Job Description

Job Description and Duties

Positions at the Water Boards may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position.

This is a 12-month limited-term (LT) position and may be extended up to 24 months, with the possibility of becoming permanent. If becoming permanent, the selected candidate must have eligibility for a permanent appointment at the time of the LT appointment or at the time of the conversion.

This position is entitled to a $250.00 pay differential per month based on Bargaining Unit and/or work location.

Are you passionate about protecting creeks, wetlands, and San Francisco Bay, and working collaboratively on issues like flood management, climate change adaptation, and creek restoration? The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board has an opening for a Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) to serve as the lead for Santa Clara Valley Flood Control and Water Conservation District (Valley Water) project permitting in the Board’s Watershed Management Division.

The office is located at 1515 Clay Street, Suite 1400, Oakland, CA 94612, near BART and other public transportation, restaurants, and more.

Duties

The incumbent will serve as the Board’s lead staff responsible for: 1) Reviewing applications and writing authorizations for Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification program and Reports of Waste Discharge under the Porter-Cologne Act related to dredge or fill of streams, wetlands, and other waters, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, and waivers of any permit, certification, or action, for Valley Water projects; 2) Reviewing and commenting on Valley Water documents and projects, including project plans, monitoring reports, watershed management plans, and related work; (3) Preparation of meeting agenda material relating to Water Board meetings on Valley Water projects; and (4) Participating in meetings, public hearings, and field work relating to the Water Board’s work on Valley Water projects.

Using scientific and regulatory skills, the incumbent will review applications for impact avoidance and minimization to beneficial uses of streams and wetlands; review and interpret stormwater management plans, hydrologic data, hydraulic modeling data, rainfall data, climate data, existing land uses and ambient water quality and biological resources data, to determine if the applications are complete; review the adequacy of compensatory mitigation; conduct site inspections; write Certifications; and draft Orders for Board consideration.

For specific duties, please see 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.

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: Recruitment Survey .

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Special Requirements

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

• RPA# 25-120-003 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 (Specialist) 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:

• Project management knowledge and/or experience, including strong organizational skills and adaptability.
• Oral and written communication knowledge and/or experience. 
• Collaboration knowledge and/or experience working in teams; leading teams; managing group discussions; and integrating multiple different ideas and views to make a recommendation or to facilitate a decision. 
• Knowledge of and/or experience in aquatic systems and processes.
• Knowledge of and/or experience in scientific practices and techniques that optimize ecosystems benefits, such as biotechnical bank stabilization, living seawalls, and multi-benefit flood control projects with wetland and floodplain expansion.
• Experience conducting wetland delineations.
• Experience with dredge and fill projects.
• Knowledge and/or experience in water quality and related environmental concerns associated with dredge and fill projects, stormwater discharges, illicit discharges, and TMDLs.
• Experience analyzing, managing, and presenting data and producing technical reports.
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills and experience evaluating complex environmental documents.
• Working knowledge of the California Water Code, federal Clean Water Act, relevant policies, regulations, and guidance, and an understanding of water quality issues in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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

Cover Letter

Cover Letter is required, must be included, and  must address the desirable qualifications below, including total years of experience for each desirable qualification. It should be typed, no more than three (3) pages in length, using Arial size 12 pt. font and normal margins

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 - Cover Letter is required, must be included.

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