Job Description

Job Description and Duties

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

The State Water Resources Control Board’s Office of Chief Counsel has an opening for an Attorney in the Water Rights and Drinking Water Branch.  The position location is 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814.

As part of its water right functions, the State Water Resources Control Board administers a permit and license program for appropriations, applies the common law public trust doctrine and the constitutional prohibition against waste and unreasonable use of water, adopts water quality plans and policies addressing the water quality impacts of water diversion and use, and makes or assists the courts in making determinations of water rights.  The Office of Chief Counsel provides legal counsel to board members and the board’s Division of Water Rights and Office of Research, Planning and Performance. The practice is varied and interesting. It includes participation in complex administrative adjudications and general representation of the board and assisting in civil litigation involving the board’s actions. Under the direction of Assistant Chief Counsel, board attorneys work independently in a fast-paced, collegial environment.

Duties: Under direction, the Attorney reviews, analyzes, interprets, and applies statutes, regulations, court decisions and other legal authorities, prepares legal documents, assists in the presentation of cases in court or before administrative tribunals, and assists in preparing legislation, regulations, plans, and policies.

Description of duties, etc. The applicants can review the Duty Statement attached.

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: .

You will find additional information about the job in the .

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 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. E mployees appointed to the Attorney or Water Resource Control Engineer classification will receive Recruitment Higher Above Minimum (HAM) rate in accordance with the approved

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 The salary range(s) included on this job posting do not reflect the reduction in pay.

Special Requirements

In order to be considered for this position, you must include the following:

• RPA# 25-220-053 in the “Examination or Job Title(s)” section of the State application when submitting a hardcopy application.
• Active Membership in the California State Bar.
• Photocopy of law school transcript (unofficial okay).

Must have Attorney list, tra nsfer, or reinstatement eligibility and be reachable on the certification list. Here is the link to the exam:   .

An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States that does meet accreditation standards must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due during final minimum qualification evaluation of candidate(s). A link of accepted evaluation agencies can be found here: .

Electronic submittal of applications and attachments through jobs.ca.gov is preferred. Emailed or faxed applications will not be accepted. You are required to complete employment history on the application form (STD. 678), including work experience, dates, hours worked, contact names and phone numbers of supervisors on the state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD. 678 may be disqualified.

In the hiring interview, the panel will consider education, experience, personal development, personal traits and fitness for the job. In appraising experience, more weight may be given to the breadth of pertinent experience and evidence of the candidate's ability to accept and fulfill increasing responsibilities than to the length of his/her experience. For additional information, you may refer to the class specification.

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:

Excellent written and oral communication skills; experience or coursework in water rights, environmental, or administrative law; environmental justice and equity experience; interest in water law, environmental law, or public service.

Benefits

Water Board employees may be eligible for benefits. Health benefits and leave programs are available for most permanent, full-time employees, and some permanent, part-time employees. Benefit eligibility may depend on length of service and may be subject to collective bargaining agreements negotiated between the State of California and employee organizations that define wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment. and

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 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 - Two or three writing samples are required and must be included.
• Other - Photocopy of Law School Transcript (unofficial is okay) is required and must be included.
• Other - Cover Letter is required and must be included.

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