Job Posting: Deputy Chief Counsel

Department of Toxic Substances Control

JC-486884
-
Deputy Chief Counsel
C. E. A.

$10,349.00 - $18,361.00 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: 9/16/2025

Job Description and Duties

On a quest for an opportunity to lead a diverse and talented legal team?

DTSC is seeking a Deputy Chief Counsel to lead our dynamic and growing legal team.

Our organization passionately serves California's people and communities through our commitment to seek environmental justice by protecting our environment from toxic substances; advancing the making of safer consumer products; and enhancing the economic vitality of communities by restoring contaminated land to a productive use.

If you can see yourself serving in this critical leadership role, we invite you to apply today!

 


The Deputy Chief Counsel, CEA responsibilities include:

  • Serve as a chief legal consultant and advisor to the Director, the Chief Counsel, executive staff, and the Assistant Chief Counsel (ACCs) to identify issues, formulate policies, and develop strategies to best meet program objectives
  • Oversee litigation in which the Office of the Attorney General is providing representation
  • Review the most significant legal memoranda, opinions and correspondence for form and content to submit to the Chief Counsel for approval
  • Provide strategic and policy recommendations to the Chief Counsel and the Director in to enforce hazardous waste control laws
  • Plan, organize, direct, and provide managerial review of the work performed in Office of Legal Counsel (OLC)

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

Working Conditions

A hybrid schedule may be available for this position.



Click the link below for a special message from Director Katie Butler on DTSC’s culture:

DTSC - Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB)

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-486884
Position #(s):
810-413-7500-001
Working Title:
Deputy Chief Counsel
Classification:
C. E. A.
$10,349.00 - $18,361.00 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:
United States
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Career Executive Assignment - Non Tenured, Full Time

Department Information

This position can be located at the Sacramento Headquarters Office, or Chatsworth Regional Office.

 

The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is a member of the boards, departments, and offices (BDO) within the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA).

 

Our Mission: To protect California’s people, communities, and environment from toxic substances, to enhance economic vitality by restoring contaminated land, and to compel manufacturers to make safer consumer products.

 

Our Vision: All of California is thriving in a healthy environment.

 

Our Core Values: DTSC values diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the organization. We foster an environment where employees from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. We believe the diversity of our employees is essential to inspiring innovative solutions. Together we further our mission to protect California’s people, communities, and environment from toxic substances, to enhance economic vitality by restoring contaminated land, and to compel manufacturers to make safer consumer products. Join DTSC to improve the lives of all Californians!

 

DTSC Recruitment Survey:

Click here to complete the DTSC recruitment survey.

Special Requirements

  • The position(s) require(s) a(n) California Bar License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired.

This position requires a C.E.A. examination to be administered as the initial part of the selection process.

This CEA examination will consist of a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), weighted 100%.

The SOQ component will be sent to all applicants via the email associated with their CalCareer account within 2 weeks of the Final Filing Date listed on this Job Posting. Be sure to frequently check your email for the examination instructions and complete the examination by the SOQ submission due date. If you do not receive an email, contact our Human Resources Office, as listed on this job posting.

This examination will have a strict due date and only successful applicants will be allowed to continue in the 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: 9/16/2025

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:

Department of Toxic Substances Control
Headquarters
Attn: Talent Acquisition
P.O. Box 806
Sacramento, CA 95812-0806

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

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

Department of Toxic Substances Control
CalEPA
Human Resources
1001 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814-2828
Drop-off applications must be received, and date stamped by 5:00 PM on the final filing date.
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.
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:


Knowledges: 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 and agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; and a manager’s role in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program.

Abilities: Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of multi-disciplinary 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 and 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.

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

Human Resources Contact:
Talent Acquisition
(279) 895-5249
Talent@Dtsc.ca.gov
Hiring Unit Contact:
Heather Nunn
(279) 895-5249
heather.nunn@dtsc.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 Office
(916) 324-3095
OCR@dtsc.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 Application Instructions

For experience/education to qualify during the application screening process, and to ensure that minimum qualifications can be determined, applicants should include all employment history on the Employment Application (STD 678), including detailed job descriptions, hours worked per week, and start/end dates (MM/DD/YYYY). Application packages without this information may experience delayed processing times and your eligibility for this position may be impacted.

 

Electronic applications submitted through your CalCareer Account are highly recommended. If you are unable to apply electronically through your CalCareer account, please mail a completed and signed STD. 678 and application package to the mailing address provided above in the “Application Instructions” section. Applications must be postmarked on or before the final filing date.

 

For mail-in or drop-off applications, please include JC# 486884 and indicate the basis of your eligibility in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) section. SROA and surplus candidates should submit a copy of their letter with their application.

 

Pending Budget Approval - DTSC will obtain all necessary approvals prior to extending a job offer. 

 

Foreign Degrees

 

Applicants who completed their education outside the United States (with foreign degree/ transcripts) must obtain and submit verification of United States course/degree equivalency.

 

Foreign education credential evaluation services can be found at https://www.naces.org.


DO NOT include any confidential information in your application or supporting documents (i.e., Social Security Number, birthdate, marital status, medical information, examination results, method of eligibility, etc.).

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