ABOLISHED 07/06/2017 PER PAY LETTER 17-25 - Senior Environmental Research Scientist (Specialist)
California State Personnel Board Specification
Schematic Code: BG93
Class Code: 6167
Established: 5/6/86
Revised: 6/20/13
Title Changed: 6/26/90
Definition
As a staff specialist, incumbents are expected to maintain a high level of scientific expertise in environmental hazards assessment, pest management, biological control, or human health and safety; act as the senior staff expert in a difficult or complex area of environmental hazards and agricultural science; plan, organize, and conduct applied and/or basic research of the most complex nature; develop, oversee, and monitor research done under contract by other agencies; provide a senior level of technical training or other technical staff support in areas such as: legislation, rule and regulation promulgation, or policy development, or in technical contract administration; provide a high level of technical consultation to other governmental agencies, agricultural groups, the pesticide industry, or other groups; and may design and coordinate the implementation of legislation including regulation and report writing.
Typical Tasks
Professional responsibilities of individuals working in either environmental monitoring and air pollution, biological control, pest management, or health and safety. Incumbents in these classes perform research and technical studies pertaining to the impact of pesticides and pesticide use on the environment, on biological control of pests, on pest management, and on health and safety; design and conduct scientific research to develop monitoring, analytical, computer-generated graphical, modeling, and statistical methods to be used in quantifying levels of environmental contaminants, including microbial organisms, and human exposure to chemical pesticides; assess ecological, agricultural, and health and safety impacts; define exposure conditions and receptor response; determine the fate of contaminants; negotiate and develop extramural research contracts and agreements; review and evaluate research results; perform scientific research for other agencies on a contractual basis; consult with other agencies and institutions engaged in related research; analyze experimental or monitoring data with appropriate computer processing and statistical analyses and evaluate the validity of results; carry out programs for the dissemination of biological control agents; develop and disseminate health and safety, air pollution, and environmental monitoring pesticide quality standards; design or define needed equipment or instrumentation; calibrate, operate, and maintain instruments and other equipment; coordinate activities with and train the staff of collaborating agencies and others; design and coordinate the implementation of legislation; make presentations; write reports, documents, and technical research publications; and do other related work.
The term "research", as applied to this class series, is characterized in part by the following attributes:
1. Application of the scientific method including definition of the nature and scope of the problem; development of hypotheses for study, design, and execution of experiments or investigations; analysis and interpretation of findings; and documentation and appropriate dissemination of results.
2. A requirement for the exercise of creativity and critical judgment in recognizing and selecting appropriate problems for study, in selecting or revising appropriate methods for study and analysis, and interpreting results to achieve maximum understanding of the applicability to the problem.
Minimum Qualifications
Either I
Experience: Three years of journey-level professional research experience in health and safety, environmental contaminant, pest management, or biological control studies gained after obtaining a master's degree. and
Education: Possession of a Master's Degree in Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biochemistry, Earth Sciences, Toxicology, Meteorology, Physics, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Entomology, Plant Pathology, or related agricultural sciences from an accredited college or university or an equivalent degree approved by the California Superintendent of Public Instruction under the provisions of California Education Section 94310.2.
Or II
Experience: One year of professional research experience in health and safety studies, environmental contaminant, pest management, or biological control studies gained after obtaining a doctoral degree. and
Education: Possession of a Doctoral Degree or its equivalent in Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Biochemistry, Earth Sciences, Toxicology, Meteorology, Physics, Statistics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Entomology, Plant Pathology, or related agricultural sciences from an accredited college or university or an equivalent degree approved by the California Superintendent of Public Instruction under the provisions of California Education
Section 94310.2.
Knowledge and Abilties
Knowledge of: General knowledge of scientific disciplines (physical, biological, mathematical, and environmental) pertinent to the study of pest management, or biological control, or pesticides and pollutants and their effects on health and safety and the environment, monitoring and calibration techniques, computer applications, statistics, biological receptor responses and basic research principles; principles and procedures of pesticide application and management; principles and procedures necessary to identify and define the environmental fate of various pollutants and agricultural chemicals; principles and procedures of pest management and biological control; plant-chemical interactive effects; provisions of the California Food and Agricultural Code pertaining to environmental hazards assessment, health and safety, pest management, and biological control; and techniques of effective research project management. A high degree of expertise in environmental hazards assessment, pest management, or biological control; research, evaluation and reporting methods.
Ability to: Compile and analyze data on presence and dynamic behavior of pesticide residues in air, water, soil, vegetation, human and animal tissues; compile and analyze data on agricultural and non-agricultural pests and their control; assess data on effects of air pollutants and interactions of pesticides and air pollutants on human, vegetation, and other environmental components; apply scientific methods and principles; analyze data and reach sound conclusions using appropriate methods including statistics, computer processing and modeling; analyze situations and take effective action; work cooperatively with others; prepare clear, complete, and technically accurate research reports; communicate effectively; develop studies of pollution and pesticide monitoring methods; plan, organize, and implement studies on environmental contaminants, health and safety effects, pest management or biological control; make presentations; coordinate and lead the work of others, or coordinate technical phases of smaller monitoring projects; scientifically evaluate and review data; develop appropriate solutions and recommend effective courses of action and perform highly specialized and/or difficult research and monitoring studies using analytical statistical computer processing and modeling; develop innovative solutions for difficult environmental hazards assessment, pest management, or biological control problems; coordinate the work of the program with other units, programs, or agencies; and develop program policies.
Additional Desirable Qualifications
In appraising the relative qualifications of candidates, consideration will be given to those applicants possessing in-depth knowledge of an Environmental Hazards, pest management, or biological control specialty or discipline. A record demonstrating expertise in this specialty including publications of scientific papers, oral presentation at professional meetings, participation in seminars, etc., over and above the "Minimum Qualifications", will be given additional consideration.
Special Characteristic
Willingness to travel throughout the State.
