SENIOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST (SUPERVISORY)

Department of Fish and Wildlife · Yolo County

Salary: $10,854 – $13,493 per month

Closes: 2026-11-09T00:00:00.000Z

Job description and requirements

Job Description and Duties Do you like working on complex issues, thinking out of the box, and learning new things? Would you like to influence water management to protect aquatic species and ecosystems? If so, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is looking for a Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor to lead implementation of the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP). In this position, you will develop long-term, durable contracts to ensure the State receives the public ecosystem benefits to be provided by projects receiving funding under WSIP. These projects include new surface water reservoirs and groundwater storage projects. These contracts will administer public ecosystem benefits such as pulse flows for fish, water for wildlife areas, and habitat for species, and contain adaptive management plans to help ensure those ecosystem benefits are realized into the future. You will coordinate with CDFW regional staff, work directly with stakeholders and project proponents, collaborate with other state and federal agencies, and participate in contract negotiations. You will need to be able to interpret biological and hydraulic model outputs, understand fish and wildlife monitoring and management strategies, and understand water operations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and broader Central Valley. You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions ranging from 2% to 4.62% in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) hours. Please note that the salary ranges listed in this Job Control may not reflect these reductions associated with the 2025 Personal Leave Program. Please follow the link for more information regarding the 2025 Personal Leave program: Personal Leave Program - Human Resources - CalHR. This position may be eligible for a telework opportunity in accordance with departmental policies and operational needs. Beginning July 1, 2026, employees will be required to work in-person at least four (4) days per week in alignment with Executive Order N-22-25. Additional in-office days may be required based on operational needs. In order to be eligible for this position, you must either be transfer eligible or take and pass the following exam. Class Title: Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory) You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. 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: Ability to act independently, with open-mindedness, flexibility, and tact. Good organizational skills, leadership, and initiative. Maintain effective working relationships with other staff, managers, members of the public, key agency personnel, and stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to be dependable, flexible, and a problem solver. Knowledge of and/or experience with: fisheries biology, aquatic ecosystems, habitat restoration, environmental laws and regulations, California water management, data analyses, statistical methods, and scientific writing. Ability to: communicate effectively and concisely, develop high-quality work products, manage multiple assignments and deadlines, and work with a variety of stakeholders.
Show full description and requirements

Job Description and Duties

Do you like working on complex issues, thinking out of the box, and learning new things? Would you like to influence water management to protect aquatic species and ecosystems? If so, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is looking for a Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisor to lead implementation of the Water Storage Investment Program (WSIP). In this position, you will develop long-term, durable contracts to ensure the State receives the public ecosystem benefits to be provided by projects receiving funding under WSIP. These projects include new surface water reservoirs and groundwater storage projects. These contracts will administer public ecosystem benefits such as pulse flows for fish, water for wildlife areas, and habitat for species, and contain adaptive management plans to help ensure those ecosystem benefits are realized into the future. You will coordinate with CDFW regional staff, work directly with stakeholders and project proponents, collaborate with other state and federal agencies, and participate in contract negotiations. You will need to be able to interpret biological and hydraulic model outputs, understand fish and wildlife monitoring and management strategies, and understand water operations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and broader Central Valley. You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions ranging from 2% to 4.62% in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) hours. Please note that the salary ranges listed in this Job Control may not reflect these reductions associated with the 2025 Personal Leave Program.

Please follow the link for more information regarding the 2025 Personal Leave program:

Personal Leave Program - Human Resources - CalHR.

This position may be eligible for a telework opportunity in accordance with departmental policies and operational needs. Beginning July 1, 2026, employees will be required to work in-person at least four (4) days per week in alignment with Executive Order N-22-25. Additional in-office days may be required based on operational needs.

In order to be eligible for this position, you must either be transfer eligible or take and pass the following exam.

Class Title: Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory)

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

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: Ability to act independently, with open-mindedness, flexibility, and tact. Good organizational skills, leadership, and initiative. Maintain effective working relationships with other staff, managers, members of the public, key agency personnel, and stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to be dependable, flexible, and a problem solver.

Knowledge of and/or experience with: fisheries biology, aquatic ecosystems, habitat restoration, environmental laws and regulations, California water management, data analyses, statistical methods, and scientific writing.
Ability to: communicate effectively and concisely, develop high-quality work products, manage multiple assignments and deadlines, and work with a variety of stakeholders.

About this opportunity

Salary context

The annualized midpoint for this posting is $146,082. That matches the $146,082 median among 7 current California public jobs with the same normalized title.

More jobs at this employer

Department of Fish and Wildlife currently has 28 other open positions in this database.

Regional hiring context

There are 60 current state openings in Yolo County, including this position.

Application timeline

Applications close in 5 days, on November 9, 2026.

Similar roles at other employers

These employers are currently listing the same normalized role:

Posting history

This posting appears on CalCareers. CA Public Jobs first observed it on October 20, 2026. It was last verified open on November 4, 2026.

View the official posting