State and Regional Board Employment
The State and Regional Water Boards offer many job opportunities throughout California with skill-challenging paths that provide professional development and chances for advancement. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply.
We are an equal opportunity employer. The Water Boards value diversity at all levels of the organization and is committed to fostering an environment in which employees from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive. We believe the diversity of our employees and their unique ideas inspire innovative solutions to further our mission to preserve, enhance and restore the quality of California’s water resources. Join the Water Boards and help us protect the environment and public health and ensure proper allocation and efficient use for future generations
Current Opportunities
To view a complete list of employment opportunities, and exams for job placement, visit the CalCareer website.
Recruitment Events
San Jose State University
Fall '22 Business, Financial Services & Logistics Job/Internship Fair
September 13th, 2022
In-Person, 12 pm - 5 pm
University of Nevada, Reno
STEM Career and Internship Fair
September 14th, 2022
In-Person, 10 am - 2 pm
Long Beach State University
Engineering and Technology Career Fair
September 14th, 2022
In-Person, 12 pm – 4 pm
Chico State University
Technical Career Fair
September 15th, 2022
In-Person, 11:30 am - 3:30 pm
UC Merced
Fall 2022 UC Merced Career & Internship Fair
September 27th, 2022
In-Person, 11 am - 2 pm
CSU Dominguez Hills
2022 Fall Business, Government & Technology Fair
October 5th, 2022
In-Person, 12 pm - 3 pm
Stanford University
Job and Internship Fair
October 12th, 2022
In-Person, 9 am - 2 pm
UC Davis
Fall Internship and Career Fair
October 12th, 2022
In-Person, 10 am - 2 pm
UC Irvine
STEM Career Fair
October 13th, 2022
In-Person, 10 am - 2 pm
CSU Bakersfield
Job & Internship Fair 2022
October 18th, 2022
In-Person, 9 am - 2 pm
University of Redlands
Job and Internship Fair
October 18th, 2022
In-Person, 9 am - 2 pm
Cal State Fullerton
Stem and Internship Fair
October 19th, 2022
In-Person, 3 pm - 5:30 pm
Sacramento State University
Fall 2022 Engineering & Computer Science Career Fair
October 21st, 2022
In-Person, 9 am - 2 pm
UC Berkeley
2022 Fall Civil & Environmental Engineering
October 26th, 2022
In-Person, 4 pm - 7 pm
Oregon Institute of Technology - Klamath Falls Campus
Fall 2022 Engineering & Technology Fair -
November 9th, 2022
In-Person, 1 pm - 4 pm
Still in School? No problem! The State Water Board also has exciting Student Programs!
If you are interested in interning and working with professionals to preserve, enhance, and restore the quality of California’s water resources – this is the perfect opportunity.
Dive In! See Who We Are.
Recruitment Events
Legal Intern Opportunity
Now Available!
See the Student Programs page under the Legal Internship for more information.

Division of Drinking Water
The State Water Board’s Division of Drinking Water’s twenty-four Field Operation Branch districts are responsible for the regulation of public water systems to provide safe water to all Californians that they serve. The field offices conduct inspections, issue permits, determine compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, and conduct enforcement activities. The Division’s Program Management Branch develops regulations, approves innovative treatment technologies, accredits environmental laboratories, maintains water quality databases and websites, integrates recycled water with potable water uses, and maintains quality assurance systems.
Division of Financial Assistance
The State Water Board's Division of Financial Assistance provides loans and grants for
constructing drinking water treatment and distribution
systems, municipal sewage and water recycling facilities,
remediation for groundwater contamination and underground
storage tank releases, stormwater capture and
use, and for nonpoint source pollution control projects.
The State Water Board has several financial programs
to help local agencies, public water systems, California
Native American Tribes, non-profit organizations, and
individuals prevent or clean up pollution of the state’s
water and provide safe drinking water.
Division of Water Quality
The State Water Board's Division of Water Quality works in coordination with the
nine Regional Water Boards to preserve, protect, enhance,
and restore water quality. The State Water Board sets
statewide water quality standards, issues statewide
general permits, conducts statewide surface and groundwater
monitoring and assessment, and issues orders for
cleaning up contaminated sites. The State and Regional
Water Boards also work with federal, state, and local
agencies, as well as other environmental agencies to
ensure a coordinated approach to protecting human
health and the environment.
Office of Research, Planning and Performance
The State Water Board's Office of Research, Planning, and Performance consists of a team of dedicated staff from varying professional backgrounds. We provide focus and support for priorities, initiatives, issues, and challenges facing the State and Regional Water Boards. The Office works on a variety of important issues that impact every Californian, including addressing climate change impacts to our water resources, making water conservation a way of life, focusing on water affordability for low-income families, managing our groundwater resources sustainably, coordinating professional peer reviews for our projects, performing in-depth economic analyses with our programs, and developing and implementing innovative training for our staff.
Division of Water Rights
Anyone wanting to divert water from a stream or river not adjacent to their property, or anyone wanting to store water, must first apply for a water right permit from the State Water Board's Division of Water Rights. The Division of Water Rights issues permits for water rights specifying amounts, conditions, and construction timetables for diversion and storage. Decision-making stems from water availability, senior water rights, flows needed to preserve instream uses, such as recreation and fish habitat, and whether the diversion is in the public interest.
The State Water Board’s Bay-Delta Program facilitates the
development and review of plans and policies to protect
beneficial uses of the San Francisco Bay / Sacramento –
San Joaquin Delta Estuary.
Office of Information Management and Analysis
The State Water Board's Office of Information Management and Analysis was established in 2008 to serve as an advocate for data management, a bridge between data collectors and users, as well as, provide transparency of the Water Board’s information management infrastructure. Our goal at OIMA is to collaborate monitoring efforts, accurately analyze data, make our data easily accessible, and create visualizations and reports that make data understandable across all audiences.
Regional Water Quality Control Boards
There are nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards statewide.
The nine Regional Water Boards are semi-autonomous
and are comprised of seven part-time Board members
appointed by the Governor and confirmed by
the Senate. Regional boundaries are based on
watersheds and water quality requirements
are based on the unique differences
in climate, topography, geology,
and hydrology for each watershed.
Each Regional Board makes critical
water quality decisions for its region,
including setting standards, issuing
waste discharge requirements,
determining compliance with those
requirements, and taking appropriate
enforcement actions.
Why Work at the Water Boards?
Generous Benefits
- Retirement and Savings plans
- Flexible Paid Leave
- Student Loan Forgiveness
- Health, Dental, and Vision Benefits
Career Development
- In-class and on-the-job training
- Job-related conferences and seminars
- Upward mobility guidance
- Team building and networking
Enlivening Community
- “America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital”
- Top-notch entertainment, dining and cultural experiences
- Local Growers’ Farmer’s Markets
- Picturesque and friendly communities
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