Water Conservation Specialist
Salary
$51,989.33 - $73,154.21 Annually
Location
Sacramento, CA
Job Type
Full-Time Career
Job Number
016975-26-DOU
Department
Utilities
Division
Water Policy & Regional Plan
Opening Date
07/05/2026
Closing Date
7/26/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
THE POSITION
The Water Conservation Specialist's primary duties include scheduling and conducting Water Wise House/Business Calls, as well as pre and post inspections involving incentive programs, including but not limited to the following: turfgrass conversion projects, irrigation efficiency upgrade projects and smart irrigation controller installations.
IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT
The ideal candidate for the Water Conservation Specialist position will have a strong analytical skillset, can work independently, and is highly motivated to engage with customers at outreach events or by appointment to help them use water more efficiently both inside and outside the home or business. Knowledge of the City's water conservation services and rebates is preferred in the ideal candidate.
Under general supervision, the Water Conservation Specialist performs a variety of specialized duties in support of the Citys water conservation programs; promotes water conservation and monitors water consumption; conducts field inspections and investigations to assure compliance with the Citys water conservation ordinances, codes, policies, regulations, and water efficient guidelines; and may assist in researching, compiling, and reviewing water efficiency data and cost-effectiveness information.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is a journey level class populated with multiple incumbents. Incumbents must work independently and exercise technical judgment in both field and administrative roles on a daily basis. The Water Conservation Specialist is distinguished from the Water Conservation Supervisor in that the latter is responsible for planning, directing, and supervising the employees and water conservation activities. This class is distinguished from the class of Water Conservation Representative in that the latter is responsible for investigating reports of water waste and assisting with water conservation education and outreach programs and may read water meter on assigned routes and perform duties related to reading meters.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge of:
Ability to:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Education:
Successful completion of twelve (12) semester or fifteen (15) quarter units of coursework in water conservation, irrigation technology, landscape architecture, agriculture industry, environmental sciences, or closely related field from an accredited college or university.
Experience:
Four years of experience working with the public, including one year of irrigation scheduling, irrigation system installation, and/or maintenance or closely related fieldwork involving landscape design, industrial water processing, water distribution, water treatment, or water quality.
Substitution:
An additional year of experience in irrigation scheduling, irrigation system installation, and/or maintenance or closely related fieldwork involving landscape design, industrial water processing, water distribution, water treatment, or water quality may substitute for the required education.
PROOF OF EDUCATION
Should education be used to qualify for this position, then proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.
An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credentials evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
Driver License:
Possession of a valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of appointment. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to physical disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Certification:
PROBATIONARY PERIOD
Employees must complete twelve (12) months probation at a satisfactory performance level prior to gaining permanent status.
THE SELECTION PROCEDURE
Please note, the City of Sacramentos preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders. All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the governmentjobs.com applicant inbox.
Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:
If applicants do not list current and/or past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).
If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.
Proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted online with your application. Proof of education will be required at time of appointment.
Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
If you're requesting Veteran's credit, a copy of your DD214 must be submitted online with your application or emailed to the Employment Office by the final filing deadline. Information regarding the use of Veteran's credit can be found in the Civil Service Board rules under rule 4.9C.
Applicants are responsible for attaching a copy of their DD214 to each position for which they apply.
Eligibility: Candidates who pass the Training and Experience Test will be placed on the eligible list. The hiring department may contact candidates for interview at any time during the life of the one-year list. Candidate's eligibility expires one year from the date of notification of a passing score for the Water Conservation Specialist examination.
Screening Committee: (Pass/Fail)- All candidates that pass the examination and are in one of the top three ranks will have their application forwarded to the hiring department for review. The hiring department will select the most competitive applications for further consideration. Human Resources will only evaluate employment applications for the minimum qualifications, as stated on the job announcement, for applications selected by the hiring department.
Conditional Hire: Upon receipt of a conditional offer, the selected candidate must complete and pass Live Scan/fingerprinting. If applicable, candidates may also need to pass a pre-employment medical exam, controlled substance and/or alcohol test, and possess any required licensure or certification prior to receiving a start date from the Department. Failure to meet these prerequisites will be grounds for withdrawal of your conditional offer of employment.
QUESTIONS:
For questions concerning this job announcement and the application process:
Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? Thats right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.
Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employees Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicants eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento 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.
Additional Information
Civil Service Rules: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/CivilServiceBoardRules62012.pdf
Union Contracts:https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/labor-agreements.html
Salary Schedule: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/SalarySchedule.pdf
01
APPLICATION: I understand my application must meet the minimum qualifications for consideration of employment with the City of Sacramento. The experience I list in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section of the employment application will be used to determine if I meet the minimum qualifications as stated on the job announcement. A resume, responses to the supplemental questions requiring a narrative response, employment history listed elsewhere in the application or attachments will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section of the employment application. Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week). Please refer to the City of Sacramentos Applicant Resources Page for Screening Instructions: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/employment
02
PROOF OF EDUCATION: To qualify for this classification you may use education or experience as listed in the substitution option to provide required knowledge, skills, and abilities. I understand proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with my application and will be required at the time of appointment if I am using education to qualify for this position. Please refer to the City of Sacramentos Proof of Education Requirements (https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/employment) for information on accepted documentation.
03
EDUCATION CONFIRMATION: If I am using education to qualify for this position, I attest I possess or will possess completion of twelve (12) semester or fifteen (15) quarter units of coursework in water conservation, irrigation technology, landscape architecture, agriculture industry, environmental sciences, or closely related field from an accredited college or university by time of appointment if I am selected for this position.
04
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE: The answers to the questions below will be reviewed by the hiring department along with the information provided in your employment application. Therefore, your answers must be consistent with your employment application information (especially in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections), must be unambiguous, and must contain sufficient but concise detail and organization. A resume will not be accepted in lieu of completing this Supplemental Questionnaire. Lack of clarity, incomplete or inconsistent information, and/or disorganized presentation may negatively affect the hiring departments review of your Supplemental Questionnaire. I understand and agree to the above instructions.
05
Related to your skills, education, and experience, describe why you are the best candidate for the Water Conservation Specialist position.
06
Describe your experience giving presentations and working outreach events. Also, discuss your process to get ready for a presentation.
07
What is your approach when dealing with a customer or co-worker that disagrees with you?
08
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE EXAMINATION: The following questions are the Training and Experience (T&E) Examination. In addition to the City of Sacramento employment application, applicants must complete and submit online responses to the T&E questions. This exam will evaluate the relevance, level, and progression of a candidates education, training and experience. Therefore, your responses to the T&E Exam questions should be thorough and complete because the exam score will determine your ranking on the eligible list for this job. In accordance with the City of Sacramentos Racial and Gender Equity Action Plan (RGEAP), this examination contains non-binary names and pronouns. For additional information regarding the Citys RGEAP, please copy and paste the following link into a web browser: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/Divisions/ode/workforce-equity-documents/Full-RGEAP.pdf I understand and agree to the above instructions.
09
Select the one option that best describes your experience monitoring water consumption for compliance with water ordinances, codes, policies, regulations and water efficiency guidelines or other related regulatory programs.
10
Select the one option that best describes your experience evaluating residential and/or commercial irrigation systems for water efficiency, which included working with pumps, valves, and/or controller programming.
11
Select the one option that best describes your experience giving presentations or administering programs/projects for community groups to create and promote water use efficiency or other related environmental programs.
12
Select the one option that best describes your experience explaining processes or procedures to customers in response to their questions or complaints.
Required Question
Employer City of Sacramento
Address 915 I Street
Historic City Hall
Sacramento, California, 95814-2604
Phone (916) 808-5726