ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST

State of California; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Transportation (State of California) seeks an Environmental Engineering Specialist to support environmental reviews for highway projects. You will collect data, review field reports, and prepare technical memos addressing environmental impacts, including hazardous waste, water/air quality, and noise concerns.

Under supervision, you will oversee HW task orders, review district PS&E packages, and assist in design and monitoring of remediation measures.

Qualifications

• Experience in transportation design and construction terminology, hydrology and hydraulics, surveying, and related work.
• Experience in preparing or reviewing technical environmental reports.
• Experience with hazardous waste assessment, sampling and reporting for site investigations.
• Experience in administering consultant task orders.
• Experience with California DTSC or RWQCB requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide environmental engineering support and perform data collection, field review, analysis, and memos for environmental impacts of transportation projects.
• Review technical reports; develop and monitor HW task orders; oversee remediation/mitigation measures as needed.

Skills

Environmental design knowledge

HW assessment

Report writing

Site investigations

Coordination with consultants

Job description

Job Posting: Environmental Engineering Specialist

Department of Transportation

JC-534138 - Environmental Engineering Specialist ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST

$6,488.00 - $12,215.00 per Month

Final Filing Date: 10/22/2026

Application Methods: Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account) By Mail Drop-off

Under the direction of a Senior Transportation Engineer and/or lead worker, the incumbent will provide environmental engineering support and perform daily activities related to hazardous waste, water quality, air quality, and noise, including data collection, field review, analysis, and preparation of technical reports and memos related to the environmental impacts of transportation projects.

The Engineering Geologist reviews technical reports and district PS&E packages, prepares non-standard specifications and evaluates excess parcels for hazardous waste. The Engineering Geologist develops and monitors HW task orders designed to investigate the impact of hazardous waste constituents or site disturbance due to excavation and earthwork on highway projects. The Engineering Geologist provides technical oversight for local agency and Maintenance Design projects, and manages reviews and evaluates technical studies and reports prepared by consultants. The incumbent may also be involved in the design and monitoring of remediation and mitigation measures related to hazardous waste. Occasional travel and overnight stays may be required. A valid driver's license is mandatory.

Personal Leave Program: Effective July 1, 2025, state employees are subject to temporary salary reductions ranging from 2% to 4.62% in exchange for Personal Leave Program (PLP) hours. Please note that the salary ranges listed in this Job Control may not reflect these reductions associated with the 2025 Personal Leave Program. Please follow the link for more information regarding the 2025 Personal Leave program: http://hrmanual.calhr.ca.gov/Home/ManualItem/1/2113 .

Eligibility for hire may be determined by your score on the Engineering Geologistexam. 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 here and search by typing in the classification title.

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

Working Conditions

Position located at 2885 S Higuera St San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo County.

Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment. The employee will work in both a climate-controlled office under artificial lighting, and outdoors where he/she may be exposed to dirt, noise, uneven surfaces, and/or extreme heat or cold.

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Caltrans’s evolving telework policy. Caltrans supports telework, recognizing that in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksites with minimum notification if an urgent need arises. The selected candidate will be required to commute to the headquartered location as needed to meet operational needs. Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee’s designated headquartered location, primary residence, and may be subject to CalHR regulations or applicable bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the headquartered location will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

Minimum Requirements

ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST

$6,488.00 - $7,735.00A $7,428.00 - $9,296.00B $9,142.00 - $11,449.00C $9,754.00 - $12,215.00D New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Caltrans Vision: A thriving and connected California.

The Caltrans workforce is made up of diverse and unique individuals who contribute to our organizational success.

Possession of a valid driver’s license is required when operating a state owned or leased vehicle.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Requirements

• Experience in transportation design and construction terminology, methods, knowledge of typical cross sections, hydrology and hydraulics, surveying, maintenance, and construction work.
• Experience in preparing or reviewing technical reports for environmental documents.
• Experience with various types of HW assessment measures, HW sampling and reporting methods for site investigation purposes, and the ability to prepare HW technical reports.
• Experience with preparing and administering consultant task orders.
• Experience in working with the requirements of the California DTSC or RWQCB.

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: https://www.naces.org/members or https://aice-eval.org. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

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. 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.

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.

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.

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.