Environmental Scientist

Job Description and Duties

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

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to work in a high-profile position to help California communities address water quality issues? Do you enjoy a fast-paced environment with opportunities to innovate and lead positive change? If so, then this is the position for you! Apply today and join our dedicated and driven team.

The State Water Resource Control Board’s Division of Financial Assistance has two openings for an Environmental Scientist in the Loans and Grant Branch, Environmental Section, located at 1001 I Street, 16 th Floor, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Duties:

Under the close supervision of a Senior Environmental Scientist, the Environmental Scientist is expected to:

Prepare, review and process environmental documents (i.e., Notice of Exemptions, Initial Studies, Negative or Mitigated Negative Declarations, Environmental Impact Reports, and associated mitigation monitoring measures) for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds (SRF) projects and other funding projects, when the State Water Board is lead or responsible agency under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Conduct site visits/inspections throughout the State to evaluate projects’ significant environmental impacts, confirm compliance with environmental conditions and attend public hearings as necessary. Coordinate, research, and analyze environmental data used in the preparation of biological reports and environmental documents. Ensure funding projects meet the CEQA, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other federal environmental cross-cutting requirements. Coordinate with federal, state, and local governmental agencies to determine the need for additional studies and/or mitigation measures to ensure compliance with CEQA and/or associated federal environmental laws/authorities and initiate consultation if necessary.

Work with environmental consultants and applicants to coordinate the preparation and review of CEQA notices, Initial Studies and Negative and Mitigated Negative Declarations, as appropriate, when the State Water Board is the CEQA lead agency; and file Notices of Exemption, Notices of Completion, and Notices of Determination with the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, State Clearinghouse. Attend project meetings and provide environmental information and guidance to State Water Board staff and project applicants. Prepare Board Items, make presentations or briefings to the State Water Board members. Review and comment on draft environmental documents prepared for SRF projects, and water supply permits to ensure compliance with the CEQA, NEPA and other federal environmental cross-cutting laws/authorities. Work cooperatively with stakeholders (general public, federal, state and local government agencies, tribes and other interested parties) and participate in stakeholder meetings. Develop environmental review clearances; perform field reviews and compliance inspections; and prepare project files and updated databases.

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: Recruitment 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 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. E mployees appointed to the Attorney or Water Resource Control Engineer classification will receive Recruitment Higher Above Minimum (HAM) rate in accordance with the approved

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 The salary range(s) included on this job posting do not reflect the reduction in pay.

Special Requirements

To be considered for this position, you must include the following:

• RPA# 26-550-001 and 26-550-002 in the “Examination or Job Title(s)” section of the state application when submitting a hardcopy application.

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

Here is the link to the exam:
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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:

1. Customer service experience.
2. Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to make effective presentations.
3. Ability to research and analyze environmental information to prepare environmental documents, e.g., CEQA and biological reports.  
4. Ability to evaluate state and federal environmental laws and regulations and coordinate with various state and federal agencies (i.e., Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Air Act, federal Endangered Species Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, etc.).
5. Ability to work independently, as well as cooperatively and productively in a team atmosphere with colleagues having different disciplinary backgrounds.  
6. Ability to organize and set priorities on assignments and meet deadlines.

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

State of Qualifications

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted along with the state application and serv es as documentation of a 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 12 pt. font, and normal margins.

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

1. Describe your experience managing multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities.  
2. Describe your interest and/or past experience with the California Environmental Quality Act.
3. Provide examples of how you have worked collaboratively with others and when you have had to compromise with colleagues or stakeholders.

1. Describe your customer service experience and a time you dealt with an irate customer.

Applications received without the SOQ addressed as stated will 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.