Career Opportunity

Chief Natural Resource Specialist (3421) - Natural Resources Land Management (ID# 162776)

Recruitment: RTF0162732-01074732

Published: February 23, 2026

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A. Learn more about the City’s hiring process here: https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/

• Application Opening: Monday, February 23, 2026
• Application Filing Deadline: Monday, March 23, 2026
• Annual Salary: $106,782 - $129,740
• Recruitment ID: (162776) (RTF0162732-01074732)

WHO ARE WE?
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)

Headquartered in San Francisco, we have 2,300 employees operating across eight counties serving more than 2.7 million customers in the San Francisco Bay Area – 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Our Mission: To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.

Our Vision: We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.

We are an award-winning and industry-leading utilities organization committed to our customers, community interests, and the environment. To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at https://www.sfpuc.org/.

We are proud of our infrastructure and programs, but most importantly, we value our highly qualified and dedicated workforce which ensures that this vision becomes a reality.

To learn more about working at the SFPUC, visit our career site at www.sfpuc.gov/about-us/careers-sfpuc.

About the Natural Resources and Lands Management Division:

The Natural Resources and Lands Management (NRLM) Division within the Water Enterprise of the SFPUC is responsible for the management of approximately 61,000 acres of Bay Area watershed lands under SFPUC ownership as well as 150 miles of utility right-of-way. The NRLM Division is responsible for managing, protecting, restoring, and monitoring the ecological resources on these lands and environmental compliance for the operations and maintenance of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System which serves 2.7 million customers. We are committed to responsible natural resources management that protects and restores viable populations of native species and maintains the integrity of the ecosystems that support them for current and future generations. We strive to become a leader in science-based and collaborative environmental stewardship in order to continue providing high-quality and reliable drinking water to our customers.

Role description

The Chief Natural Resource Specialist will supervise staff, interns, and contractors and will work independently to develop, implement, and manage the nonnative invasive plant (NNIP) and pest management program, with the focus on habitat protection. The position will also interact with the division biologists, the Alameda Watershed Forester, the Watershed Resources Manager and the City’s IPM Team. This position will be responsible for documenting the work completed and reporting ongoing progress to management.

Essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Supervises staff that surveys and inspects trees, shrubs, grass, rights of way and other vegetation, aquatics and structures for evidence of disease or presence of harmful pests by using visual aids, field observations and history records.
• Monitors pest ecosystems to evaluate the presence of pest species, natural pest predators, and conditions that may contribute to pest problems.
• Oversees and provides expertise in the development of integrated pest management program strategy to protect city lands in Alameda Watershed, which includes identifying and prioritizing NNIP based on Early Detection and Rapid Response, developing management strategies and annual workplans, enlisting staff and contracts to implement the program, and documenting work completed.
• Oversees the safe use of traps, chemical and non-chemical methods to manage pests.
• Maintains detailed IPM records in GIS applications (i.e. Field Maps or Survey 123), for site evaluations, recommendations, and work completed.
• Provides expertise, assistance, and training to staff, contractors, and the public about pest biology, the IPM approach, new pest management strategies, and toxicology of pesticides for use; corresponds and coordinates with outside agencies as necessary.
• Supervises and monitors the mixing and application of various recommended chemicals, fertilizers, compounds, and baits to be used for the treatment, elimination, or control of specific conditions found.
• Supervises or provides technical direction and oversight to staff, interns, and contractors.
• Implements pest control measures in accordance with the City's Integrated Pest Management Program (Chapter 39 of the San Francisco Administrative Code).
• Works with Pest Control Adviser (PCA) consultant, as needed, to provide pest control recommendations for treatment of NNIP on the Alameda Watershed.
• Operates and maintains specialized equipment such as sprayers of various types, small boats to spray lakes for algae and weed control, and/or large capacity truck sprayer for surface areas.
• Directs the work of a driver in the operation of a spray truck.
• Requisitions and evaluates needed supplies and keeps records of chemicals used and recommendations for spray control operations.
• Develops contract scopes of work and budgets, oversees contactors, tracks and manages budgets.
• Provides monthly pesticide use reports to the County as required by State and Local law; completes incident reports and employee evaluations.
• Performs related duties as required for Class 3421 – Chief Natural Resources Specialist.

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications: Minimum qualifications reflect the lowest level of acceptable education and/or experience required of an individual such that the individual reasonably could be expected to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position. Candidates must meet all the requirements established by the MQs to be considered for the position.

Experience:

• Four (4) years of professional experience in the conservation and management of natural ecosystems, native plant communities and wildlife habitat.

License:

• Possession of a Qualified Applicator's Certificate (QAC) or a Qualified Applicator's License (QAL) from the State of California Department of Pesticide Regulation; AND

• Possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Substitutions:

• Completion of coursework in Biological Sciences, Natural Resource Management, and Earth Science from an accredited college or university may substitute for up to eighteen (18) months of the required experience. Thirty (30) semester / forty-five (45) quarter units equals one (1) year.
• Three (3) years of professional gardening experience may substitute for up to one (1) year of the required experience.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process.

Desirable Qualifications: The stated desirable qualifications may be considered at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring:

• Possession of a current Pest Control Advisor (PCA) license with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR). 

Verification of Education and Experience:
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Selection Procedures:

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following: 

Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation (Weight:100%): Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be sent a Supplemental Questionnaire via electronic mail after the closing of this filing period. The Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to measure the knowledge, skills and/or abilities in job-related areas required for the position.  Applicants will be given a deadline to return the Supplemental Questionnaire. Those who do not respond by the established deadline will not be eligible to continue in the examination process and will not be added to the eligibility list resulting from this process. All applicants’ responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire are subject to verification. The Supplemental Questionnaire examination component may include but not be limited to:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of natural resources management.
• Knowledge of native and invasive plant species.
• Knowledge of the methods and techniques for managing non-native invasive plants, pests, erosion control and native plant restoration.
• Knowledge of the safety procedures, protocols, and proper use of equipment and materials.
• Ability to advise others in natural resources related activities.
• Ability to plan and oversee the operations of a program.
• Ability to train subordinate staff and volunteers.
• Ability to prepare, manage and monitor budgets.
• Ability to apply proper natural resources management practices and techniques.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

A passing score must be achieved on the Supplemental Questionnaire Examination in order to continue in the selection process and be placed on the eligible list. Candidates will be placed on the eligible list in rank order according to their final score. Candidate scores on this examination may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director.
The department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures to make final hiring decisions.

Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be 12 months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city’s Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments. 

What else should I know?

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:
Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Where to Apply
All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process. 

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from notification@smartrecruiters.com that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Human Resources Analyst, David Jung at DJung@sfwater.org.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.