Job Posting: Environmental Scientist

Department of Food & Agriculture

JC-525806
-
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: 8/5/2026

Job Description and Duties

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

Under the supervision of the Senior Environmental Scientist Supervisory (SES Supervisor) and directly working with the Senior Environmental Scientist Specialist (SES Specialist), the Environmental Scientist (ES) is responsible for complex scientific analysis and evaluation of regulatory operations and practices related to environmental health and food safety including, but not limited to, conducting inspections of regulated facilities as required and assuring conformance with state and federal laws and regulations governing the formulation and labeling of meat and poultry products, and research and analysis related to recycling/disposal of inedible materials and animal mortalities.

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 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 position are conducted primarily outdoors.  

 

The incumbent must follow CDFA, Division, and Branch employee health and safety policies.

 

The ES often travels by state vehicle or other methods of transportation daily to licensed establishments throughout California to conduct inspections and reviews and to meet with plant owners and operators.  Meat and poultry slaughter and processing establishments and other inspected facilities often have wet, slippery floors, are noisy, and present many potential hazards, such as moving equipment, heavy overhead structures, and knives.  The ES often alternates between cold dry coolers, hot humid processing areas and whatever seasonal outside environmental conditions are present around inspected facilities.

 

Travel by State vehicle to various locations throughout the assigned area is required on a frequent basis.

The amount of teleworking is at the discretion of the CDFA and based on the current teleworking policy. While 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-525806
Position #(s):
014-140-0762-006
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:
Santa Clara 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 Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety (MPES) Branch consists of two core functional areas: Meat, Poultry and Rendering and Egg Safety. MPES licenses, registers, and inspects meat processing establishments and meat and poultry slaughterhouses exempt from federal inspection, providing oversight to ensure that only wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled meat and poultry products are provided to the public and owners of the livestock and poultry. It also licenses, registers and inspects renderers, collection centers, transporters of inedible kitchen grease and inedible materials, and dead animal haulers. MPES, through the Egg Safety and Quality Management (ESQM) Program registers and inspects eggs at production, wholesale, and retail levels to make sure eggs sold in California are wholesome, properly labeled, refrigerated, and of established quality.

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/AHFSS/MPES/

Special Requirements

  • The position(s) require(s) a valid California Drivers License (CDL). You must answer the questions addressing your CDL on your application. Ensure you provide your CDL number, class, expiration date, and any endorsements and/or restrictions.

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 are below:

  • Restate Questions prior to response
  • Include your name and job control number
  • Must be no more than two (2) pages, single-spaced, and Arial size 12 font

1. What types of experience have you had collecting and analyzing data related to food safety?

2. What types of experience have you had with food safety inspections or meat and poultry inspection programs?

3. What experience have you had with foodborne illness, outbreak, and hazard response?

4. What experience have you had developing new methods or procedures and/or revising existing methods or procedures for food processing?

5. What experience do you have in traveling to numerous and multiple facilities in the field environment to perform food safety inspections?

6. Please provide examples of you working with team leaders and team members for an assigned project or assignment of food safety issues.

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: 8/5/2026

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-525806
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-525806
1220 N Street, Room 242
Sacramento, CA 95814
ELECTRONIC APPLICATION IS PREFERRED. All mail or drop-off applications must include JC-525806
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 optional. It may be included, but is not required.
  • Degree and/or School Transcripts
  • Statement of Qualifications -

    A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required and must be submitted with your Employment Application (STD. 678).

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:

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted during the course of the work, work well under pressure, make appropriate decisions and well thought out recommendations, and work independently in completing assigned work and meeting required deadlines.

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:
Rachel Andrade
(916) 203-2588
Rachel.andrade@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:
Office of Civil Rights
(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