Job Announcements

The newly created Nature-Based Strategies Section within The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is seeking to hire a remote sensing scientist to help model, monitor, and assess California’s ecosystems towards mitigating climate change and its negative impacts.

Landscape Remote Sensing Scientist (final filing date: 4/29/2024): Duties include serving as an expert in space-based remote sensing, geospatial big-data processing, and landscape ecology. The Air Pollution Specialist (APS) Landscape Remote Sensing Scientist will assist in the development of new data products to track ecosystem change through time. These data products include carbon stocks, greenhouse gas fluxes, and other environmental metrics where appropriate. The APS will lead or assist in generating validation, calibration, and initial condition data, maps and time-series for future projection modeling of California ecosystems performed by other members of the section. The remote sensing scientist will independently, and along with other partners and contractors, develop workflows and analyses to assess spatiotemporal environmental change and attribute that change to causes. The selected candidate will also assist with other technical and policy analyses including quantifying the costs, benefits, and equity implications of natural and working lands policies and climate action. Additionally, the candidate will identify research needs that advance CARB’s understanding of cutting-edge issues in natural and working lands (NWL). The candidate will engage and collaborate with relevant stakeholders including, but not limited to, public agencies, research institutions, equity stakeholders, industry, and other CARB staff, management, and executive leadership teams. The candidate will work with other public agencies and contractors on complex joint projects. The candidate must understand the complexities of ecosystems and have a desire to use that knowledge for crafting polices and land management strategies that will change the way in which California’s lands are managed. The candidate will incorporate into their work the social equity implications of NWL policies and be able to develop strategies to ensure California's most disadvantaged and low-income communities benefit from such policies.

Note: This advertisement are only open for 10 days reflecting CARB’s priority to hire this position and should not discourage applicants.

More information about the California Air Resources Board and The Nature-Based Strategies Section:

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the State agency responsible for reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the State of California. It is CARB’s responsibility to develop a strategy for California to be carbon neutral by 2045, implement policies to achieve carbon neutrality, and to track progress towards that objective. As part of this effort, Natural and Working Lands (NWL) are a critical component of California’s climate change mitigation strategy. NWL refers to all forests, shrublands, grasslands, croplands, deserts, wetlands, and developed lands within California’s boundaries.

The new Nature-Based Strategies sections brings together all of these lands, quantifying their socio-ecological impacts, to formulate statewide holistic nature-based climate action policy. Specifically, this section leads the integration of natural systems into California’s overall carbon neutrality and climate action efforts. The science, policy, and technical work performed in this section will influence high impact policies and programs on local, state, and national levels. To accomplish this, the Nature-Based Strategies Section uses data and scientific inference to inform and develop cutting-edge statewide nature-based policies, decisions, and programs. Work in this section includes:

1. Modeling ecosystems in California under current and future conditions to quantify the contribution of NWL to statewide carbon neutrality and to set carbon targets.
2. Developing and reporting California’s NWL carbon inventory to track progress towards carbon targets and monitor other environmental metrics.
3. Performing causal assessments identifying the driving factors to environmental change, particularly isolating the impact from nature-based management actions. 
4. Working with other State, Federal, and Local agencies to develop and implement policies that support nature-based strategies.

Visit the CalCareers Job Announcement: JC-428075-Landscape Remote Sensing Scientist (Air Pollution Specialist) for more information on job duties and how to apply.

This Environmental Scientist position offers an exciting and rewarding opportunity to be part of a multi-disciplinary team in the collection, analysis, and synthesis of water quality and biological data in the Suisun Marsh and surrounding areas, as mandated by California State Water Resources Control Board Water Rights Decision 1641, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Incidental Take Permit, Suisun Marsh Preservation Agreement, and other contractual obligations. The incumbent is responsible for calibrating, installing, maintaining, servicing, and troubleshooting hydrologic and water quality monitoring equipment, as well as maintaining data quality according to California Department of Water Resources Quality Assurance protocols. The incumbent will analyze, synthesize, and manage the data that will then be used to support scientific investigations, regulatory compliance, and adaptive management.

Visit the CalCareers Job Announcement: JC-426627 Environmental Scientist for more information on the job duties and how to apply. The final filing date is 4/25/2024.

The California Department of Water Resources is looking for a Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor) in DWR’s Bryte Chemical Laboratory. This position will provide direct supervision of professional chemists and scientific aids. The incumbent provides analytical environmental chemistry expertise for regulatory and special studies, performs quality assurance and quality control of analytical methods, and is knowledgeable and proficient in current industry standards. The position is located in West Sacramento and the final filing date is 4/23/2024.

Please visit the CalCareers website and the Job Announcement:JC-423256 Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) about the position and how to apply.

The California Department of Water Resources is looking for a Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) who will serve as the DWR Quality Assurance Officer. This position offers the opportunity to collaboratively implement the Department of Water Resources (DWR) Quality Management System (QMS) as the Department’s Quality Assurance (QA) Officer. The incumbent is responsible for acting as Quality Management’s technical lead and for collaboratively developing QA processes, procedures, guidelines, and documents to ensure that the QA principles are integrated into all water-related data collection activities performed by DWR and its consultants and partners for WRM-60 and AB1755 compliance. As QA Officer, the incumbent coordinates with the Quality Assurance Unit Manager to facilitate DWR QA Committee meetings, develop metrics to assess implementation of the QMS and prepare memorandum and reports to DWR management on its effectiveness. The incumbent will work with Department staff to integrate QA principals into environmental monitoring and scientific investigations to ensure reported results are of a known and documented quality, consistently produced, and legally defensible. The incumbent works with staff from other agencies and partnerships to coordinate and provide technical QA expertise to ensure DWR QA processes are consistent with best practices, and to promote interoperability of data between agencies and partnerships. The position is located in West Sacramento, and the final filing date is 4/25/2024. 

Please visit the CalCareers website for Job Announcement:JC-424827 Quality Assurance Officer for more information about the position and how to apply.

The Bay Delta Region 3 Timberland Conservation and Wildfire Resiliency Program is hiring a full-time permanent Environmental Scientist, final filing date is 4/29/2024. If you enjoy hiking in the redwood and Douglas-fir forests of Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Sonoma, and Napa counties, and are passionate about the conservation of forest species and their habitat, please consider applying. Please share this job announcement with anyone who may be interested and contact me with any questions.

The position can be based out of our Santa Rosa, Napa, and Fairfield offices, links to the job advertisement (you only need to apply to one county):

• JC-426004 - Sonoma
• JC-426015 – Napa
• JC-426021 - Solano

Job Description and Duties

Are you looking to be a part of a dynamic team of conservation-minded scientists working to protect fish and wildlife resources in the redwood and Douglas fir forests of Santa Cruz, San Mateo, Napa, and Sonoma counties? The Department of Fish and Wildlife's Timberland Conservation and Wildfire Resiliency Program is seeking a motivated professional to work as an Environmental Scientist reviewing and evaluating Timber Harvest Plans and Timber Emergencies & Exemptions by analyzing consequences of proposed activities, attending pre-harvest inspections, preparing written inspection reports and recommendations for the conservation of fish and wildlife resources, assessing the application of law, regulation and policy, conducting listed and sensitive species consultations, and preparing any related Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreements and Incidental Take Permits in the Bay Delta Region.

The incumbent works in close collaboration with other Environmental Scientists and Senior Environmental Scientists, and with other state agencies as part of an interdisciplinary review team. Under the direction of a Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisor) the incumbent represents the region and may act as the staff lead and may provide consultative advice when working with applicants, local, state, and federal agencies, stakeholders, and the general public. Public contacts made in the course of this work are sensitive and involve a wide variety of special interest groups.

In order to be eligible for this position, you must either be transfer eligible or take and pass the Environmental Scientist exam.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement (pdf).

Julie Coombes
(she/her/hers)
Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor
Timberland Conservation & Wildfire Resiliency and Water Rights Unit
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bay Delta Region 3
2825 Cordelia Road, Suite 100, Fairfield, CA 94534 (mailing address)
Julie.Coombes@wildlife.ca.gov
Cell/Office (707) 576-2825

The Delta Stewardship Council has an opportunity in the Delta Science Program for an Associate Governmental Program Analyst.
The final filing date for this position ends 04/23/2024.

Job Description and Duties:

Are you ready to join a team of scientists, engineers, planners, attorneys, and public policy specialists that will allow you to apply your skills, experience, and passion toward assisting in resolving some of California's most complex resource management challenges in the Delta?

If so, apply today and join our Delta Science Program as a Science Contract Analyst focusing on contracts that help provide the best possible unbiased scientific information to inform water and environmental decision-making in the Delta.

Our dynamic team of highly motivated individuals enjoy working to benefit present and future generations of Californians. We ensure a more reliable California water supply and a resilient Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem while protecting and enhancing the region as a special place where people live, work, and recreate. We carry out this mission by implementing a comprehensive management plan for the Delta.

We’re located in the new state of the art Natural Resources Building in downtown Sacramento. Our building features ergonomic furniture, panoramic downtown views, a free employee gym, a cafeteria and bodega, call and conference rooms, adjacent childcare, and much more. A hybrid work schedule is available.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement (pdf).

See the CalCareers Job Announcement JC-425245 Science Contract Analyst for more information.

Reclamation is seeking a career professional looking for an opportunity to capitalize on their expertise as a Small Craft Operator. You can make a difference in the West by assisting in meeting increasing water demands while protecting the environment. This position will serve as a boat operator in support of the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) and associated aquatic resource monitoring and research activities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay estuary (Bay-Delta).

Duty Location: Antioch, California
Title: Small Craft Operator
Pay Scale & Grade: WG 10
Two job links depending on employment status:
USAJOBS Announcement for Career Transition, Federal Employees, Individuals with Disabilities, and Special Authorities (MP) - BOR-CGB-24-MP-12377309-CB Control # 785597400
USAJOBS Announcement for Career Transition, The Public, and Veterans (DE) - BOR-CGB-24-DE-12377310-CB Control # 785598200
Announcement closes May 08, 2024

Duties:

• Serve as a boat operator in support of the Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) and associated aquatic resource monitoring and research activities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay estuary (Bay-Delta).
• As part of a team, identify meaningful changes in any significant water quality parameters potentially related to operation of the State Water Project (SWP) or the Central Valley Project (CVP) and reveal trends in ecological changes potentially related to SWP/CVP operations.
• Participate in monthly sampling of water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos at some two dozen stations stipulated by the California State Water Resources Control Board in its Revised Water Right Decision 1641.
• Responsible for the safe operation of the research vessel, Delta Marine, including maintaining the boat in operating condition by performing general maintenance, scheduling repairs, replenishing supplies, loading cargo, etc.
• The R/V Endeavor accommodates a crew of up to 10 for daily operations and accommodates a crew of 6 for longer overnight studies.
• Operating the 50-foot, R/V Endeavor engaged in aquatic resource monitoring and research and hydrographic survey work. The vessel has a 15.3-ft beam, displaces 25 net tons, has a 3.5-ft draft, and is powered by twin Cummins 6.7 inline six cylinder diesels each rated at 480 hp.
• Maneuver the vessel in tide rips, narrow channels, and in close proximity to rocks, shoals, and other vessels, allowing for propeller effect at low speeds, tendency to carry headway, and piloting effect of rudder movements during turns.
• Operate electronic equipment such as radars, communication radios, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and depth sounders for best reception, accurate null, proper range and clearest image.
• Interpret navigation and current charts, light lists, coast pilot and other pilot publications to determine channels, shoals, navigation aids, shipping lanes, landmarks, shore appearance, safe operating depths, and course.
• Operate, train, and supervise scientific personnel in the operation of the physical systems and oceanographic equipment aboard the vessel.
• Keep engines in operating condition by checking and making minor engine repairs and adjustments; replacing simple, readily accessible parts; checking and adding fuel, lube-oil, and battery water; cleaning strainers, filters and fuel lines.
• Direct and instruct the use of safety equipment such as first aid materials, floatation devices, fire extinguishers, water spray monitors, and emergency signals.