ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST

California Department of Toxic Substances Control; Long Beach (CA); Hybrid; USD 108,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) seeks a Project Manager for its Chatsworth Regional Office. This role oversees site investigations and cleanup projects, with emphasis on engineering geology and regulatory compliance in the Greater Los Angeles area.

You will manage workloads, coordinate schedules, and maintain EnviroStor documentation while communicating status to senior leadership and external partners.

Qualifications

• Licensed in California as a Professional Geologist.
• Geotechnical experience or a Certified Engineering Geologist license.
• Experience assessing, investigating, or remediating properties with releases of hazardous substances.
• Experience working for or under the oversight of an environmental regulatory agency.
• Project management experience.
• Experience with written and verbal science communication, including reports and work plans.
• Experience working with landfill regulations or landfills with subsurface elevated temperature events.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all aspects of investigation and cleanup for assigned hazardous waste sites.
• Plan and manage multiple projects with overlapping deadlines within budget.
• Prepare accurate project schedules for resource allocation.
• Prepare estimates for oversight costs and pursue payment of invoices.
• Update EnviroStor with major milestone documents to keep information current.
• Communicate status and issues clearly to senior management and external stakeholders.

Skills

Project management

Environmental reporting

Written communication

Education

Licensed Professional Geologist (CA)

Geotechnical experience / CEG license

Experience with environmental regulatory oversight

Job description

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.

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.

Position Details

Job Code #: JC-533056

Position #(s): 810-513-3756-005

Working Title: Project Manager

Classification: ENGINEERING GEOLOGIST

$6,488.00 - $7,735.00 A

$7,428.00 - $9,296.00 B

$9,142.00 - $11,449.00 C

$9,754.00 - $12,215.00 D

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: Los Angeles County

Telework: Hybrid

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

Facility: Chatsworth Regional Office

Department Information

This position is located at DTSC’s Regional office in Chatsworth, CA.

The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is a member of the boards, departments, and offices (BDOs) 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!

Department Website: http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/

Job Description And Duties

DTSC’s Site Mitigation and Restoration Program is looking for highly qualified and motivated staff to assist with the investigation and remediation of contaminated properties in the Greater Los Angeles area. This Engineering Geologist position is primarily responsible for the day-to-day oversight of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill project located in Castaic as well as geologic and geotechnical review of submitted documents. This challenging site requires applying engineering, geotechnical, and regulatory expertise to ensure compliance with DTSC’s Imminent and Substantial Endangerment Determination and Order.

As an Engineering Geologist you will have the opportunity to:

• Serve as project manager to oversee all aspects of investigation and cleanup related to assigned hazardous waste/substance sites
• Plan and manage a workload consisting of multiple projects with overlapping deadlines to ensure all assignments are completed on time and within budget
• Prepare and maintain accurate project schedules to facilitate allocation of resources
• Prepare estimates for oversight costs for each assigned project and follow up with the Responsible Parties to ensure payment of invoices for billed activities
• Routinely update and maintain project information on existing sites in the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) EnviroStor database, including uploading major milestone documents to EnviroStor on a timely basis to ensure the most current/correct information is up to date
• Communicate internally and externally the status of assignments, recommendations, or issues and prepares clear written documents free of errors in grammar or punctuation for Senior/Exec management, external agencies, external stakeholders, local governments, or private parties

Desirable Qualifications We Look For

• Licensed in California as a Professional Geologist
• Geotechnical experience or a Certified Engineering Geologist license
• Experience assessing, investigating, or remediating properties with releases of hazardous substances
• Experience working for or under the oversight of an environmental regulatory agency
• Project management experience
• Experience with written and verbal science communication, including preparation of investigation, cleanup and/or Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment reports and work plans
• Experience working with landfill regulations or landfills experiencing subsurface elevated temperature events

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

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 for the hiring manager’s review. Applications submitted without an SOQ may be disqualified.

The SOQ should be no longer than 2 pages, Arial font size 12. Your response should reference this position’s Duty Statement.

Your SOQ Should Address The Following

• Please describe why you are the best candidate for this position. Include information about your experience managing environmental conditions at landfills, conducting geotechnical analysis, and investigation and remediation of hazardous substances releases at sites with high levels of public scrutiny.

Final Filing Date: 10/7/2026

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).