Environmental Permitting and Compliance Scientist
Job details
- Location
- Yolo County, California
- Work type
- Hybrid
- Compensation
- $54,612 - $115,212/yr
- Posted
- 2 weeks ago
- Apply on
- calcareers.ca.gov
About this role
Job Description and Duties
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
Minimum Requirements
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.Additional Documents
Position Details
Department Information
Division of Integrated Science and Engineering
Environmental Services Branch
CEQA & NEPA Support Section
Compliance, Permitting, and Mitigation Unit
West Sacramento
Department of Water Resources (DWR) was established in 1956 by the California State Legislature. We manage California’s water resources, systems, and infrastructure, including the State Water Project, in a responsible sustainable way.
At DWR, we are embedding climate change response into every project we undertake. We have set standards to help evaluate how each project incorporates climate resilience principles and ensure consistency across the Department. Our mission is to sustainably manage the water resources of California, in cooperation with other agencies, to benefit the state’s people and protect, restore, and enhance the natural and human environments.
DWR also strives to create a trusting and welcoming workplace where employees embrace diverse viewpoints and treat each other with civility and respect. An important component of DWR’s equal employment opportunity program centers around justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Department Website: https://water.ca.gov/
Free virtual career consultation services including one-on-one DWR career consultations, application/resume review, tips for applying, and mock interviews, provided by DWR’s Recruitment and Workforce Planning section can now be scheduled via https://water.ca.gov/About/Careers.
Application Instructions
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 11/3/2026Who May Apply
Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
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 www.CalCareers.ca.gov. 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
- Other - See Supplemental Questionnaire information under Special Instructions below.
Desirable Qualifications
The ideal candidate will demonstrate initiative, sound judgment, analytical and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and follow-through, as well as the ability to work cooperatively with others in a team-oriented environment, collaborate with colleagues and external partners, and interact effectively and professionally with the public. Strong written and verbal communication skills are important, including the ability to clearly communicate information, prepare accurate reports and correspondence, and explain technical information to a variety of audiences. Candidates should have experience managing, organizing, reviewing, and analyzing environmental data or other complex technical information to support program activities and informed decision-making. This includes the ability to review lengthy documents and records, identify inconsistencies or potential issues, verify information against source materials, and complete detailed work accurately while managing multiple assignments, changing priorities, and time constraints. Knowledge or experience in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, including reviewing environmental documents and understanding applicable regulatory requirements, is beneficial. Experience or familiarity with state and federal environmental permitting processes, regulatory requirements, and compliance procedures is also valued. Additionally, candidates should possess a working knowledge of general ecological principles, including California and Delta flora and fauna, and an understanding of environmental conditions and ecological considerations relevant to the region. Candidates with other scientific backgrounds who demonstrate relevant analytical skills and the ability to learn and apply new information are also encouraged to apply.
Benefits
DWR employees are eligible for a number of 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, which are contracts negotiated between the State of California and employee organizations that define employees' wages, hours, and conditions of employment.
Some added benefits DWR offers eligible employees at this location include:
Flexible Work Hours
Free Parking
Telework Opportunities
Health, Dental & Vision Benefits
Paid Sick & Vacation
Retirement
Basic Group Term Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
11 Paid Holidays
401(k) & 457 plans
Student Loan Forgiveness
Long Term Care
Group Legal Services
We are located in West Sacramento right off Highway 50 close to shopping, grocery stores and restaurants. Our site offers electric vehicle charging and is within walking distance of a coffee shop and juice bar.
Click here to read about the outstanding benefits offered to eligible employees.
Personal Leave Program 2025: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary wage reductions in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) accruals. The specific rate and hours earned were negotiated and agreed upon by each bargaining unit. The actual monetary impact of these temporary reductions can vary based on your bargaining unit and/or federal and state tax withholdings. For additional information please visit Human Resources Manual - CalHR.
Contact Information
The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.
Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.
EEO Contact:Office of Civil Rights
(916) 653-6952
[email protected]
Special Instructions
To be considered, submit a completed State application (STD. 678), resume, cover letter, and supplemental questionnaire. Please reference SAP Position #50026870 and Job Control #535309 in the “examination(s) or job title(s) for which you are applying” section of your application.
The Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to elicit information regarding each applicant’s abilities, knowledge, and experience in relation to the advertised position. Please complete this questionnaire and identify a reference who can verify your knowledge and/or experience. If you do not have experience regarding the question, then include examples of similar experience that would demonstrate your ability or potential to perform the specific function. Please limit your answer to approximately one page for each question (double-spaced, Arial 12 pt font).
- Tell us about a time when you noticed something important that others had overlooked. What did you do?
- Tell us about a task that required you to work through a large amount of detailed or repetitive information. How did you approach it?
- Tell us about a time when something you were told, given, or initially assumed did not appear to be correct. What did you do?
The following basis of eligibility will be considered: List eligibility, transfer, LEAP, reinstatement, and SROA/Surplus.
Resumes, cover letters, and/or other attachments will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. The hiring unit will receive only the documents specified in the Required Application Package Documents section.
Click here to complete DWR’s Recruitment Survey. This survey is for research purpose only and will not affect the application status.
Examination/Assessment
For more information about the State hiring process, click here. To learn more about how to get a State job, click here.
List eligibility can be established by taking and passing the examination/assessment.
Click the examination(s)/assessment(s) information link: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Equal Opportunity Employer
The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.