District Planner

Job Description and Duties

ASSOCIATE PARK & RECREATION SPECIALIST  – ORANGE COAST DISTRICT / NATURAL RESOURCES / CRYSAL COVE STATE PARK

The reporting location for this position is Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach , CA . This position will work under the general direction of the Senior Environemtnal Scientist (Supervisory). 

California State Parks is seeking a motivated and collaborative professional to join the Orange Coast District Services Program.  This position supports planning, environmental compliance, coastal resilience initiatives, permitting, GIS analysis, and project coordination across six coastal park units. The selected candidate will work on projects involving climate adaptation, infrastructure planning, habitat protection, real property management, and public engagement. The Associate Park and Recreation Specialist (P.I.) provides planning and analytical support for district projects and programs. The position requires strong organizational, communication, and project management skills, as well as the ability to work collaboratively with park staff, regulatory agencies, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities include:

1. Supporting coastal planning, infrastructure, and resource protection projects.

2. Assisting with environmental compliance and permitting under CEQA, NEPA, the Coastal Act, and related regulations.

3. Coordinating real property activities, including easements, leases, and right-of-entry agreements.

4. Developing GIS maps, spatial analyses, and project databases.

5. Assisting with public outreach, stakeholder engagement, and project communications.

Training and Development Assignments may be considered.

Possession of a valid Class C driver’s license is require d. You must answer the questions addressing your driver’s license on your application. Ensure you provide your driver’s license number, class, expiration date, and any endorsements and/or restrictions on your application.

The selected candidate is required to submit to a background investigation process utilizing Live Scan fingerprinting prior to appointment.

This position may work up to 1500 hours in any calendar year.

This position is designated as telework eligible, office-centered. 

State housing  is not available. For further information regarding this position, please contact  Riley Pratt, at View email address on calcareers.ca.gov or Show phone number.                                                   

This recruitment may be used to fill identical vacancies which may occur within 180 days of the Final Filing Date of this job posting.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Effective July 1, 2025, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025).  PLP 2025 directs that each employee receives a temporary reduction in pay in exchange for PLP 2025 leave credits. The percentage of the temporary salary reduction and the number of PLP 2025 leave credits are determined by the position’s assigned bargaining unit.  The salary range(s) included in this job advertisement do not reflect the temporary salary reduction.  For additional information regarding PLP 2025, please click  .

May work outdoors in various types of weather or work in unpleasant conditions.

May work in hazardous situations (e.g., around chemicals, heavy equipment).

May have occasional work environment exposure to unusual elements, such as extreme temperatures, dirt, dust, fumes, unpleasant odors, and/or loud noises.

May involve some exposure to aggressive visitors.

May work at elevated heights or near fast moving machinery or traffic.

May work inside an office.

May be required to perform basic manual labor.

May be required to use a computer and make repetitive movement of hands for an extended time.

May be required to stand for long periods of time (up to 2 hours) to perform duties associated with the job.

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a valid California Drivers License (CDL). You must answer the questions addressing your CDL on your application. Ensure you provide your CDL number, class, expiration date, and any endorsements and/or restrictions.
• The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.

Candidates that believe they meet the Minimum qualifications based on a pattern of education from the classification description (specifications) must provide a copy of your degree/transcripts and/or license along with your application (STD. 678) to be considered for this position. If selected for the position transcripts will be required prior to appointment.

DO NOT include any confidential information to your application or supporting documents (i.e., Social Security Number, birthdate, marital status, medical information, examination results, method of eligibility, etc.)

SROA/SURPLUS Applicants: You must check the SROA/Surplus as your claimed method of eligibility and attach your SROA/Surplus letter as an additional document.

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:

Desired qualifications include experience in environmental planning, regulatory compliance, GIS (ArcGIS), technical writing, and project coordination. Familiarity with coastal resource management, climate adaptation, sea-level rise planning, and grant development is highly desirable.

Benefits

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

Additional Instructions

If submitting your completed Application Package by mail or hand delivery, you must include the Position # 549-925-1089-902and the Job Control # JC-521962 in the “Examination or Job Title for which you are applying” section on the STD. 678. 

Note: If you are applying for multiple positions, you must complete a STD. 678 for each position separately. Incomplete applications or applications received with multiple positions listed on one application will not be considered.

Employment History on the STD 678 must be complete and include dates, accurate hours per week, total time worked, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. Failure to submit a completed STD 678 may result in you being screened out. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to an interview.

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 optional. It may be included, but is not required.