Job Posting: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST

Department of Food & Agriculture

JC-535047
-
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST

$4,418.00 - $9,321.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/23/2026

Job Description and Duties

Per CCR 249.3, this job control may be used to fill subsequent vacancies.

 

Under general supervision of the Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory), the Environmental Scientist will conduct analyses, gather scientific data, review and report on pesticides and other chemicals that affect the environment and the food supply. The incumbent is responsible for providing depositions and analytical expertise on disputed analytical results. The Environmental Scientist (ES) position is a single classification where the incumbent can be assigned any duties within the class concept.

 

As an employee of the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), you are required to perform the “essential functions” of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. If you are interested in becoming part of a diverse and inclusive workforce where talent, experience, and expertise are valued, then CDFA is the place for you!!

This CDFA work location has free parking and is conveniently located within walking distance from an Amtrack/Metrolink train station. It is adjacent to downtown Fullerton where there is a plethora of restaurants, cafes, and retail shops and less than 5 miles from downtown Anaheim and Disneyland.


This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The CDFA does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes.

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

Working Conditions

The duties of this job are performed indoors approximately 100% of the time. The employee’s workplace has the necessary laboratory equipment and supplies for performing required analyses. The employee has desk space, materials, and a computer necessary to perform required tasks. The building has an air-conditioning/heating system. The employee may be exposed to fumes, gases, or odors in certain work areas.

 

This position may/may not be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the CDFA and based on the current telework policy. While the CDFA supports telework where possible, in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksite with minimal notification if an urgent need arises, as determined by the Department.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-535047
Position #(s):
014-767-0762-008
Working Title:
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Classification:
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
$4,418.00 - $6,035.00 A
$5,370.00 - $7,350.00 B
$6,796.00 - $9,321.00 C
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Orange County
Telework:
In Office
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time

Department Information

The Mission of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is to safeguard a resilient food system and promote an equitable marketplace, cultivating a California grown food supply that is globally recognized for innovation, quality, and sustainability.  

 

The Center for Analytical Chemistry (CAC) provides analytical expertise in environmental, food, and fertilizer safety, and in issues concerning crop protection, farm worker safety, data gathering activities, and emergency response. The Center is comprised of two main programs: Environmental Safety and Food Safety. The Environmental Safety laboratories (ESL) provide vital analytical support to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) and California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) by performing soil, water, and air analyses mandated by various environmental laws; monitoring pesticide exposure of field workers; and by performing regulatory testing of pesticides for label compliance. ESL also assists the Feed, Fertilizer, and Livestock Drugs Regulatory Services branch (FFLDRS) through the provision of label compliance testing of commercial fertilizers. The Food Safety laboratories (FSL) support DPR, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and US Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) in their legislative tasks as well as the California County Agricultural Commissioners in their enforcement activities by conducting chemical analyses on environmental and food samples to monitor for and collect data on hazardous agrochemicals such as pesticides and their metabolites. The independent Quality Assurance (QA) section provides support to the CAC in the implementation and management of International Standards Organization (ISO) 17025 accreditation program, quality assurance of its testing activities, method reviews and validation and compliance audits.                                      

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/cac/

Special Requirements

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required and must be submitted with your Employment Application (STD. 678). Applications received without an appropriate SOQ based on the instructions below may be disqualified from this recruitment. Resumes, cover letters, and other documents will not be considered in lieu of the SOQ. The SOQ instructions and questions/prompts are below.

 

• Restate questions/prompts prior to response

• Include your name and job control number at the top of each page

• Must be single-spaced, no more than two (2) pages, and Arial size 11 font

  1. Describe how your education and work experience demonstrate your ability to perform scientific and field-based functions in a scientific-oriented, multi-disciplinary program such as the Produce Safety Program.
  2. Describe your experience in maintaining cooperative working relationships with a diverse group of organizations and stakeholders.
  3. Describe how your education and experience demonstrate your ability to review and make inferences from information gained from various sources, such as scientific papers, field experiences and anecdotal data from key stakeholders.
  4. Describe your experience in utilizing such information to develop guidance and/or training documents for use by diverse audiences, including but not limited to field inspectors, managers, and non-technical audiences.

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: 10/23/2026

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:

Department of Food & Agriculture
Attn: Human Resources Branch, JC-535047
1220 N Street, Room 242
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

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

Department of Food & Agriculture
Attn: Human Resources Branch, JC-535047
1220 N Street, Room 242
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 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.
  • School Transcripts
  • Statement of Qualifications - A completed Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted with your State Application (STD. 678) to be considered. Please see the Special Requirements section for the SOQ details.
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.

Benefits

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

Contact Information

The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Hiring Unit Contact:
Jacob Gray
(916) 262-1434
Jacob.Gray@cdfa.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:
EEO Officer
(916) 654-1005
Civil_Rights@cdfa.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:

Employment History on the STD 678 (State Application) must be complete and include dates, accurate hours per week, total time worked, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. Resumes or other documents cannot substitute for a completed state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD 678 may be disqualified.

 

Please do not include any confidential information such as social security number, marital status, ethnicity, age, salary or disability information on any of the documentation uploaded with your online application.

If the classification you are applying for has an education requirement, transcripts 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.

Upon hire you may be required to provide official sealed transcripts or an original degree or certificate.

Applicants with foreign degrees may be asked to provide an official foreign transcript evaluation which indicates course work is equivalent to a degree from an accredited U.S. College or University.

This position may require a medical clearance.

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