Attorney V, Water Quality

Job Description and Duties

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

The State Water Resources Control Board and the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards are the principal state agencies for the coordination and control of water quality in the State of California. As part of their water quality functions, the Water Boards administer state and federal clean water programs that include adopting water quality control plans and regulatory policies that establish water quality standards and implementation programs, issuing permits that protect the quality of all waters of the state, issuing site remediation orders, and other actions to protect waters of the state. The Office of Chief Counsel provides legal counsel to the State Water Board’s Board Members, Executive Management, and Division of Water Quality. The practice is varied and interesting. It includes participation in the most complex administrative adjudications and general representation of the board and assisting in civil litigation involving the board’s actions. Board attorneys work independently in a fast-paced, collegial environment. 

Duties: 

Under the general direction of an Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel, the Attorney V reviews, analyzes, interprets, and applies statutes, regulations, court decisions and other legal authorities, prepares legal documents, assists in the presentation of cases in court and before administrative tribunals, and assists in preparing legislation, regulations, plans, and policies. The Attorney V position provides legal advice in the most difficult and complex agency and litigation decision making on water quality issues, and requires a high level of expertise and independence, as well as the skills and experience to develop and work with innovative and novel legal theories

Applicants should review 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 .

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# 26-220-003 in the “Examination or Job Title(s)” section of the State application when submitting a hardcopy application.
• Active Membership in the California State Bar.

Must have Attorney V 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:

Excellent written and oral communication skills; experience or course work in water quality law, water rights law, environmental and natural resources law, and/or administrative and public law; environmental justice and equity experience; interest in water law, environmental law, or public service.

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

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 - Two or three writing samples are required and must be included.
• Other - Cover Letter is required and must be included.