Water Resource Control Engineer Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

Series established September 18, 1975

Scope

This series specification describes four levels of Engineers used at the State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards. Incumbents perform engineering duties related to the water quality and water rights programs of the Board; conduct or supervise investigations, inspections, studies, and preparation of surveys and reports; conduct, supervise, or manage the preparation of waste discharge requirements and permits, water rights hearings, permits, licenses, enforcement actions, and other work related to the implementation of Federal and State water quality and water rights laws and policies; review facilities' plans and engineering documentation for the construction of wastewater treatment plants under the State/Federal clean water grant program; advise and consult with Federal and local agencies involved in water quality control and water rights, often involving extensive public and professional contacts; may act as expert witnesses in Board or court actions. These classes are used as the primary engineering series by the State Water Resources Control Board and the Regional Boards.

Entry To the Series

Entry to the series is typically from outside of State service at the Water Resource Control Engineer level.

Factors Affecting Position Allocation

Complexity of assigned work; independence of action; consequence of error; impact of decisions on statewide programs; extent of supervisory and management responsibility; reporting relationships; extent of delegation from higher levels; and degree of independent decision-making responsibility.

Definition of Levels

Water Resource Control Engineer

This is the entry through journey levels of the series. Incumbents move through the ranges as competency and performance increases.

Range A is the entry and first working level in the class. Under close supervision, incumbents perform less difficult professional water quality control or water rights-related engineering work.

Range B is the intermediate working level. Under general supervision, incumbents perform professional water quality control or water rights-related engineering work of average difficulty.

Range C is the full (nonregistered) journey level in the class. Under direction, incumbents perform difficult professional water quality control or water rights-related engineering work. They may act as lead workers on projects of least to more difficult in complexity or be assigned staff specialist responsibilities in support of project managers or other technical or programmatic functions.

Range D is the full (registered) journey level in the class. Under direction, incumbents perform difficult professional water quality control or water rights-related engineering work. They may act as lead workers on more complex projects or be assigned technical staff responsibilities in support of project managers or other technical or programmatic functions. This level may be used in a lead capacity over other Water Resource Control Engineers or other professional or technical employees. Range D requires possession of a valid certificate of registration as a civil or professional engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers.

Senior Water Resource Control Engineer

The Senior Water Resource Control Engineer is either (1) the first line supervisor of a unit within a Division or Region; or (2) a nonsupervisory staff specialist assigned to perform the most complex and technical engineering assignments. The senior level is the first level to which administrative responsibility is assigned.

Supervising Water Resource Control Engineer (Supervisory)

The Supervising Water Resource Control Engineer (Supervisory) is the full supervisory level in the series. Positions supervise at least two or more major units of a Division at the State Board or a Regional Water Quality Control Board. Incumbents are responsible for the flow of work, the utilization of personnel, instruction of supervisory technical personnel, and the coordination of their activity with other organizational components. Supervising Water Resource Control Engineers (Supervisory) typically report to a Principal Water Resource Control Engineer, Division Chief, or Executive Officer.

Principal Water Resource Control Engineer

The Principal Water Resource Control Engineer either (1) assists the Chief of a Division at the State Board in developing policy; planning, directing, and coordinating the work of the division, in addition to being in charge of a branch with two or more major subdivisions; or (2) assists the Executive Officer of a Regional Board in developing policy; planning, directing, and coordinating the work of the Regional Board office, in addition to being in charge of two or more major subdivisions. In both settings, may act in the absence of the Division Chief/Regional Executive Officer.

Minimum Qualifications

All Levels:

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with a bachelors or advanced degree curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology with major work in environmental, chemical, sanitary, mechanical, agricultural, geotechnical, or civil engineering, or a related engineering discipline. (If the Accreditation Board accredits any engineering curriculum for Engineering in the institution from which the degree is earned, all engineering curricula from that institution will be considered accredited.) Possession of equivalent qualifications may be demonstrated by graduation from an unaccredited curriculum in any of the above specialized engineering fields, which includes the basic engineering courses normally covered in a standard four-year course, and by qualifying in a written examination covering water quality control engineering. (Registration as a Senior or graduate student in any of the above specialized engineering fields will admit the applicant to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation before they will be considered eligible for appointment.)

Senior Water Resource Control Engineer

Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a civil or professional engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. (Applicants who are not registered professional engineers will be admitted to the examination but must secure the certificate of registration before being considered for appointment.) and

Either I

Experience: Two years of experience performing the duties of a Water Resource Control Engineer, Range C or D, in the California state service.

Or II

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible professional experience in water quality control, water pollution control, sanitary, environmental, chemical, civil, or water rights engineering, or a related field (two years of which must have been supervisory or administrative experience requiring public or official contacts or at a level of responsibility comparable to that of a Water Resource Control Engineer, Range C or D, in the California state service).

Supervising Water Resource Control Engineer (Supervisory)

Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a civil or professional engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. and

Either I

Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a Senior Water Resource Control Engineer.

Or II

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible professional engineering experience in water quality management, water pollution control, sanitary, environmental, chemical, civil, or water rights engineering, or a related field (two years of which must have been supervising an engineering staff responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of a major portion of a water program at a level of responsibility comparable to that of a Senior Water Resource Control Engineer in the California state service).

Principal Water Resource Control Engineer

Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a civil or professional engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. and

Either I

Experience: Two years of experience in the California state service performing duties of a Supervising Water Resource Control Engineer (Supervisory).

Or II

Experience: Six years of increasingly responsible professional supervisory engineering experience in water quality management, water pollution control, sanitary, environmental, chemical, civil, or water rights, or a related field [two years of which must have been supervising an engineering staff responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of a major water program at a level of responsibility comparable to that of a Supervising Water Resource Control Engineer (Supervisory) in the California state service].

Knowledge and Abilities

Water Resource Control Engineer

Knowledge of: Principles of water quality control, water rights, and water resource management; environmental, chemical, civil, agricultural, geotechnical, and sanitary engineering principles relating to the treatment and disposal of sewage and industrial and other wastes; design of and construction of water and wastewater facilities; and physical, biological, and chemical factors relating to the control of water pollution and quality, and the management of surface and ground water.

Ability to: Evaluate cases of water quality degradation and pollution or nuisance conditions and make recommendations for their elimination and control; prepare, review, check, or interpret engineering reports, plans, estimates, and specifications for varied water and wastewater control facilities; conduct and/or have lead responsibilities over monitoring and surveillance activities; assist in conducting water quality and water rights oriented studies, and assist in the preparation of water quality control plans; dictate correspondence and prepare engineering reports; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action; establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the course of the work; communicate effectively; and interpret and apply the rules, regulations, and requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards.

Senior Water Resource Control Engineer

Supervising Water Resource Control Engineer (Supervisory)

Principal Water Resource Control Engineer

Knowledge of: All of the above, and the State Water Quality Control Act; principles, policies, regulations, and requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards; State and regional water quality control and water rights programs and related programs of other State and Federal agencies; bacteriological, biological, and chemical factors relating to the control of water pollution and quality, and the management of surface and ground water quality; the Board's Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; a manager's/supervisor's responsibility for promoting equal opportunity in hiring and employment development and promotion, and for maintaining a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment; methods and techniques of effective leadership; and California's legislative, budget, and general administrative processes.

Ability to: All of the above, and interpret and apply the State and Federal Water Quality Control Acts, water rights principles, and the policies, regulations, and requirements for the State Water Resources Control Board and Regional Water Quality Control Boards in all program areas; interpret engineering plans, estimates, and specifications; plan, organize, direct, and coordinate the work of others; direct major field investigations and surveys; conduct special studies; analyze technical data and prepare recommendations for the abatement or control of water pollution or nuisance; and effectively contribute to the Board's equal employment opportunity objectives.

Additional Desirable Qualification

All Levels:

Willingness to travel in performing fieldwork throughout the State.

Class History