Closing Date: 8th October, 2025
Description:
Job Description and Duties: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.
The State Water Resources Control Board's Office of Chief Counsel has two (2) openings for an Attorney in the Regional Water Boards Legal Services Branch 2. Branch 2 includes attorneys assigned to five of the nine regional water quality control boards (Los Angeles Region, Lahontan Region, Colorado River Basin Region, Santa Ana Region, and San Diego Region). The positions may be assigned to any of these regions or a combination thereof.
The positions are located at 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, right in the heart of downtown next to light rail stations and other public transportation. The positions currently require reporting in person to the office a minimum of two days a week.
The Office of Chief Counsel fosters an intellectually stimulating, dynamic, and very collegial environment, with a strong emphasis on attorney development and mentorship. The Office houses more than 50 attorneys with a diverse set of backgrounds, all of whom share a strong work ethic and a strong commitment to protecting the waters of California. Attorneys are allowed significant independence in setting priorities and managing their work and time.
Duties:
The State Water Resources Control Board and the nine regional water quality control boards are the principal state agencies for the coordination and control of water quality in the State of California. The regional water quality control boards are the primary planning, permitting and oversight agencies under the Clean Water Act and Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act within their respective jurisdictions. The Office of Chief Counsel provides legal counsel to the regional water boards, each of which has one to three attorneys who handle virtually all of the region's water quality law issues. The practice is varied and interesting. It includes participating in complex administrative adjudications and general representation of the seven-member boards and assisting in civil litigation involving the boards' decisions. The job openings present an opportunity to gain entry into the exciting and dynamic field of water quality law. Under the direction of an Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel, regional water board attorneys work independently in a fast-paced, collegial environment.
Duties include advising the regional water board members, management, and staff in matters relating to quality control planning, waste discharge permitting, enforcement, underground storage tank, and other environmental cleanups pursuant to the Clean Water Act and the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and other state and federal laws, California Environmental Quality Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Public Records Act, environmental justice, and related issues. The Attorneys also assist and work with the Attorney General in litigation involving the regional water board.
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
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.
Please let us know how you heard about this position by taking this brief survey: Recruitment Survey. (https://forms.office.com/g/eR5w18jw3s)
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. (https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/FileDownload.aspx?aid=28979270&name=DSCURRENT.PROPOSED25-220-016.017ATT5778-198.199(Rev.8.15.2025).pdf)
Special Requirements:
In order to be considered for this position, you must include the following:
Must have Attorney list, transfer, or reinstatement eligibility and be reachable on the certification list. Here is the link to the exam: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1579.
An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States that does meet accreditation standards must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due during final minimum qualification evaluation of candidate(s). A link of accepted evaluation agencies can be found here: https://www.naces.org/members.
Electronic submittal of applications and attachments through jobs.ca.gov is preferred. Emailed or faxed applications will not be accepted. You are required to complete employment history on the application form (STD. 678), including work experience, dates, hours worked, contact names and phone numbers of supervisors on the state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD. 678 may be disqualified.
In the hiring interview, the panel will consider education, experience, personal development, personal traits and fitness for the job. In appraising experience, more weight may be given to the breadth of pertinent experience and evidence of the candidate's ability to accept and fulfill increasing responsibilities than to the length of his/her experience. For additional information, you may refer to the class specification.
- RPA# 25-220-016 and 25-220-017 in the “Examination or Job Title(s)” section of the State application when submitting a hardcopy application.
- Active membership in the California State Bar. (Applicants who are not members of the California State Bar but who are eligible to take the California State Bar examination or are in their final year of law school will be admitted to the examination but will not be considered eligible for appointment until they are admitted to the California State Bar.)
Must have Attorney list, transfer, or reinstatement eligibility and be reachable on the certification list. Here is the link to the exam: https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=1579.
An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States that does meet accreditation standards must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due during final minimum qualification evaluation of candidate(s). A link of accepted evaluation agencies can be found here: https://www.naces.org/members.
Electronic submittal of applications and attachments through jobs.ca.gov is preferred. Emailed or faxed applications will not be accepted. You are required to complete employment history on the application form (STD. 678), including work experience, dates, hours worked, contact names and phone numbers of supervisors on the state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD. 678 may be disqualified.
In the hiring interview, the panel will consider education, experience, personal development, personal traits and fitness for the job. In appraising experience, more weight may be given to the breadth of pertinent experience and evidence of the candidate's ability to accept and fulfill increasing responsibilities than to the length of his/her experience. For additional information, you may refer to the class specification.
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:
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:
Excellent written and oral communication skills; knowledge of and/or experience with the law and legal research and analysis, especially in environmental law, administrative law, and/or public agency law; knowledge of and/or experience in public interest, including with environmental justice issues and work with nongovernmental agencies or underserved communities; demonstrated leadership skills or experience, including serving as a law review editor, seminar chair or officer in a law-related or public service organization; demonstrated interest in environmental law or public service; ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
