SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST (SPECIALIST)

Job Description and Duties

The California Coastal Commission is seeking an experienced Environmental Scientist or Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) to join its Ecology Team (Technical Services Unit) at its Headquarters Office in downtown San Francisco. This position will primarily focus on the relationship between wildfire and coastal ecology as relates to vegetation management for fuel reduction, ecological restoration, and resilience work across a range of ecosystems, including forests, shrublands, grasslands and wetlands throughout the coastal zone, which extends inland from the shoreline at variable distances up to more than five miles in some areas.

The Commission is a small State agency that is charged with protecting coastal resources and managing coastal development in California. The Commission’s mission is to implement the Coastal Act and to protect, restore, and enhance coastal and marine resources for the continuing benefit of current and future generations. It carries out this mandate through regulatory and planning actions related to development within offshore waters and on land along the California coast. The Commission also has authority under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act to review federal and federally-permitted activities such as dredging, military training exercises, wildland management, and highway projects that affect resources of the coastal zone.

The Ecology Team generally supports the Commission and its staff with technical review and analysis of potential effects on the coast’s sensitive natural resources associated with proposed development projects. Under the direction of the Ecology Team Manager, the successful incumbent will be integrated into the existing team of five ecologists and work with Commission staff to address ecological issues raised in the Commission’s policy, planning, and regulatory work as relates to wildfire resilience and risk reduction efforts. This work will focus on understanding and addressing the ecological effects of vegetation management for fuel reduction and wildfire resilience, including through ecological restoration, throughout the coastal zone. It will necessitate cooperation with other scientific and technical teams such as Mapping and Water Quality, coordination with the Commission’s Statewide Planning Unit, and provision of scientific support to staff and the Commission. Duties will be adjusted commensurately to the level at which the position is filled. Generally, the incumbent will be expected to: review and analyze a variety of technical reports including CEQA/NEPA documents, technical surveys and memoranda, restoration and mitigation plans, and scientific literature; conduct research and investigations often involving complex environmental conditions and circumstances; identify problems including potential adverse impacts to coastal resources and means to avoid and minimize these; factor in climate change dynamics relative to environmental considerations; coordinate with other federal, state, and local agencies; and, make recommendations for conformance with the natural resource policies of the Coastal Act and relevant certified plans.

Key functions of the job include: analyzing proposed fire resilience and risk reduction work for consistency with applicable Coastal Act policies; tracking topical scientific literature including white papers and peer-reviewed publications; guiding related policy based on scientific understanding of the issues and existing frameworks; developing recommendations on how to avoid and minimize adverse impacts to native habitat (including for communities and species) associated with fuel reduction and vegetation management efforts across the landscape while advancing ecological resilience; contributing to the development of recommendations for Commission regulatory action, including staff reports, permit conditions, and planning documents; communicating with project proponents; updating and maintaining a spatial database of authorized fire resilience and risk reduction work and conducting geospatial analyses; reviewing monitoring and mitigation plans and reports; participating in site visits and inspections to evaluate on-the-ground ecological conditions; writing technical memoranda to support and accompany staff reports and recommendations; and providing technical presentations at public meetings. The incumbent may also represent the Commission staff on multi-agency work groups, task forces, and similar entities; and coordinate with staff of local, state, and federal agencies; the legislature; stakeholder groups; and the broader public.

The position offers considerable opportunity for developing and contributing expertise on a range of ecosystems as well as relevant and emerging issues related to coastal ecology and wildfire resilience in California’s coastal landscape.

This position is Limited-Term (the appointment may be extended and/or may become permanent). Though the position is being listed under both classifications; only one position will be filled, as consistent with the qualifications of the selected individual.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 9/24/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

CA Coastal Commission

N/A

Attn: Human Resources

455 Market St. Suite 300

San Francisco , CA 94105

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

CA Coastal Commission

N/A

Human Resources

455 Market St. Suite 300

San Francisco , CA 94105

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

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 - Three professional references. 
• Other - Copy of Transcripts/Diploma(s)/Certification(s).
• Other - Cover letter.
• Other - Brief technical writing sample (5 pages or less).

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Benefits

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

Contact Information

The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website:

Hiring Unit Contact:
Lauren Garske-Garcia
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Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Ashley Reineman
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California Relay Service: View phone number on us.fitly.work (TTY), View phone number on us.fitly.work (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.