Job Description

Job Description and Duties

Under the supervision of a Branch Chief, Senior Environmental Scientist (Supervisory), the District Biologist will perform a wide variety of scientific and technical investigations from the office and field throughout the nine-county Bay Area. The Biologist is a key member of the District 4 Division of Environmental Planning and Engineering and Caltrans Project Development Team and is responsible for ensuring environmental compliance on transportation projects through the preparation of technical reports; obtaining permits from state and federal regulatory agencies; and conducting construction compliance and mitigation activities. The Biologist conducts biological surveys and habitat assessments; gathers data on natural resources; identifies and analyzes the impacts of transportation projects on biological resources; and develops measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate those impacts. The team member will also have an opportunity to contribute to environmental resource protection, such as through the development of fish and wildlife crossing projects.

PARF# 04-6-0646 / JC-496538

Eligibility for hire may be determined by your score on the Environmental Scientist exam. For those who do not have current eligibility (e.g., transfer, permissive reinstatement, or voluntary demotions) and/or who will be new to state civil services employment, you must be on the state examination list to be eligible for these positions.  To apply for the exam, please click and search by typing in the classification title.

T he Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the application process. The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position.

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You will find additional information about the job in the .

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a valid and unrestricted Class C driver’s license.

• Statement of qualifications (SOQ) required.

Please include a SOQ that is no more than two pages typed, single spaced, using 12-point Arial font. Note that resumes and/or cover letters will not take the place of the SOQ. On your SOQ, please expand upon the prompts below and provide sufficient details on your career experience as it relates to each question. Provide sufficient detail with each question to indicate why you believe your knowledge, skills, and experience would make you the best candidate to take on the roles and responsibilities of this position. Your response should provide specific, job-related experiences that demonstrate the following:

1. A working understanding of federal and state environmental regulatory processes and laws as they relate to the transportation sector and your familiarity with California's regulatory environment.
2. Experience in obtaining or supporting the pursuit of biological resource permit applications.
3. Experience applying federal and state environmental regulations to protect biological resources in transportation projects, including examples where regulatory requirements or species protection influenced project design, delivery, or sequencing.
4. Ability to work cooperatively with and build partnerships internally and externally (e.g., resource agencies/local partners/land trusts).
5. Ability to analyze scientific data and present findings and conclusions based on those data in a biological report or other applied setting. Please describe the quality of your written work.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment.  If you are basing your eligibility on education, you must include your unofficial transcript(s)/diploma for verification.  Unofficial, original, or official sealed transcripts will be accepted and may be required upon appointment.  Applicants with foreign transcripts/degrees must provide a transcript/degree U.S. equivalency report evaluation that indicates the number of units and degree to which the foreign coursework is equivalent.  Please visit either of the following two websites for a list of evaluation agencies: or . Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

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: 11/12/2025

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. Individuals who are eligible for a Training and Development assignment may also be considered for this position(s).

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 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 Transportation

N/A

Attn: Caltrans DHR Contact

Certification Services MS-90

P O Box 168036

Sacramento , CA 95816-8036

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

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

Department of Transportation

Drop-Off Address

Caltrans DHR Contact

Classification and Hiring Unit - ECOS

1727 30th Street, MS 90

Sacramento , CA 95816

Closed on weekends and State Holidays.

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 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.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  • Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required. Please see the Special Requirements section for SOQ instructions.

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

to view the Benefits Summary for Civil Service Employees in the State of California.

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:
David Maxwell
(279) 234-2433
David.Maxwell@dot.ca.gov

Hiring Unit Contact:
Leigh Anne Kuehnel
(510) 286-6009
leigh.anne.kuehnel@dot.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:
Caltrans EEO Office
(844) 368-3367
Ask.eeo@dot.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.

Important Application Instructions

Electronic applications through your CalCareers account are highly recommended and encouraged.

Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications based on possession of EDUCATION, LICENSE, OR CERTIFICATE must include a copy of your DEGREE/TRANSCRIPTS, LICENSE, or CERTIFICATE, along with your State application (STD. 678), to be considered for this position.

NOTE: Do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State application (STD. 678). This page is for examination use only. Do not include any confidential information on any documents you submit for this job vacancy, such as your state application, resume, or educational transcripts.  Confidential information that should be  excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number, birth date, driver’s license number, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age.  The job application packet checklist is not required to apply for this position.  Failure to follow these instructions may result in your application not being considered for this position.

Job Tags

Full time, Work at office, Local area, Weekend work,

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