Watershed Protection Specialist I

San Diego County Water Authority; Oceanside (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Oceanside is seeking a Watershed Protection Specialist I to support Green Oceanside and the Water Utilities Department in protecting and improving waterways. The role focuses on watershed protection, regulatory guidance, and public-facing services for developers and property owners.

The ideal candidate will have foundational environmental experience and a Bachelor’s degree, with the ability to develop solutions and communicate effectively on environmental issues.

Qualifications

• Six months of experience in environmental science, environmental policy, environmental or civil engineering, hydrology, natural resource management or a related field.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher in biology, engineering, environmental science, environmental policy, resource management, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Leverage expertise to help meet the city’s long‑term watershed protection and waterway objectives.
• Promote and oversee best management practices in development and land improvements.
• Assist in the preparation of memos, staff reports, agreements and documentation for watershed, pollution, runoff and environmental issues.
• Provide public‑facing customer service to garner support for watershed protection goals, regulations & objectives.
• Provide service information, regulatory guidance and enforcement for Oceanside’s developers and property owners.

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Job description

The City of Oceanside is seeking a Watershed Protection Specialist I.

About Oceanside’s Water Utilities Department & Green Oceanside

The City of Oceanside is accepting applications for the position of Watershed Protection Specialist I. This program is a part of the City’s innovative Green Oceanside environmental division which oversees all aspects of the Watershed Protection, Water Use Efficiency, and Solid Waste & Recycling programs.

The Oceanside Water Utilities Department is a forward‑looking organization whose goal it is to ensure ongoing access to safe, affordable drinking water and to reliable wastewater management services by maintaining top talent, resource resiliency, dependability, and system efficiency.

About the position

Green Oceanside is seeking an environmentally‑focused problem solver who is capable of assisting programs within this dynamic group in the watershed protection initiative. The ideal candidate is someone who can proactively exercise creative initiative, develop and implement solutions to complex problems, and communicate with the public in an outreach‑centric role.

You should be excited about this opportunity because you will…

• Leverage your expertise to help meet the city’s long‑term watershed protection and waterway objectives.
• Promote and oversee best management practices in Oceanside’s development and land improvements.
• Affect change in official city policy by assisting the preparation of memos, staff reports, agreements and documentation for a variety of watershed, pollution, runoff and environmental issues.
• Be a part of a team who is passionate about protecting our ocean and waterways from urban, residential, commercial and agricultural runoff. Provide public‑facing customer service to garner support for watershed protection goals, regulations & objectives.
• Provide service information, regulatory guidance and enforcement for Oceanside’s many developers and property owners.

Experience and Training

Experience: Six months of experience in environmental science, environmental policy, environmental or civil engineering, hydrology, natural resource management or a related field.

Experience with water quality testing, storm water permit compliance, habitat restoration and management projects, or any other combination of environmental regulatory compliance experience is highly desirable.

Training

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s degree or higher, with major coursework preferably in the area of biology, engineering, civil and/or environmental engineering, environmental science, environmental policy, resource management, or a related field.