ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST

Job Description and Duties

Per CCR 249.3, this job control may be used to fill subsequent vacancies.

Under the supervision of the Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisory (SES Supervisor) and directly working with the Senior Environmental Scientist Specialist (SES Specialist), the Environmental Scientist (ES) is responsible for complex scientific analysis and evaluation of regulatory operations and practices related to environmental health and food safety including, but not limited to, conducting inspections of regulated facilities as required and assuring conformance with state and federal laws and regulations governing the formulation and labeling of meat and poultry products, and research and analysis related to recycling/disposal of inedible materials and animal mortalities.

As an employee of the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), you are required to perform the “essential functions” of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. If you are interested in becoming part of a diverse and inclusive workforce where talent, experience, and expertise are valued, then CDFA is the place for you!!

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The CDFA does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

The duties of this position are conducted primarily outdoors. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksite with minimal notification if an urgent need arises, as determined by the Department.

The ES often travels by state vehicle or other methods of transportation daily to licensed establishments throughout California and mostly in San Diego County, to conduct inspections and to meet with plant owners and operators. Meat and poultry slaughter and processing establishments and other inspected facilities often have wet, slippery floors, are noisy, and present many potential hazards, such as moving equipment, heavy overhead structures, and knives. The ES often alternates between cold dry coolers, hot humid processing areas and whatever seasonal outside environmental conditions are present around inspected facilities.

Travel by State vehicle to various locations throughout the assigned area is required on a frequent basis. The incumbent must follow CDFA, Division, and Branch employee health and safety policies, including but not limited to the Respiratory Protection Program.

This position may/may not be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the CDFA and based on the current telework policy. While the CDFA supports telework where possible, in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksite with minimal notification if an urgent need arises, as determined by the Department.

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a valid California Drivers License (CDL). You must answer the questions addressing your CDL on your application. Ensure you provide your CDL number, class, expiration date, and any endorsements and/or restrictions.

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required and must be submitted with your Employment Application (STD. 678). Applications received without an appropriate SOQ based on the instructions below may be disqualified from this recruitment. Resumes, cover letters, and other documents will not be considered in lieu of the SOQ. The SOQ instructions and questions/prompts are below.

• Restate questions/prompts prior to response

• Include your name and job control number at the top of each page

• Must be single-spaced, no more than two (2) pages, and Arial size 11 font

1. What types of experience have you had collecting and analyzing data related to food safety?
2. What types of experience have you had with food safety inspections or meat and poultry inspection programs?
3. What experience have you had with foodborne illness, outbreak, and hazard response?
4. What experience have you had developing new methods or procedures and/or revising existing methods or procedures for food processing?
5. What experience do you have in traveling to numerous and multiple facilities in the field environment to perform food safety inspections?
6. Please provide examples of you working with team leaders and team members on an assigned project or assignment of food safety issues.

Benefits

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

Additional Information:

Employment History on the STD 678 (State Application) must be complete and include dates, accurate hours per week, total time worked, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. Resumes or other documents cannot substitute for a completed state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD 678 may be disqualified.

Please do not include any confidential information such as social security number, marital status, ethnicity, age, salary or disability information on any of the documentation uploaded with your online application.

If the classification you are applying for has an education requirement, transcripts will be required to verify you meet the minimum qualifications of the classification. Please be sure to redact any confidential information before uploading your transcripts.

Upon hire you may be required to provide official sealed transcripts or an original degree or certificate.

Applicants with foreign degrees may be asked to provide an official foreign transcript evaluation which indicates course work is equivalent to a degree from an accredited U.S. College or University.

This position may require a medical clearance.

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 optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications - A completed Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted with your State Application (STD. 678) to be considered. Please see the Special Requirements section for the SOQ details.