Job Description

Job Description and Duties

The California Coastal Commission staff is charged with implementing the California Coastal Act of 1976 through regulating development in the coastal zone of California. The mission of the Commission is to implement the Coastal Act and to provide for the balanced use of the coastal zone and to protect, restore, and enhance coastal and marine resources for the continuing benefit of current and future generations. The Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) is the first supervisory level of the series. Incumbents supervise and direct the work of professional staff, are responsible for staff development, performance evaluation, and work force planning, and do other related work, including District and Program work covered by the Ecology Group. Incumbents performing in this capacity have the authority and responsibility in the interest of management to recruit and hire employees. Incumbents have the responsibility to direct employees, adjust employee grievances, or effectively recommend such actions.

Under the general supervision of the Ecology Group Environmental Program Manager, the Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) manages several Senior Environmental Scientists (Specialists) in the Ecology Group while covering District work within several assigned counties as well as Program work.   Core work supports various agency units, including Districts, Statewide Planning, Energy and Ocean Resources, Federal Consistency, and Enforcement, Transportation, Legal, and includes review and analysis of complex and sometimes controversial project biological reports and CEQA and NEPA documents (e.g. EIRs, EISs) associated with coastal development permit (CDP), long-range development plan (LRDP), port management plan (PMP), and public work plan (PWP) applications. Core work often involves review of project habitat mitigation/restoration and monitoring plans, review and editing of project staff report natural resource special conditions and findings, and participation in local planning efforts.  Other work includes supporting various initiatives at agency and statewide levels, such as Federal Programs, Environmental Justice, and in partnership with other agencies. Additional work includes participation on work groups, science advisory panels and technical advisory committees.

The Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) has scientific, technical and policy expertise in ecology, biology, restoration and conservation science, statistical analysis, and environmental impact assessment and is assigned responsibility for: (a) applying natural resource protection policies to projects occurring in assigned counties, (b) various District and Program project assignments and initiatives; (c) coordinating with local, state, and federal agencies and non-governmental organizations on projects; (d) continuing work to bring the Commission’s natural resource protection, enhancement, and restoration policy approaches and practice into consistency in Headquarters and Regional offices spanning the state; and (e) supervising several Ecology Group staff, graduate student interns, and fellows.  Incumbent will serve as a resource person to other Commission staff, to staff of local, state and federal agencies, legislature, special interest groups, media, and to the public.

The Ecology Group handles a wide variety of complex, technical, and controversial issues that are of major statewide and often national significance. The Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) is required to operate independently and have the skills and judgement to handle highly sensitive and complex regulatory, policy, and personnel matters. This person is also required to have broad scientific knowledge in program-specific topics in order to provide rigorous review of complex scientific analysis.

Working Conditions

This position is located in the San Francisco office. The California Coastal Commission is a hybrid workplace and offers telework for all employees. Telework is available for this position in accordance with the California Coastal Commission’s Telework Policy and Procedures with a minimum of 2 in-office days per week. This Telework Policy is subject to change.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

Knowledge of: personnel rules and requirements, leadership and morale-building principles, and understanding of and facility to affect the legislative process; California and Federal environmental regulatory and resource management laws, regulations, plans, programs, and policies related to the Coastal Act and Commission Regulations; coastal resource management practices and techniques; basic principles of land, water, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources research related to the Ecology Group’s work; principles of ecology, restoration, statistics/data analysis approaches; best practices for impact assessment of coastal resources; mitigation/restoration strategies and plan development; and environmental monitoring principles and methods.

Ability to: apply scientific methods and principles to a wide range of situations; analyze and evaluate data and reach sound conclusions; review, check, and interpret scientific and environmental reports; apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, and requirements of the California Coastal Act, and other relevant environmental protection and resource management laws and programs; analyze situations and take appropriate actions; establish and maintain cooperative relations with a wide variety of partners and stakeholders; communicate effectively; prepare clear, complete, and technically accurate reports; assess the impact of proposed State and federal environmental legislation and regulations; work with professionals from a variety of disciplines within and outside of State government; review and understand scientific and technical research reports on emerging coastal environmental issues; develop guidelines, planning, and regulatory documents, and other innovative solutions for critical and/or sensitive environmental management problems. The preferred candidates will have a master’s degree or a PhD in a relevant field.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

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 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
• Other - Brief writing Sample (5 pages or less)

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