What are the responsibilities and job description for the SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST (SPECIALIST) position at Department of Fish and Wildlife?
Are you looking to begin or continue a fulfilling career with the State of California? Does the prospect of collecting and researching the largest fishes in the San Francisco Bay-Delta excite you? Then consider joining the Interagency Ecological Program (IEP) Operations Program, Bay-Delta Large Fishes Survey as a Senior Environmental Scientist Specialist! The IEP is piloting a new large fish monitoring survey, aiming to better understand the presence and role of large fishes in the upper San Francisco Estuary. Using a combination of database synthesis and field sampling, the goals of this position are to 1) determine the trends in large fish and predator fish populations, distribution, size structure and community structure, 2) monitor the abundance of large predators during key periods for native prey species, and 3) determine how large fish respond to changes in water operations such as during exports and installation of salinity barriers.
The hired individual will be expected to employ multiple fisheries sampling gear, conduct aquatic ecosystem monitoring, accurately manage and analyze large databases using advanced statistical modeling, and provide technical reports and presentations to managers associated with water operations and Delta fisheries. For more information on the tasks performed by the Senior Environmental Scientist Specialist position, please download and review the duty statement attached to this advertisement. We look forward to reviewing your application.
This position offers the possibility of an office-centered telework agreement based on the Department's current Telework Policy.
In order to be eligible for this position, you must either be transfer eligible or take and pass the following exam.
Class Title: Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist)/Exam Bulletin
This position is posted in the following counties: San Joaquin, Alameda, Sacramento. You only need to apply to one county.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
Working Conditions
Must use a computer keyboard several hours a day. Involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for brief periods. Attend meetings and hearings; work with staff statewide to complete work assignments. Occasional travel may be required including visiting field studies with rough terrain and wet slippery marine environments with extremes of heat and cold. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle and equipment and be prepared to travel using a State vehicle. Driving may be for long distances, often in heavy traffic and early in the morning.
Occasional work aboard research vessel may be required, which may be in inclement weather and require long working days. Field conditions may involve a variety of inclement weather conditions including rough seas, high temperatures, cold and fog, and occasional exposure to wildfire smoke. Field days will involve early starts, and late returns and may involve long commutes to the field location. Research vessels often work in remote locations and crews may be asked to spend 8 or more hours outdoors. Travel using a State vehicle is anticipated to complete tasks that involve field work, including transporting samples. Occasional overnight travel may be required. Wearing a Department of Fish and Wildlife uniform is required as a condition of employment while conducting field work and public work duties.
Laboratory work can involve sitting for long periods of time using a microscope or computer. Individuals in this position may need to handle preservative chemicals including formaldehyde and ethanol. Handling chemicals requires the wearing of personal protective equipment including gloves and masks/respirators. Training is provided in the proper handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals.
This position is located at the Bay-Delta Region office in Stockton, California.
Minimum Requirements
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.- SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST (SPECIALIST)
Additional Documents
- Job Application Package Checklist
- Duty Statement
Position Details
Department Information
California is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. As such, CDFW values diverse employees working together to protect nature for all Californians. CDFW is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment where all backgrounds, cultures and personal experiences can thrive and connect others to our critical mission.
Join us and begin a meaningful new career!
Department Website: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov
Special Requirements
This position requires the possession of a valid Class C Driver's License. Must maintain a clean driving record. The selected candidate may be required to provide a photocopy (front and back) of the license: Name as stated on the license, issuing state, DL #, Class, expiration.
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: 5/1/2025Who 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.
- Degree and/or School Transcripts
- Statement of Qualifications -
A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required. Please see below for SOQ instructions. Failure to include the SOQ will result in an incomplete application submission.
Desirable Qualifications
Comfortable working around the water and ability to swim.
Knowledge of: Effects of biotic and abiotic interactions on the environment; Fisheries subjects such as recruitment, population ecology, estuarine ecology, mark recapture analysis, and Life-history of California fishes; all aspects of data science and data generation, management, quality control, storage, synthesis, analysis, visualization, archiving, and sharing; familiarity with coding in R, Python, etc. on various software platforms; understanding of advanced data analysis methods such as machine learning, deep learning, time series analysis, etc.
Ability to: Synthesize diverse, multi-disciplinary, disparate datasets; and provide constructive comments. Design and conduct fish monitoring studies using a variety of gear types including: electro-fishing, towed net fishing, trawl surveys, fyke and gill netting, and collection of water samples for eDNA.
Benefits
Contact Information
The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.
Department Website: https://www.wildlife.ca.gov
Hiring Unit Contact:
Timothy Malinich
(209) 403-0748
timothy.malinich@wildlife.ca.gov
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:Civil Rights Office
(916) 902-9211
civilrights@wildlife.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.
Statement of Qualifications
After reviewing the Duty Statement attached to this advertisement, please provide responses to the following questions. Your response should be no longer than 2 pages single-spaced 12-point Arial font. You should make clear connections to the proposed work described in the Duty Statement and the experiences described below.
1) Experience in Fisheries and Fish Ecology Please highlight your professional and educational experiences conducting fisheries and fish ecology research and monitoring. Your response should summarize your research/professional objectives, fisheries techniques used, and the outcome of your work/research.
2) Analytical Experience Please describe your experiences working with large databases, building models, and utilizing advanced statistical methods to address questions related to fisheries and fish ecology.
3) Publication and Presentation Please describe your experiences writing and presenting to scientific audiences and communicating with the public. Please highlight experiences where you provided or presented materials to managers and stakeholders particularly those representing different state and federal agencies.
Filing Instructions
It is recommended that Application Packages be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at https://jobs.ca.gov. If applications are mailed, we recommend applications are sent certified mail as we are unable to verify receipt.
Applications that do not follow the Filing Instructions may not be considered.
This advertisement may be used to fill additional vacancies for this JC.
Resume – Resumes will be reviewed in addition to the STD 678 for employment history. Resumes must include the complete to and from dates (MM/DD/YYYY) and hours worked per week.
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.
