Job Posting: Staff Counsel

State Coastal Conservancy

JC-474272
-
Staff Counsel
ATTORNEY

$7,737.00 - $11,676.00 per Month

Final Filing Date: 5/2/2025

Job Description and Duties

Love the California coast? Want to help protect and restore the coast? This might be the job for you!

This position reports to Conservancy Headquarters office located in Oakland, CA.

The Conservancy attorney team has a job opening for an Attorney (Staff Counsel).

Conservancy attorneys assist with acquiring conservation lands, planning and constructing wetland restoration projects, providing underserved communities with access to the coast, and implementing nature-based sea level rise projects, and many other climate adaptation projects. Conservancy attorneys handle a wide variety of legal issues, mostly in the areas of contracts, real property, land use and environmental permitting, and operations of state and local government. The Conservancy’s legal team is small and coordinated; attorneys manage their own projects and consult with each other as needed.

The Attorney will work under the direction of the General Counsel and in coordination with four other Conservancy attorneys. The Attorney will provide oral and written legal advice to Conservancy staff; conduct research; identify legal strategies; negotiate and draft contracts, escrow instructions, and other documents; review and edit staff recommendations for consistency with Division 21 of the Public Resources Code, funding sources and CEQA; assess property acquisition documents, including title reports, environmental assessments, and purchase agreements; review CEQA documents; and track new legislation and case law. Conservancy attorneys also perform legal work for the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, a regional entity that allocates parcel tax revenues for protection and restoration of San Francisco Bay.

PLEASE NOTE:

To apply for this position, you must obtain eligibility by taking the Eligibility Exam for Attorney. This is required for most, please see the Special Requirements and Additional Information section below for more details.

Until June 30, 2025, this position is eligible for telework 3 days per week under Government Code 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California. Beginning July 1, 2025, the number of optional telework days will be limited to one day per week.


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

Working Conditions

  • Position is in a high-rise building (Oakland, CA Headquarters).
  • Office setting; Monday through Friday; prolonged periods of sitting (or standing, if preferred).
  • The Conservancy has a telework policy for Headquarter (HQ) employees, that allows staff to telework up to 3 days per week. The number of telework days will change as of July 1, 2025 to 1 telework day per week. The Conservancy’s policy for 1 telework day per week has not yet been determined and choice of the telework day may be limited. A computer for telework use will be provided.
  • Work on a computer up to 8 hours a day, Monday through Friday.
  • Ability to lift-up to 15 pounds.
  • Indoor work is common, although outdoor work may be necessary.
  • May require an employee to work in adversarial situations.
  • Attend and participate in high level meetings.
  • Multitask, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities in a cooperative manner.
  • Travel by car or plane, with overnight stays necessary on occasion.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-474272
Position #(s):
536-200-5778-006
Working Title:
Staff Counsel
Classification:
ATTORNEY
$7,737.00 - $10,168.00 A
$8,708.00 - $11,676.00 B
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Alameda County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time

Department Information

The Coastal Conservancy is a state agency that undertakes and supports projects to protect, restore and enhance coastal resources, promote resilience to climate change impacts, and increase opportunities for the public to enjoy the coast. The Conservancy works along the entire length of California’s coast and within the watersheds of rivers and streams that extend inland from the coast. The Conservancy also works throughout the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area and the entire Santa Ana River watershed. The Conservancy awards and oversees grants to local governments, other state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and tribes, using various types of funding, including bond funds, federal funds, and mitigation fees. The Conservancy is a small agency of 81 dedicated, experienced employees who work collaboratively and creatively to achieve the Conservancy’s mission. The Conservancy office is located in Oakland, California, near 12th Street BART station.

Department Website: https://scc.ca.gov/

Special Requirements

The position require a Member of the CA State Bar Association License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired. A screenshot of your State Bar membership page showing your full name and license number is acceptable.

Examination Information

  • To apply for this position, please review the Attorney and Attorney Series Classification: Attorney Series - CalHR
  • Then you must obtain eligibility for the Attorney classification, by taking the eligibility exam (links are below).
  • Qualified candidates must be in a reachable rank (ranks 1, 2, or 3) on an employment list (or eligibility exam list) for Attorney to be considered.
  • To be appointed to the Attorney eligibility list, candidates must have taken the Attorney eligibility online exam and must be reachable on the list. Please make sure to read the exam(s) bulletin before taking the exam, click this link for Attorney exam: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/JOBSGEN/8PB57.PDF or the Attorney LEAP exam: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/JOBSGEN/3PB54.PDF
  • Please note: if updates have been made to the exam or the exam is abolished, SCC might require you to re-take/take the new exam during hiring process. 

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 5/2/2025

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

State Coastal Conservancy
Inge Sorensen
Attn: Inge Sorensen
1515 Clay Street, Floor 10
Oakland, CA 94612

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

State Coastal Conservancy
Inge Sorensen
Inge Sorensen
1515 Clay Street, Floor 10
Oakland, CA 94612
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday
08:30 AM - 05:00 PM

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 www.CalCareers.ca.gov. 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 - Please provide a cover letter describing your interest in and fitness for the position.
  • Other - A copy of your member of the CA State Bar Association License. A screenshot of your State Bar membership page showing your full name and license number is acceptable.
  • Other - Writing sample you have authored.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

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:
• Focus attention to detail and follow-through.
• Ability to act independently, positive attitude, open-mindedness, flexibility, and tact.
• Able to work independently and in a team situation.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Display good interaction skills.
• Multitask, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities.
• Excellent attendance, punctuality record and dependable.
• Proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook).
• Communicates clearly and logically orally and in writing.
• Consistently exercise a high degree of initiative.
• Analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action.
• Deal with individuals with a range of moods and behaviors in a tactful, congenial, personal manner.

Benefits

There are many benefits to joining our team! The State of California has a generous benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision coverage, CalPERS pension upon retirement, 11 hours of annual leave, or 7 hours of vacation credit per month, 8 hours of sick leave credit per month, five paid Professional Development Days, 1 paid Personal Holiday, medical/dependent care reimbursement program (pre-tax), pre-tax parking fee program, monthly public transportation costs are 100% reimbursable up to the current monthly exclusion amount provided by the IRS (up to $300), bicycle commuter program, plus many more.

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

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website: https://scc.ca.gov/
Human Resources Contact:
Cindy Chen
(510) 286-0552
cindy.chen@scc.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Helen Kang
(510) 286-4349
helen.kang@scc.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
  • Please do not include any confidential information such as social security number, marital status, ethnicity, age, or disability information on any of the documentation uploaded with your online application.
  • If the classification you are applying for has an education requirement, diploma/transcripts (official/unofficial) will be required to verify you meet the minimum qualifications of the classification. Please be sure to redact any confidential information before uploading your transcripts.
  • Preference will be given to persons with State Restriction of Appointments (SROA) or Surplus status. Applicants must attach a copy of their most recently dated letter that specifies their designation as either SROA or surplus candidate as proof.
  • Qualified candidates must  be in a reachable rank (Ranks 1, 2, or 3) on an employment list for Attorney (to take the online exam go to: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/JOBSGEN/8PB57.PDF or the Attorney LEAP exam: https://www.calcareers.ca.gov/JOBSGEN/3PB54.PDF).  A Training and Development (T&D) assignment may be considered.
  • You must meet the minimum qualifications of the Attorney or have transfer or reinstatement eligibility to this classification.
  • This advertisement will be used for this and other permanent and/or limited term vacancies that may occur at the State Coastal Conservancy during the life of the certification list.
  • If you do not hear from us in 5-8 weeks from the final file date, you may assume the position has been filled by another applicant. Please note that all additional vacancies that become available may be added to this advertisement. Please reach out to the HR contact (listed above) if you have further questions regarding your application status.
  • **Once a significant candidate pool is received, an internal cutoff period will be established and interviews will be scheduled, and only the most qualified candidates will be invited to the interview**

Click on the link to complete the State Coastal Conservancy Recruitment Survey:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCChiring

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job