Job Details

Senior Water Resources Specialist (2 Positions)

Position Number: 9839700
Location: San Jose, United States
Position Type: Science - Other Science

Senior Water Resources Specialist (2 Positions)

Valley Water

Salary: $170,913.60 - $218,753.60 Annually

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 02020-E

Location: 5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA, CA

Department: Watersheds Operations and Maintenance

Closing: 9/28/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

Overview

Valley Water is recruiting for two Senior Water Resources Specialists to provide supervisory and technical leadership for environmental services supporting Watersheds Operations and Maintenance (O&M). Together, these positions will lead the environmental planning, permitting, biological support, and compliance work necessary to maintain more than 350 miles of streams while supporting flood protection, infrastructure reliability, environmental stewardship, and regulatory compliance.

Candidates may be considered for one or both assignments based on their experience and interests.

Environmental Planning and Compliance Lead

This position will lead Watersheds O&M environmental planning, administration, and compliance. Main areas include the Stream Maintenance Program (SMP), CEQA and environmental compliance, permit implementation and renewal, mitigation commitments, Notices of Proposed Work, Annual Summary Reports, agency coordination, and alignment of regulatory deliverables with annual maintenance schedules.

Biological Services and Compliance Lead

This position will lead biological service delivery for Watersheds O&M and supported Water Utility O&M work. Main areas include SMP and non-SMP, project screening, habitat and species assessments, preconstruction surveys, construction monitoring, technical determinations, biological incident response, mitigation monitoring and support, reporting requirements, Valley Habitat Plan packages, and implementation of permit and environmental document requirements.

Our Commitment:
We are committed to building and sustaining a working environment where all individuals are respected and valued. We believe every member of our team brings unique perspectives that enhance our ability to serve the public effectively. By fostering a workplace with employees from the communities we serve, we broaden our collective understanding of the world around us and strengthen our mission to equitably provide safe, clean water, natural flood protections, and environmental stewardship.

About Valley Water:
Valley Water's mission is to provide Santa Clara County with safe, clean water for a healthy life, environment, and economy. The FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget of $1.284 billion supports approximately 876 employees. With headquarters in San Jos, Valley Water provides water supply, enhances streams and watersheds through creek restoration and habitat protection, provides flood protection for homes, schools, businesses and roadways, and partners with other agencies to provide trails and open space for the community.

Who We Are:
To learn how Valley Water provides safe, clean water and environmental stewardship for the Santa Clara community, please click here

Key Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Supervise professional staff; establish priorities and work plans; assign and review work; provide technical guidance; develop employees; and complete performance evaluations.
Coordinate with project managers, engineers, field crews, contractors, consultants, environmental staff, and regulatory agencies to resolve issues or delays.
Manage high risk environmental work within narrow seasonal and regulatory work windows and provide clear, timely, and defensible direction.
Oversee technical quality, documentation, data tracking, consultant work, and required environmental or regulatory reporting.

Ideal Candidate's Background Includes:

Applicants whose experience and background best match the ideal experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and education are considered ideal candidates for the position. To determine the top candidates, each applicant will be assessed based on the ideal candidate criteria as listed below.

Ideal Experience

Six years of professional level experience in environmental permitting and compliance, mitigation of natural resource impacts, stream stewardship or maintenance, biological services, or related water resources work.
Experience leading complex environmental programs or projects with multiple stakeholders, constrained schedules, regulatory risk, and interdependent deliverables.
Experience supervising (desired not required) or leading professional environmental or biological staff and balancing planned, urgent, and emergency work.
For the planning assignment: substantial experience with CEQA, permits, mitigation, regulatory reporting, program administration, and agency coordination.
For the biological assignment: substantial experience with biological review, surveys, monitoring, protected species and habitats, avoidance measures, technical report writing, field decisions, and incident response.

Ideal Skills and Abilities

Exercise sound independent judgment and translate complex requirements into clear direction for staff, project teams, and contractors.
Lead and develop professional staff, manage competing priorities, maintain accountability, and provide timely technical quality control.
Build productive working relationships and develop practical solutions with internal partners, regulators, consultants, and interested parties.
Prepare and review clear, concise, accurate, and defensible technical documents, reports, correspondence, and recommendations.
Plan and manage schedules, budgets, consultant contracts, program risks, data, and regulatory deliverables.

Ideal Knowledge

CEQA and applicable federal, state, and local environmental laws and permits for stream, flood risk reduction, infrastructure, and O&M work.
For the planning assignment: environmental review, permit administration, mitigation planning, regulatory reporting, and program management.
For the biological assignment: Santa Clara County special-status species, nesting birds, general wildlife, fisheries, wetlands, riparian habitat, survey and monitoring methods, avoidance and minimization measures, Valley Habitat Plan, and biological documentation.

Ideal Training and Education

Graduation from an accredited four year college or university with major coursework in water resources management, natural resources management, planning, biology, ecology, environmental science, civil or other engineering, geology, physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, or a field related to the assigned functional area.

Required License or Certificate

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver's license. Individuals who do not meet the driver's license requirement due to a disability will be considered for a reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.

To review the Classification Specification, please click here (Download PDF reader)

Operations & Maintenance Environmental Support Unit (Position Code 707 & 602)
Valley Water Telework Program: Eligibility for telework will depend on the type of work performed, operational needs, and the ability for the employee to perform the essential functions of their job duties while teleworking. Employment with Valley Water requires employees to live within 150 miles of their primary physical work location located in San Jose, California by their start date.

This position is eligible for a hybrid telework schedule, typically working 40% remote and 60% onsite.

Selection Process

(1) The selection process may include one or more of the following: application review, application assessment, performance exercise, written exercise and/or interview.
(2) The Employment Application, Qualifying Information Questions and/or Supplemental Questions will be evaluated based on the ideal candidate criteria listed above. Resumes are highly recommended.

NOTE: Position and start date is subject to availability of funds. Valley Water retains the right to repost this position as deemed necessary.
Consideration may be given to existing applicant pools within the same classification.
Valley Water's Equal Opportunity Non-Discrimination Policy is available for review upon request.

Valley Water will make reasonable efforts in the examination process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please advise Human Resources in advance of any special needs by calling 408-630-2260.

Please be aware that once submitted all application materials become the property of Valley Water and will not be returned. Human Resources staff are not authorized to make copies of application materials for applicants.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/scvwd/jobs/5486987/senior-water-resources-specialist-2-positions