Environmental Scientist

Job Description and Duties

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

Are you interested in joining our team and protecting important watersheds, beneficial uses of water and critical wetland, stream and river habitats in Northern California? Do you have an interest in applying your education and experience as an Environmental Scientist in identifying waters of the state, analyzing projects and maintaining regulatory requirements through permitting and enforcement to protect water quality? If so, then this job may be for you. The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board is looking for the right person to help promote our vision statement: Healthy Watersheds, Effective Regulation, Strong Partnerships.

The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board’s Southern Nonpoint Source and 401 Certification Unit in the Nonpoint Source & Surface Water Protection Division has an opening for an Environmental Scientist. The position is based in Sonoma County at 5550 Skylane Blvd. Ste A, Santa Rosa, CA 95403 with available free parking and within 1.5 miles of the local Sonoma Marin Area Rapid Transit (SMART) train station. A flexible schedule and partial teleworking are negotiable for this position.

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

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

• RPA# 26-110-004 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 Environmental Scientist lis t, transfer, or reinstatement eligibility and be reachable on the certification list.

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States that does meet accreditation standards must have education records evaluated by a credential 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 verbal communication skills.
• Ability to organize, set priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively with other staff, management, stakeholders and the public.
• Completed coursework or have experience in any of the following subject matters: Water quality, biology, environmental science or studies, natural resource management, stream and/or wetland restoration, wetland assessment and delineation, botany of California wetland and riparian areas, environmental regulations, or environmental chemistry. 
• Experience working with state, federal and local agencies, tribes, research organizations, community members and regulated entities. 
• Familiarity with Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, Clean Water Act, water quality certifications and/or waste discharge requirements.
• Experience conducting site inspections, wetland delineations, or participating in field investigations.
• Knowledge of or experience with complaint investigation and enforcement actions.
• Familiarity with wetland plants and characteristics, riparian and stream function, identification and characteristics and geomorphic processes.
• Familiarity/experience with aquatic habitat restoration and mitigation.
• Knowledge or experience reviewing streams crossings, road drainage, and erosion and sediment controls on construction sites.
• Familiarity with stormwater management erosion control Best Management Practices (BMPs) and low impact development techniques and concepts.
• Experience with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process.
• Familiarity with common applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Office, and Teams.

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

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

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 two (2) pages in length, using Arial font, size 12 , and normal margins.

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

1. Describe your familiarity and experience with state and federal water quality regulations, including Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, 401 water quality certifications or waste discharge requirements, and water quality issues in California.
2. Describe your knowledge of ecological functions associated with riparian areas, streams/rivers, and wetlands.
3. Discuss your experience identifying streams and delineating wetlands or other natural resources.
4. Discuss your experience conducting site inspections/field investigations.
5. Discuss your experience working with state, federal agencies, tribes and community members.
6. Describe your knowledge/experience with stormwater management, erosion control methods, and best management practices (BMPs) associated with roads, hillslopes, and construction sites.

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.
• Other - Provide contact information for three professional references.