Environmental Scientist

Description: Join the Central Coast Water Board and help protect the Central Coast’s ocean, bays, wetlands, and creeks. The position involves applying environmental and watershed science in the Central Coast Water Board’s Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification Program. This position will focus on ensuring that development, infrastructure, transportation, and other projects are designed to accommodate and protect the Central Coast’s valuable waterbodies and watersheds. The position will also involve addressing climate change adaptation.

Responsibilities: This class is the entry, intermediate working, and journey level of the series. Range A is the entry and first working level of the class. Under close supervision, incumbents perform a variety of the less difficult and responsible professional scientific office and field work. In accordance with detailed instructions and specific standards, incumbents gather data on public health, environmental, agricultural productivity, and natural resource management issues; perform preliminary environmental analysis, research, surveys, investigations, and studies of less difficulty; prepare preliminary drafts of reports; prepare drafts of routine correspondence; answer questions of a routine and minor nature from the public; prepare regulatory and compliance documents; and do other related work. Work at this level is characterized by a reliance on detailed instructions and assistance from lead persons and supervisors in the application of proven techniques and methodologies to assigned work.

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:

(1) knowledge or professional work experience in the areas of watershed and habitat assessment, hydrology, and fluvial geomorphology; 

(2) working knowledge of stream and wetland habitat restoration in California, especially pertaining to construction in waters, transportation, and flood control; 

(3) working knowledge of California water policies and regulations; 

(4) experience with the review of environmental documentation pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act and related environmental laws and regulations, including but not limited to the National Environmental Policy Act, federal Clean Water Act, Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, California Fish and Game Code, and state and federal endangered species acts; 

(5) knowledge and experience with the preparation, review, and implementation of environmental permit terms and conditions, mitigation and monitoring programs, and compliance plans; 

(6) demonstrated project management experience involving meeting facilitation, stakeholder outreach and coordination, and environmental negotiation; 

(7) experience using Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access or comparable database software; 

(8) the ability to work independently or in cooperation with other scientists and engineers, promote partnerships with internal/external customers, follow through on commitments, and solicit and consider internal/external customer input when completing work assignments; 

(9) excellent written and oral communication skills.

Learn more and apply here.