To be considered for this position, you must apply at CalCareers.ca.gov. To apply, you must first create a CalCareers account. Once your account is created, you can search for job code 500282 to locate the job posting and apply.
Note: This position will no longer be available on CalCareers once the job closes on 12/19/2025. No applications will be accepted after the job closing date.
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 Executive Order (EO) 22-25 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. Employees appointed to the Attorney or Water Resource Control Engineer classification will receive Recruitment Higher Above Minimum (HAM) rate in accordance with the approved Civil Service Pay Scales.
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 bargaining contract. The salary range(s) included on this job posting do not reflect the reduction in pay.
Please note, the Water Boards do not participate in E-Verify.
Are you ready to build a meaningful career working with a team of water professionals who are passionate about protecting water quality and the environment from cannabis operations? Look no further! This may be the position for you! Apply today and join our elite team!
The Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board has an opening for an Environmental Scientist. The position is located at 15095 Amargosa Rd., Bldg. 2 Suite 210, Victorville, CA 92394.
The Lahontan Region encompasses many scenic vistas from the highest (Mount Whitney) and lowest (Death Valley) points in the contiguous US and diverse topography throughout. There are two Outstanding National Resource Waters, Lake Tahoe and Mono Lake, located within the Lahontan Region. Our employees are encouraged to enjoy all that the region has to offer in outdoor recreation, such as hiking, skiing, swimming, boating, fishing, rock hounding (gem, mineral, and fossil collecting), and camping to name a few!
Duties: The Environmental Scientist will work as part of an interdisciplinary team and will perform the following duties regulating the discharge of waste from illegal and permitted cannabis cultivation sites and associated facilities or operations with similar environmental effects:
- Conduct correlations between cannabis discharges and impacts to water quality and/or the environment.
- Travel to remote locations throughout the Lahontan and Colorado River Regions (generally eastern California from the Oregon border to the Mexico border, travel can be approximately 30% of time base).
- Carry water quality samples and sampling equipment that may exceed 30 pounds for distances that may exceed two miles.
- Traverse remote mountainous and desert areas under all weather conditions that may exceed 8 hours per day and inspecting facilities where hazardous materials may be present.
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.
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.
Please let us know how you heard about this position by taking this brief survey: Recruitment Survey.
Job type: Full-Time
$4,418.00 – $9,321.00 per Month
The Water Resources Control Board is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSFL) Qualified Employer.