while also addressing the desirable qualifications above. Include total years of experience for each desirable qualification.

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

For guidance on writing effective SOQs, visit: . Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be useful in the development of written responses; however, it is important to use these tools responsibly and ethically. Failure to comply may result in disqualification.

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 requirements.
• Other - Cover Letter is required and must be included.