Do you have a passion for protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of our natural resources? The Central Coast Water Board is seeking an experienced, knowledgeable, and motivated Environmental Scientist to join our team in San Luis Obispo, California. In this position, you will play a critical role as our region’s scientific expert on surface water quality issues with a focus on developing total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and accompanying implementation plans to address the complex impacts of pesticides, nutrients, toxins, and other pollutants to water quality and human health.
The Environmental Scientist will focus on developing TMDL projects using new or emerging science for pesticides and associated toxicity, nutrients, biological indicators (e.g., bacteria indicators, harmful algal bloom species and associated algal toxins, benthic invertebrate species, bioaccumulation in sport fish and prey fish, etc.), and molecular detection of biological indicators. This position will study the toxicity of pollutants to assess their impact on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. The Environmental Scientist will also be tasked with reviewing peer-reviewed scientific research and designing novel approaches to develop numeric thresholds for pesticides, nutrients, and other toxic pollutants for TMDLs, planning documents, or other regulatory mechanisms that protect water quality. Applicants with particular interest in pesticides and pesticide-related-toxicity are strongly encouraged to apply.