Water Resource Control Engineer (JC-520380)

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 520380 to locate the job posting and apply. 

Link: CalCareers

Note: This position will no longer be available on CalCareers once the job closes on 7/3/2026. No applications will be accepted after the job closing date.

Job Description and Duties

Please note, the Water Boards do not participate in E-Verify.

Are you looking to make a meaningful contribution towards the protection of California’s public trust resources? Do you like working with hydraulic models? Are you interested in exploring correlations between streamflow and ecology? If so, then this may be the position for you!

The State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Rights has an opening for two Water Resource Control Engineers in its Instream Flows Section. The positions are located at 1001 I Street, 14th Floor, Sacramento, right in the heart of downtown next to light rail stations and other public transportation.

Under direction of the Instream Flow Unit Supervisor, the Water Resource Control Engineer (WRCE) will support the Instream Flows Section (Section) in the Division of Water Rights by developing and implementing instream flow objectives for priority watersheds throughout California. The incumbent will review hydrologic and stream morphology studies, models, and data, collect and assess water rights data, develop flow criteria for consideration in the flow objective setting process, oversee grants and contracts, develop technical and plain project materials, and present to diverse audiences. The work of this Section will focus on high-priority instream flow efforts underway (e.g., Scott River, Shasta River, Ventura River) and expand to include additional efforts in other areas of the state. This work is of great importance to the State Water Board and is often controversial. The incumbent must be willing to travel occasionally for fieldwork and public engagement.

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.

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

Working Conditions

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.

In accordance with the Statewide Telework Policy and GC 14200, the successful candidate must reside in California upon appointment.  Proof of residency may be required.

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.

Job type: Full-Time

$6,488.00 - $12,152.00 per Month

The Water Resources Control Board is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSFL) Qualified Employer.