Job Posting: Deputy Director for Zero-Emission Vehicle Strategy, Planning, and Market Development

California Energy Commission

JC-535050
-
Deputy Director for Zero-Emission Vehicle Strategy, Planning, and Market Development
C. E. A.

$10,349.00 - $17,769.00 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: 10/24/2026

Job Description and Duties

Under the general direction of the Director of the Fuels and Transportation Division, the Deputy Director is responsible for assisting the Director in key aspects of the division’s deliverables related to strategy, oversight, long-term planning, grant funding, and agreement management. Primary subject areas include strategy and planning related to zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) infrastructure market development; grant funding investments in infrastructure, in-state zero-emission vehicle related manufacturing, and workforce development; vehicle grid integration and distribution grid reliability/resiliency; new regulations and rulemakings; and other administrative responsibilities. The Deputy Director shall have a strong focus on ensuring proper grant funding solicitation design and contract management, which requires a very high attention to detail and agreement oversight. They will also be responsible for strategy and long-term planning around key initiatives to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles.  

The Deputy Director supports key aspects of the division’s roles and responsibilities including working with and directing division staff and engaging with internal and external stakeholders, including providing presentations to various audiences. In addition, the Deputy Director has a responsibility to manage and interact with division branch managers, supervisors, and staff regarding the division’s analysis, and to provide oversight and management of the division’s deliverables, policies, and administrative and budget functions.

Please let us know how you heard about this position by taking a brief survey at CEC Recruitment Survey. 

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

Working Conditions

The CEC supports a hybrid workplace model with office-based and remote-centered workers. Limited in-person attendance and occasional travel may be required based on the needs of the division. Regular and consistent attendance is essential to successful performance. This position is remote-centered, which means the incumbent works 50 percent or more of their time from an alternate work location.

Minimum Requirements

This position does not have a Classification Specification. Requirements and qualifications for this position can be found in this announcement. For additional questions, please contact the hiring department listed below.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-535050
Position #(s):
535-600-7500-003
Working Title:
Deputy Director for Zero-Emission Vehicle Strategy, Planning, and Market Development
Classification:
C. E. A.
$10,349.00 - $17,769.00 A
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:
Sacramento County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Career Executive Assignment - Non Tenured, Full Time

Department Information

The CEC was established by the Legislature in 1974 to address energy challenges facing the state. Today, the CEC is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency and is leading the state to a 100% clean energy future. Serving all Californians, the CEC embodies diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has taken an active and meaningful role in creating an environment that enables each employee to thrive. The CEC supports a hybrid workplace model with a workforce of office-based and remote-centered workers. The CEC operates under the umbrella of the California Natural Resources Agency and shares offices with the agency in a LEED Platinum Certified Building in downtown Sacramento.  

The California Energy Commission seeks a Deputy Director in the Fuels and Transportation Division. If you are interested in a challenging and exciting career in clean energy and are passionate about renewable, efficient, and reliable energy that addresses climate change, join our diverse team of global energy leaders! The California Energy Commission plays a lead role in creating the energy system of the future, not just in California, but globally.

Department Website: https://www.energy.ca.gov

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: 10/24/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are eligible to be appointed to this Career Executive Assignment (CEA) by the State of California.

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:

California Energy Commission
Personnel Office - Postal
Attn: Selection Services Office - Samantha Villegas
715 P Street, MS-3
Sacramento, CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

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

California Energy Commission
Samantha Villegas
Selection Services Office
715 P Street, MS-3
Sacramento, CA 95814
Submit application at the lobby security check-in.
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.
  • Other -

    Cover Letter – Include a cover letter of no more than two page in length describing why you are the best candidate for this position.

  • Statement of Qualifications - An (SOQ) is required. Please describe your experience, education, training, knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the desirable qualifications identified in this announcement under the desirable qualification section.
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.

Examination Qualification Requirements

All applicants must possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements, described in this announcement.

Note: Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in the civil service.

General Qualifications

State civil service employees must possess essential general qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others.

Knowledge and Abilities

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform high administrative and policy – influencing functions effectively. Such overall ability requires possession of most of the following more specific knowledge and abilities:

  • Knowledge of the organization and functions of California State Government including the organization and practices of the Legislature and the Executive Branch; principles, practices, and trends of public administration, organization, and management; techniques of organizing and motivating groups; program development and evaluation; methods of administrative problem solving; principles and practices of policy formulation and development; and personnel management techniques; the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; and a manager’s role in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program.
  • Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of multidisciplinary professional and administrative staff; analyze administrative policies, organization, procedures and practices; integrate the activities of a diverse program to attain common goals; gain the confidence and support of top level administrators and advise them on a wide range of administrative matters; develop cooperative working relationships with representatives of all levels of government, the public, and the Legislature and Executive branches; analyze complex problems and recommend effective courses of action; and prepare and review reports; and effectively contribute to the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity objectives.

These knowledge and abilities are expected to be obtained from the following kinds of experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation and/or evaluation of program policies (experience may have been paid or volunteer; in State service, other government settings, or in a private organization):

CEA Level A - Responsible for broad administrative and program activities, including the execution and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level B - Responsible for extensive managerial and program administration or broad program manager experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation, and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level C - Responsible for extensive highly professional influence and contributes to program, policy, and the methods to provide professional services needed to set policies, to meet the mission of the State department and often exercising technical and or professional skills that are required at this level.

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:
Please submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) responding to the statements below. Responses must be numbered to match the statements and be no more than two pages, using a 12-point font. Note the number of years of experience and the position(s) held that provided the experience.

Applications submitted without an SOQ will not be considered.

1. Describe your experience, using examples, effectively managing an interdisciplinary staff.

2. Describe your experience managing the design and implementation of programs, particularly related to zero-emission vehicle infrastructure, related data processing and data inventories, workforce development, and vehicle-grid integration.

3. Demonstrated knowledge of grant funding solicitations, grant agreements, and ongoing oversight. Include any experience related to federal grant funding and federal requirements.

4. Knowledge of technical and policy matters related to transportation, energy, and in particular, zero-emission vehicles and infrastructure. Include examples of vehicle-grid integration and distribution grid resiliency knowledge or activities, if applicable.

5. Demonstrated ability to analyze and develop regulations, navigate regulatory rulemaking processes, and/or legislative bill analysis and related activities. Provide examples of regulatory work and legislative work.

6. An ability to contribute to the development and implementation of directorate level strategic planning. Provide examples and your role in the planning and management of large programs or projects, including related IT project scoping and oversight, staffing plans, and organizational change management, as applicable.




Examination Information

If you meet the requirements stated in this announcement, you may take this competitive examination. Possession of the Examination Qualifications requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination will be compared with the performance of others who take this examination, and all successful candidates will be ranked according to their scores.

A minimum rating of 70% must be attained in the Examination to obtain list eligibility for this position. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results.

The results of this examination will only be used to fill this position. Applications will be retained for twelve months.

Hiring interviews for the Job may be conducted with the most qualified candidates.

The examining Department reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.

Special Testing Arrangements

If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, answer the Reasonable Accommodations question appropriately on your Application (STD 678). You will be contacted to make specific arrangements. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this announcement.

Benefits

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://www.energy.ca.gov
Human Resources Contact:
Samantha Villegas
(916) 232-8866
samantha.villegas@energy.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:
Equal Employment Opportunity Contact
(279) 226-1002
EEO@energy.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.

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