Job Description

Job Description and Duties

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

Positions at the Water Boards may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position and might be expected to comply with after July 1, 2026.

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 in this job posting does not reflect the reduction in pay.

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to address challenging water quality issues across the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Come join a great team of committed professionals working together in innovative ways to protect and restore local waters.

The Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board has an opening for an Environmental Scientist in the TMDL and Nonpoint Source Unit. 

The position is located at 320 West 4th Street Suite 200, Los Angeles, California in the heart of downtown right across from the subway and other public transportation.

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 .

Special Requirements

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

• RPA# 25-140-054 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 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 credential’s 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:

Please remember these are desirables and are not required.

• General understanding of environmental laws and regulations.
• General understanding of hydrology, water quality modeling and fluvial processes.
• Experience with water or sediment quality parameters and analyzing environmental data.
• Experience with water or sediment quality policy and regulations.
• Environmental project management experience.
• Analytical and/or policy development experience.
• Experience with or understanding of pesticide regulation, nutrient management or food and agriculture regulation.
• Experience with grant management.
• Experience with GIS and databases.
• Experience with or understanding of TMDLs and Nonpoint Source programs.
• Knowledge or experience with the preparation, review, and implementation of environmental permit terms and conditions, mitigation and monitoring programs, and compliance plans.
• 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.
• Experience with field data collection and lab analysis.
• Strong verbal, writing/editing and analytical skills.
• Experience with public speaking and meeting facilitation.
• Willingness and ability to work independently and collaborate with others.
• Experience working with people of diverse backgrounds.
• Ability and experience with multitasking.
• Willingness and ability to accept increasing responsibility and demonstrate capacity for development.

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

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, size 11 font and normal margins.

1. Please describe your experience (total years and at least 2 examples) in environmental science, water quality, soil science, agricultural, or related field.
2. Please describe your experience (total years and at least two examples) using excel, R, GIS software and/or other data analysis tools.
3. Please describe experience (in total years) in site inspection, field data collection, or lab analysis.
4. Please describe your experience with members of the public .

Applications received without the SOQ addressed as stated will not be considered.

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.

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