Assistant Water Resources Specialist I/II (Limited Term)

Salary ranges:

• Assistant Water Resources Specialist I: $118,060.80 - $151,049.60 annually
• Assistant Water Resources Specialist II: $130,312.00 - $166,795.20 annually

This is a full-time, 2-year limited-term position located at 5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA within the Watersheds Operations and Maintenance department.

About the role

Valley Water is seeking an Assistant Water Resources Specialist I/II (AWRS) to join the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Environmental Support Unit on a 2-year limited-term basis. This professional role provides technical, regulatory, and programmatic support for the implementation of the Stream Maintenance Program (SMP) and broader environmental services supporting Watersheds O&M. The position serves as a key technical resource for environmental compliance and project coordination to ensure successful delivery of Valley Water's highest-priority maintenance programs.

The AWRS performs environmental planning and compliance functions essential to implementing the SMP and other Watersheds O&M activities, including assisting with California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), state, and federal permit compliance. The role supports planning and execution of environmental monitoring activities such as water quality and sediment sampling, testing, and reporting to maintain regulatory compliance. The AWRS also coordinates environmental review schedules, prepares technical analyses, and supports implementation of maintenance projects within regulatory work windows.

About Valley Water

Valley Water is a public agency with an operating and capital budget of $964 million and over 900 employees. Headquartered in San Jose, Valley Water provides water supply, enhances streams and watersheds through creek restoration and habitat protection, provides flood protection for homes, schools, businesses, and roadways, and partners with other agencies to provide trails and open-space for the community.

Responsibilities

• Sediment characterization sampling, analysis, and planning for Watersheds O&M, SMP, and other Valley Water construction work, including physical sampling, consultant oversight, data interpretation, and coordination with project teams.
• Water quality monitoring of construction sites, including oversight of compliance, field visits, data input, analysis, and interpretation.
• Mitigation site monitoring and assessment, including input on mitigation planning, mapping, and next steps associated with program goals.
• Compliance checks and reporting, implementation of permit measures and conditions, documentation, correction, and reporting.
• Working in Oracle APEX database, Excel, and other documentation/analytical software programs.

Requirements

Ideal Experience

• Assistant Water Resources Specialist I: None specified.
• Assistant Water Resources Specialist II: Two (2) years of professional-level experience with responsibility for compliance with environmental permitting, water supply planning or distribution, groundwater management, mitigation of natural resource impacts, or hydrogeology.

Ideal Skills and Abilities

• Assistant Water Resources Specialist I:
  • Apply water resources principles, practices, concepts, and standards to water supply planning, operations, groundwater monitoring, contamination, protection, and water quality problems.
  • Perform arithmetic and statistical calculations.
  • Analyze, interpret, summarize, and present technical information and data effectively.
  • Interpret, apply, explain, and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and Valley Water resources policies.
  • Conduct water resources and natural resource research projects, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical reports.
  • Learn to independently conduct comprehensive water resources studies, investigations, and analyses.
  • Operate office equipment including computers and specialized software applications.
  • Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, and other written materials.
  • Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
  • Organize and prioritize multiple tasks effectively and meet critical deadlines.
  • Make sound, independent decisions within established policy and procedural guidelines.
  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Assistant Water Resources Specialist II (in addition to the above):
  • Train, organize, assign, and review the work of staff.
  • Independently conduct comprehensive water resources studies, investigations, and analyses.
  • Effectively represent the unit and Valley Water in meetings with governmental agencies, community groups, and various businesses, professional, and regulatory organizations.

Ideal Knowledge

• Assistant Water Resources Specialist I:
  • Principles, practices, concepts, and standards of water resources management, natural resource management, environmental planning, engineering, hydrogeology, geology, hydrology, hydraulics, and/or environmental sciences.
  • Principles and practices of numerical modeling and analysis, natural resource modeling, forecasting, risk analysis, and statistical analysis.
  • Principles, practices, theories, and methods of water supply planning, operations, groundwater monitoring, contamination, protection, water quality, and long-term water supply modeling.
  • Principles of mathematics and its application to water resources projects and programs.
  • Practices of researching water resources issues, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations, and preparing effective technical reports.
  • Techniques for effectively representing Valley Water in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various organizations.
  • Office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
  • English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
  • Principles and techniques for providing customer service.
  • Roles and responsibilities as defined in Valley Water's Injury and Illness Prevention Program.
  • Principles and practices of natural resources restoration such as lake-stream separation, fishery habitat restoration, wetland restoration, riparian habitat improvements, and aquatic habitat improvements.
• Assistant Water Resources Specialist II (in addition to the above):
  • Principles, practices, and responsibilities involved in leading the work of assigned staff.
  • Principles and practices of project budgeting, cost estimation, funding, project management, and contract administration.
  • Recent and ongoing water resources-related developments, including information technology, current literature, and sources of information.
  • Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned areas of responsibility.

Training and Education

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in water resources management, natural resources management, planning, civil or other field of engineering, geology, physical sciences, earth sciences, natural sciences, or a related field.

Schedule

This is a full-time, 2-year limited-term position. The assignment period may be adjusted as needed by Valley Water management.

• If internally hired and released prior to the end of the term, the appointee will be subject to Valley Water's reassignment process and/or applicable Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) layoff provisions.
• Internally hired limited-term appointees are covered by the applicable MOU and eligible for all pay and benefits described in the MOU.
• Externally hired limited-term appointees are considered "at-will" and may be terminated at any time with or without cause.

Benefits

Externally hired limited-term appointees are covered by the applicable MOU and eligible for all pay and benefits described in the MOU, with the following exceptions:

• Article 3, Section 10: Temporary Promotion Pay
• Article 3, Section 11: Out-of-Class Assignment
• Article 6, Section 4(D): Deferred Compensation (Limited-term appointees may participate in Valley Water's 457 deferred compensation program but are ineligible for Valley Water matching funds and participation in Valley Water's 401(a) plan)
• Article 8: Leaves of Absence (Valley Water will provide leave as required by law under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), California Family Rights Act (CFRA), and Pregnancy Disability Leave (PDL))
• Article 11: Workforce Development
• Article 12: Employee Performance/Evaluation
• Article 13: Classification
• Article 14: Discipline Process
• Article 16: Layoff

Required License or Certificate

Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver's license. Individuals who do not meet the driver's license requirement due to a disability will be considered for reasonable accommodation on a case-by-case basis.