Job Posting: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Department of Food & Agriculture
JC-518689
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
$4,418.00 - $9,321.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
Final Filing Date: 6/18/2026
Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job
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Job Description and Duties
Per CCR 249.3, this job control may be used to fill subsequent vacancies.
Under supervision of the Agriculture Program Supervisor II (APS), the Environmental Scientist (ES) is responsible for the scientific analysis and evaluation of regulatory operations and practices related to environmental health and food safety including, but not limited to, conducting investigations of regulated facilities as required and assuring conformance with state and federal laws and regulations governing the compliance of salmonella enteritidis (SE) reduction standards for shell eggs and egg products.
As an employee of the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), you are required to perform the "essential functions" of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. If you are interested in becoming part of a diverse and inclusive workforce where talent, experience, and expertise are valued, then CDFA is the place for you!!
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The CDFA does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.
Working Conditions
The duties of this position are conducted in-doors and out-doors at egg layer farms, egg production, and distribution facilities, retail facilities, CDFA locations and other locations as needed. The ES travels in-state and out-of-state often and to those establishments throughout an assigned geographical area to conduct investigations and inspections, and to conduct reviews on behalf of the United States Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration. Egg production and distribution facilities usually have wet, slippery floors, are noisy, and have many potential hazards such as moving equipment, heavy overhead structures, and sharp knives. Layer farms are often dusty and noisy. The ES duties also necessitate working in cold dry coolers, freezers, warm humid processing areas, and seasonal environmental conditions while inspecting buildings and surrounding property. Driving a State vehicle to various locations throughout the assigned area is required on a daily basis.
The incumbent must follow CDFA, Division, and Branch employee health and safety policies.
This position may/may not be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the CDFA and based on the current telework policy. While the CDFA supports telework where possible, in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksite with minimal notification if an urgent need arises, as determined by the Department
Minimum Requirements
You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.
Additional Documents
Position Details
Job Code #:
JC-518689
Position #(s):
014-141-0762-003
Working Title:
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Classification:
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
$4,418.00 - $6,035.00 A
$5,370.00 - $7,350.00 B
$6,796.00 - $9,321.00 C
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:
Sacramento County
Telework:
In Office
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
Department Information
The Mission of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is to safeguard a resilient food system and promote an equitable marketplace, cultivating a California grown food supply that is globally recognized for innovation, quality, and sustainability.
The Meat, Poultry and Egg Safety (MPES) Branch consists of two core functional areas: Meat, Poultry and Rendering and Egg Safety. MPES licenses, registers, and inspects meat processing establishments and meat and poultry slaughterhouses exempt from federal inspection, providing oversight to ensure that only wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled meat and poultry products are provided to the public and owners of the livestock and poultry. It also licenses, registers and inspects renderers, collection centers, transporters of inedible kitchen grease and inedible materials, and dead animal haulers. MPES, through the Egg Safety and Quality Management (ESQM) Program registers and inspects eggs at production, wholesale, and retail levels to make sure eggs sold in California are wholesome, properly labeled, refrigerated, and of established quality.
Special Requirements
A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required and must be submitted with your Employment Application (STD. 678). Applications received without an appropriate SOQ based on the instructions below may be disqualified from this recruitment. Resumes, cover letters, and other documents will not be considered in lieu of the SOQ. The SOQ instructions and questions are below:
Please respond to all questions below.
1.What types of experience have you had collecting and analyzing data? How much of this experience was done in the field or a laboratory?
2.What types of experience have you had with food safety compliance or enforcement?
3.What experience have you had with foodborne illness, outbreak, and hazard response?
4.What experience have you had developing new methods or procedures and/or revising existing methods or procedures?
5.What experience do you have in coordinating an inspection schedule that requires travel to multiple locations?
6.What experience or education do you have regarding interpreting regulation and guidance?
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: 6/18/2026
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).
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 www.CalCareers.ca.gov. 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 Food & Agriculture
Attn: Human Resources Branch JC-518689
1220 N Street, Room 242
Sacramento, CA 95814
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Food & Agriculture
Attn: Human Resources Branch JC- 518689
1220 N Street, Room 242
Sacramento, CA 95814
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:
A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required and must be submitted with your Employment Application (STD. 678). Please see the Special Requirements section for the SOQ details.
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
Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.
Contact Information
The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.
Hiring Unit Contact:
Rachel Andrade
(916) 203-2588
Rachel.Andrade@cdfa.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:
EEO Office
(916) 654-1005
civil_rights@cdfa.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.
Additional Information
Employment History on the STD 678 (State Application) must be complete and include dates, accurate hours per week, total time worked, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. Resumes or other documents cannot substitute for a completed state application. Applicants who fail to submit a completed STD 678 may be disqualified.
Please do not include any confidential information such as social security number, marital status, ethnicity, age, salary or disability information on any of the documentation uploaded with your online application.
If the classification you are applying for has an education requirement, transcripts will be required to verify you meet the minimum qualifications of the classification. Please be sure to redact any confidential information before uploading your transcripts.
Upon hire you may be required to provide official sealed transcripts or an original degree or certificate.
Applicants with foreign degrees may be asked to provide an official foreign transcript evaluation which indicates course work is equivalent to a degree from an accredited U.S. College or University.
This position may require a medical clearance.
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.