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Job Description
At Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, we deliver pure reliable water to regions serving 19 million people—and to accomplish this, we rely on a team of Talented Employees: innovators, problem-solvers, and collaborators who make it all possible.
In this role, you’ll serve as the Associate Environmental Specialist. As the Associate Environmental Specialist, you’ll report directly to the Team Manager of Operational Regulatory Services and serves as a regulatory specialist supporting water quality and environmental studies and projects, with a primary focus on analyzing and interpreting water quality legislation and regulations. The incumbent must be proficient in state and federal regulations such as the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and California-specific environmental regulations. Responsibilities include monitoring and summarizing pertinent legislative and regulatory developments, developing proposed positions, and evaluating their impact on Metropolitan and its member agencies.
This position is a journey level position performing Associate Environmental Specialist job duties. You will be responsible for planning, preparing, conducting, coordinating, and monitoring environmental studies and programs in accordance with federal and state environmental laws and regulations, including the California Environmental Quality Act, California Fish and Game Code, Clean Water Act, and federal and state endangered species acts. You will develop plans and procedures for compliance with federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations; prepare and review environmental documents and permit applications; monitor quality of work products and project scope, budget, and schedule; oversee consultant work products; prepare environmental specifications and review construction drawings; coordinate with regulatory agencies; and develop and implement mitigation monitoring plans for capital projects and operations and maintenance activities. You will plan and carry out the successive steps and handle problems and deviations in the work assignment in accordance with instructions, policies, previous training, or accepted practices in the occupation. You may act as a lead and may coordinate and review work assignments of employees performing the same general work as the lead on a day-to-day basis. Your responsibilities may involve solving problems and providing instructions on work procedures.
What You’ll Do
• Prepares internal briefings, including memos, board letters and presentations.
• Work on regulations affecting water system operations, including those related to water quality and treatment, hazardous materials, air quality, recycled water, and environmental, health and safety.
• Collaborates with various groups throughout Metropolitan including Operations, Water Quality, External Affairs, Water Resources, Safety, and Legal.
• Represents Metropolitan at public meetings, workgroups, and industry forums.
Who We’re Looking For
• A liaison to member agencies, trade associations, and regulatory agencies.
• A subject matter expert (SME) in assigned areas to enhance team efficiency and reduce review burden across the organization.
• An Associate Environmental Specialist who’s experienced in environmental laws and regulations including, but not limited to, state and federal Safe Drinking Water Act, Indirect and Direct Potable Reuse regulations, California Fish and Game Code, Clean Water Act, and federal and state Endangered Species Acts.
• An Associate Environmental Specialist whose experience includes preparing internal briefings such as memos, board letters, and presentation materials, and reviewing and analyzing regulations affecting water system operations, including those related to drinking water, hazardous materials, air quality, and recycled water.
• An Associate Environmental Specialist whose experience include preparation of technical reports, and regulatory permit applications and project management experience to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
• An effective communicator who can collaborate with teams.
What You’ll Find Working Here
• Be part of Metropolitan’s mission to ensure safe and reliable water for the region, not just for today, but for generations ahead.
• You’ll help sustain life for millions while working alongside passionate professionals dedicated to innovation, environmental stewardship, and community impact.
• In addition to a meaningful mission, Metropolitan offers competitive starting salaries, comprehensive benefits options, pension through CALPERS and more (see below for the full benefits list)
This job announcement has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by employees in this classification / job.
To view the full job description click here: Associate Environmental Specialist
Schedule: 9/80 Monday through Friday /Every other Friday off. Monday through Thursday 9 hours per day, 8 hours per day every other Friday. Start times are no earlier than 6 am and end times are no later than 6 pm.
Hybrid: Metropolitan’s current practice in this position is a hybrid work schedule. This typically includes two days a week in person and the other days remote. This is subject to change dependent on organizational needs. In addition, a telework policy is scheduled for negotiations and once completed and implemented, will provide final direction on the hybrid schedule.
EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field and four years of relevant experience; or two years in an MWD Assistant Environmental Specialist II classification; or Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field and two years of relevant experience.
A degree (Bachelors or Masters) in a related field is defined as: Environmental Science, Environmental Studies, Geography, Biology, Environmental Planning, or other directly related environmental or social sciences degree.
Relevant Experience is defined as: Experience with environmental laws and regulations including, but not limited to, the California Environmental Quality Act, California Fish and Game Code, Clean Water Act, and federal and state endangered species acts. Experience should include preparation of California Environmental Quality Act documents, technical reports, and regulatory permit applications; construction/mitigation monitoring and implementation of permit conditions and mitigation monitoring plans; and project management experience to ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES, AND REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
License(s): Valid California Class C Driver’s License or equivalent (required at time of application) that allows you to drive during your employment.
CLOSING
Benefits:
• Competitive compensation
• Excellent medical, dental, life, vision plans.
• Deferred compensation in the form of a 401(k) plan (with matching contribution) and a 457 plan.
• Retirement benefits under the California Public Employees' Retirement System
• Tuition reimbursement
• Training and advancement opportunities
• Excellent working environment
• On-site fitness center
• Hub of public transportation: rail, subway, buses, and taxis
• Public transportation reimbursements
For more information on MWD benefits, please use the following link: Benefits Regular FT PT Employees (Represented)
ABOUT MWD
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, provides water for 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Qualified individuals with disabilities, who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process, please call (213) 217-7738 or email: jobs@mwdh2o.com.
Metropolitan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic(s).
Application Filing Period: Closes at 4:30 pm PST on the date stated in the job announcement. However, it may close prior to the filing end date if sufficient applications have been received. If sufficient applications have not been received, then the filing period end date may be extended.
Qualifying Experience: Your resume must at a minimum include the month and year you began and ended employment, name of the organization, your title, and a brief description of your experience. If your employment was part-time, make sure you identify it on your resume next to the month/year.
Sponsorship: Applicants for employment with The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California must have work authorization that does not now or in the future require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the United States (i.e., H1-B or other employment-based immigration case).
Closing Date/Time: February 02, 2026 @ 4:30 p.m. PST -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Show moreThe Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a consortium of 26 cities and water districts that provides drinking water to nearly 18 million people in parts of Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties.
The mission of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is to provide its service area with adequate and reliable supplies of high-quality water to meet present and future needs in an environmentally and economically responsible way.
Metropolitan currently delivers an average of 1.7 billion gallons of water per day to a 5,200-square-mile service area.
Join our Team
Metropolitan values both fresh voices and the different perspectives that experience brings. We seek out the best, those who bring unique and varied qualities to an organization whose employees reflect the diverse communities we serve across Southern California. And we want colleagues who embrace innovation, equity and a shared greater purpose to the region. We are a public agency and the people who work with us are devoted to public service.
We were built to last and to lead. We are an agency deep in history and experience. We are part of the very fabric of Southern California, having been formed in 1928 by the state Legislature to design, build and operate the Colorado River Aqueduct to bring water to a growing population. Today, our role is much greater than the infrastructure we built and maintain. We are here to ensure reliable and safe water supplies for 19 million people across five Southland counties, operating in an environmentally and economically sound manner.
If you’re already in the workforce and considering Metropolitan as a work option, begin your journey here to learn more. For those still in school or just entering the workforce, scroll down to the section Creating the Next Generation of Workers for the Water Industry to learn about our internship and apprenticeship programs as well as other educational resources to help prepare you for a career in the water industry.
What We Offer
When you come to work at Metropolitan, you don’t come just for a job; you come for a career. We want to support your career pathway along with your well-being. One way to do that is to offer very competitive salaries and excellent benefits. We also provide top-notch health and insurance options, as well as retirement benefits.
Our benefits package is above industry standards. Metropolitan contracts with CalPERS, the California Public Employee Retirement System, to provide a wide choice of medical coverages to both active employees and qualified retirees.
As a regular full-time; regular part-time union represented employee will be eligible for excellent benefits.
Also available to Metropolitan employees through CalPERS are pension and survivor benefits as well as deferred compensation benefits that include our 401(k) and 457(b) savings plans. Metropolitan matches 401(k) contributions to increase the amount of your annual savings toward retirement.
Dental coverage, through Delta Dental, is offered at no cost to regular full-time; regular part-time employees pay a pro-rated fee. Qualified dependents can be added to the dental plan at no extra cost. Metropolitan contracts with Vision Service Provider, or VSP, for vision coverage and covers the cost for regular full-time employees. Costs are prorated for regular part-time employees. Qualified dependents can be added for a flat monthly fee.
We have insurance programs covering life, long-term disability and accidental death and dismemberment. There are also some voluntary benefits to choose from. These include Flexible Spending Accounts for health and dependent care, long-term care and cancer coverage. You and your family members will also have access to our Employee Assistance Plan for confidential professional counseling and referral services at no cost. A Wellness Program offers certain reimbursements to employees based on work location and bargaining unit.
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