Senior Environmental Scientist; Specialist

Job Posting:

Marine Region Habitat Conservation Program CESA Specialist

Department of Fish and Wildlife

JC-536945 -

JC-536945 - Marine Region Habitat Conservation Program CESA Specialist SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST (SPECIALIST)

$8,055.00 - $11,269.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 11/11/2026

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your Cal Career Account) By Mail Drop-off

The Marine Region Habitat Conservation Program is hiring a California Endangered Species Act (CESA) Specialist! The incumbent will work independently and as part of a team to provide high level scientific, technical, and policy expertise to support the conservation, management, and monitoring of marine and estuarine species listed under the California Endangered Species Act. In this role, the incumbent will lead complex scientific analyses to support emergency listings and provisional candidate determinations under CESA, as well as CESA listing petitions, status reviews, five-year species reviews, and recovery planning efforts.

The incumbent will also support marine and estuarine habitat conservation by collecting, analyzing, and synthesizing biological, ecological, and spatial data; developing regulations, permits, environmental review documents, and policy recommendations; and utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) and other analytical tools to advance the Marine Region Habitat Conservation Program objectives. The incumbent will apply scientific expertise to evaluate how proposed projects may affect marine resources, such as activities related to renewable energy development, oil and gas leasing, port development, dredging, and aquaculture.

The incumbent must demonstrate strong planning, organizational, and project management skills; experience reviewing and developing avoidance, minimization, and mitigation measures; experience leading and coordinating complex projects and working effectively on teams; the ability to build and sustain collaborative partnerships across internal and external groups; advanced analytical, critical-thinking, and problem-solving abilities; exceptional written and verbal communication skills; and experience conducting scientific research in the marine environment.

"The following office locations will be considered for this position:
Eureka, Santa Rosa, San Carlos, and Monterey."

Link to Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) Exam:
Cal Careers

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

The position requires the use of a computer for nearly 8 hours a day, including reviewing and preparing written documents and visual representations of data, and participating in audio and video calls. The position is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule depending on operational needs. Occasional (up to 5%) overnight multi-day travel or day trips throughout the State, and potentially other states, is required and may include travel to in-person meetings, compliance inspections, or fieldwork to sites inaccessible by public transportation or ride share.

Work assignments may occasionally be subject to short notice deployment, overnight travel, or require early morning or evening work. Fieldwork may require work in adverse weather conditions, on boats, traversing over rugged and slippery terrain, deploying research gear, and handling organisms.

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST (SPECIALIST)

Marine Region Habitat Conservation Program CESA Specialist

Classification:

SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST (SPECIALIST) $8,055.00 - $11,269.00 New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions:

1

Work Location:

United States

Telework:

Hybrid

Job Type:

Permanent, Full Time

Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) employees are committed to managing and protecting California’s diverse wildlife and the habitats upon which they depend.

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…