Environmental Scientist

Job Description and Duties

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

Do you have a passion for protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of our natural resources? The Central Coast Water Board is seeking an experienced, knowledgeable, and motivated Environmental Scientist to join our team in San Luis Obispo, California. In this position, you will play a critical role as our region’s scientific expert on surface water quality issues with a focus on developing total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and accompanying implementation plans to address the complex impacts of pesticides, nutrients, toxins, and other pollutants to water quality and human health. 

The Environmental Scientist will focus on developing TMDL projects using new or emerging science for pesticides and associated toxicity, nutrients, biological indicators (e.g., bacteria indicators, harmful algal bloom species and associated algal toxins, benthic invertebrate species, bioaccumulation in sport fish and prey fish, etc.), and molecular detection of biological indicators. This position will study the toxicity of pollutants to assess their impact on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. The Environmental Scientist will also be tasked with reviewing peer-reviewed scientific research and designing novel approaches to develop numeric thresholds for pesticides, nutrients, and other toxic pollutants for TMDLs, planning documents, or other regulatory mechanisms that protect water quality. Applicants with particular interest in pesticides and pesticide-related-toxicity are strongly encouraged to apply. 

The Environmental Scientist will also be responsible for supporting water quality data assessments that inform the federal Clean Water Act section 303(d) List and section 305(b) Report.

At the Central Coast Water Board, we're committed to protecting and improving the water quality in our region. Your work will be critical in helping us achieve our mission of preserving and protecting the natural resources in our region. 

If you're ready to join a dynamic and dedicated team of environmental professionals, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity! The position is located at 895 Aerovista Place, suite 101, San Luis Obispo, CA.

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.

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.

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# 26-130-023 in the “Examination or Job Title(s)” section of the State application when submitting a hardcopy application.

Must have Environmental Scientist (ES) 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:

• Professional experience performing complex data analysis and developing scientific briefs, technical reports, policy briefs, and/or guidance documents.
• Experience and demonstrated success communicating complex technical and scientific concepts and data analyses to a variety of audiences in written documents or by oral presentation.
• Experience performing pollutant source and linkage analysis, risk-analysis, and/or other advanced statistical analysis to provide support for environmental planning and regulatory documents.
• Knowledge of and experience with developing and/or implementing environmental regulations and policies.
• Experience and knowledge regarding pesticide use, integrated pest management as it relates to commercial agricultural activities, potential environmental impacts, and regulations in California and/or the United States.
• Experience using ArcGIS, R-statistical computing package, PowerBI, or comparable database software and pollutant fate and transport models to evaluate data and create data visualizations for technical reports and presentations.
• Professional experience interpreting environmental regulations (e.g., California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act / California Water Code (CWC), Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), etc.)

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 Qualification

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 shoul d be typed, no more than 3 pages in length, using (12pt arial font), and normal margins.

The SOQ must describe the number of years of experience, education, and include specific examples for each of the following in your Statement of Qualifications. Please respond to each question by number. 

1. Professional experience performing complex data analysis and developing scientific briefs, technical reports, policy briefs, and/or guidance documents.

1. Experience and demonstrated success communicating complex technical and scientific concepts and data analyses to a variety of audiences in written documents or by oral presentation.

1. Experience performing pollutant source and linkage analysis, risk-analysis, and/or other advanced statistical analysis to provide support for environmental planning and regulatory documents.
2. Knowledge of and experience with developing and/or implementing environmental regulations and policies. 
3. Experience and knowledge regarding pesticide use, integrated pest management as it relates to commercial agricultural activities, potential environmental impacts, and regulations in California and/or the United States.

1. Experience using ArcGIS, R-statistical computing package, PowerBI, or comparable database software to evaluate data and create data visualizations for technical reports and presentations. 
2. Professional experience interpreting environmental regulations (e.g., CEQA, CWA, CWC, CFR, etc.)

Applications received without all of the SOQs 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 - SOQ is required and must be included. Please see below for specific requirements
• Other - Cover Letter is required and must be included