Hearings and Special Projects Unit Chief

Job Description and Duties

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

Are you looking for an exciting and fulfilling career in water resource policy and management? If you enjoy using your environmental science, communication, and leadership skills and would like to help state decision makers shape short- and long-term drought planning activities, then this may be the position for you! Apply today and join our team. The State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Rights has an opening for a Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor in the Drought Planning, Hearings and Special Projects Section of the Bay Delta and Hearings Branch. The position is located at 1001 I Street, 14th Floor, Sacramento, right in the heart of downtown next to light rail stations and other public transportation.

This position offers a unique and challenging opportunity to lead a multi-disciplinary team responsible for developing and implementing a wide variety of long-term drought planning and management activities, projects, and programs designed to improve the efficiency and efficacy of the State Water board’s Division of Water Rights’ drought management actions; and to assist with complex and controversial water right hearings, adjudicatory proceedings, and permitting actions before the State Water Board.

Please review the attached duty statement for more information.

Duties:The applicants can review the Duty Statement attached.

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 .

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

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

• RPA# 26-300-008 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 (Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisory) 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:

• Ability to plan, organize, direct, and track the work of professional staff and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Education or experience in the fields of water resource science and policy, stream, wetland, and riparian ecology; hydrology and hydrogeology; stream and habitat characterization, assessment, and restoration; and regulatory compliance.
• Experience managing multiple complex tasks and projects including the development of scopes of work, work plans, and project schedules.
• Experience critically reviewing data, technical reports, or testimony from an evidentiary hearing and drawing conclusions or making recommendations.
• Experience preparing or implementing environmental permit terms and conditions.
• Knowledge and/or experience developing and implementing environmental policies, laws, and regulations.
• Working knowledge of California water right laws and regulations.
• Experience organizing and participating in public outreach events, workshops, and public hearings before decision-making bodies.
• Experience presenting data, information, and findings to stakeholders, executive management, governing boards, or other decision-making bodies in private and public settings.
• Experience developing and/or promoting collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders and working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

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. 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 three (3) pages in length, using Arial, 12 point font, and normal margins.

Please describe your interest in this position and the knowledge, abilities, experiences, and attributes that make you uniquely qualified, while addressing the desirable qualifications listed above and the main job duties described in the attached duty statement. Please provide examples.

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

• For guidance on writing effective SOQs, visit: Work4CA: How to Write a Statement of Qualifications . 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.