Job Description

Job Description and Duties

The mission of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) is to restore, protect and enhance the enviornment and to ensure public health, environmental quality, and economic vitality.  The Office of the Secretary (OOS) heads CalEPA by overseeing and coordinating the activities of one office, two boards, and three departments (BDOs) dedicated to improving California’s environment. CalEPA fufills its mission by developing, implementing, and enforcing environmental laws that regulate air, water and soil quality, pesticide use, and waste recycling and reduction.

The Legal Unit is part of the Office of the Secretary. Its mission is to provide the highest quality legal advice and representation to the Office of the Secretary on a variety of complex topics related to enviromental regulation including, but not limited to: adoption, interpretation, implementation, and enforcement of State and federal environmental and administrative laws and regulations, litigation in conjunction with the California Attorney General's Office, personnel matters, contracts, conflicts of interest, hearing procedures, and proposed legislation. The Legal Unit provides legal assistance and coordinates legal and enforcement matters across its BDOs, coordinates with other state and local agencies, and engages with public stakeholders as appropriate.

Under the supervision and the general direction of the Deputy Secretary for Law Enforcement and Counsel and Assistant General Counsels, the Senior Staff Attorney IV is responsible for independently providing verbal and written legal advice to OOS and coordinating with and assisting CalEPA BDOs on a variety of complex legal issues and emerging areas of the law, including but not limited to: litigation matters of CalEPA and its BDOs, environmental enforcement efforts at the state and federal levels, and general legal and administrative tasks (such as those to comply with the Public Records Act, Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, state contracting laws and regulations, and conflicts of interest law, among others). The tasks include independently providing oral and written advice, providing strategic advice to guide litigation, reviewing documents, performing legal research, drafting and reviewing legal memorandum and correspondence, coordinating with other agency and BDO counsel, and performing a variety of related legal tasks. This position will require the attorney to apply negotiation and litigation experience, advocacy, and analytical skills in a variety of situations that may arise. This position presents an exciting opportunity to join a collaborative, inter-disciplinary team dedicated to protecting public health and the environment.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

The positions at the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) may be eligible for hybrid in-office work and in-state telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position under Government Code 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California. Employees not residing in California are not eligible for telework. Telework is subject to the candidate meeting telework eligibility criteria set forth in the current CalEPA telework policy and/or future program need. Employees may be required to report to the position’s designated headquarters location at their own expense, as indicated on their duty statement. 

Effective July 1, 2025, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025). PLP 2025 directs that each employee shall receive a 3 percent reduction in pay in exchange for 5 hours PLP 2025 leave credits, monthly. The salary range(s) included in the job advertisement do not reflect the 3 percent reduction in pay. 

• Position located in a high-rise building. 
• Requires being stationary, consistent with office work, for extended periods. 
• Standard office environment (artificial lighting, controlled temperature, etc.)   
• Daily use of a personal computer, office equipment, and/or telephone. 

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a(n) The California State Bar License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired.

Applicants must include a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for this recruitment. The SOQ is a narrative discussion prepared by the applicant describing how their skills, knowledge, abilities, education, training, and experience qualify them for the position. The SOQ documents each candidate’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. Candidates whose applications do not include the required SOQ will not be considered for this position. Cover letters and resumes do not take the place of the SOQ. 

• Require Name on SOQ 
• Maximum number of pages: 3 (Arial font, 12 point, single spaced, 1-inch margins) 

Describe your education, training, experience, and skills that enable you to perform the duties listed in the Duty Statement.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

Candidates should have a desire to advance the underlying objectives of CalEPA to protect and enhance California's public health and the environment. Candidates should have the ability to work with high-level government officials and staff from other regulatory agencies, as well as experience dealing with members of the public, technical staff, and other public agencies.Candidates should be familiar with the functioning of administrative agencies in State government. Candidates should have civil litigation experience in state and/or federal court. Environmental litigation is preferred.

Among other qualifications, the most competitive applicants will be able to:

• Show strong knowledge of state and federal environmental laws, administrative and/or constitutional law, and general state government laws and policies (e.g., Public Records Act, Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, Political Reform Act, State Contracting Manual (SCM), Statewide Information Management Manual (SIMM), California Environmental Quality Act).
• Have litigation experience in state and federal courts.
• Have enforcement experience and an enforcement mindset.
• Have excellent writing, research, and organizational skills.
• Present statements of fact, law, and arguments clearly and logically in written and oral form.
• Communicate clearly, effectively, and professionally to technical, lay, and policy-oriented audiences.
• Analyze issues arising under federal, State, and local laws and effectively provide clear recommendations on complex multidisciplinary issues.
• Work quickly and effectively under pressure to identify issues, develop solutions, and produce products within a short timeframe.
• Draft rules and regulations and proposed legislative measures.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

• Nearby (third-party) parking
• Gym 
• Daycare facility (third-party)
• Convenient to public transportation  

Experience and Education

For experience/education to qualify during the application screening process and to ensure that minimum qualifications can be determined, applicants should include all employment history on the Employment Application (STD 678), including detailed job descriptions, hours worked per week, and start/end dates (MM/DD/YYYY). Application packages without this information may experience delayed processing times, and your eligibility for this position may be impacted.

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must submit a copy of your transcript or diploma.  Applicants who completed their education outside the United States (with foreign degrees/transcripts) must obtain and submit verification of the United States course/degree equivalency.

Foreign education credential evaluation services can be found at

Failure to submit all the required documentation will result in an incomplete application and disqualification from consideration for this position.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Other - Cover Letter
• Statement of Qualifications - Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) - Please see the Special Requirements section of this job advertisement for detailed instructions for the SOQ submission. 

Job Tags

Permanent employment, Full time, Work at office, Local area, Remote work,

Similar Jobs