ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST 3 WATER RESOURCES
Water Resources
Career Family: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
New Jersey treats Environmental Scientist 3 Water Resources as a competitive-class job, so the gate is an examination and the ranked list it produces rather than a direct offer.
The minimum is a master's degree and 3 years of relevant experience. The FY2026 range lands between $88,530 and $130,339, and state payroll currently lists about 12 people in the title, led by Environmental Protection.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
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Agency posting
Department of Environmental Protection posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
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Agency posting
Department of Health posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
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Agency posting
Department of Education posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Environmental Scientist series
- Environmental Scientist 1 — $67,312 – $98,503
- Environmental Scientist 2 — $88,530 – $130,339
- Environmental Scientist 3 — $88,530 – $130,339
- Environmental Scientist 4 — $97,100 – $143,176
Its top salary lands around the 72nd percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 12 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $126,158. The agencies employing the most are:
- Environmental Protection (7)
- Health and Senior Services (4)
- Education (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under direction of an Environmental Scientist 4 or other supervisory official in the Department of Environmental Protection or in a local jurisdiction, assists in scientific projects or programs in water supply and/or water pollution control including water quality modeling and load allocations, computer applications, applied mathematics, thermodynamics, and/or other fields related to engineering and water quality management; does other related work.
Examples of work
- Develops scientific programs for water quality and/or water resource management.
- Organizes and conducts scientific and/or environmental engineering programs relating to water quality management.
- Provides scientific advice and assistance when computer application programs arise.
- May prepare project proposals involving federal funding.
- May prepare documentation for water quality modeling contracts.
- Reviews and prepares recommendations for water quality models proposed and/or developed by consulting firms.
- Represents the department or jurisdiction at meetings/conferences dealing with NJ water quality modeling programs.
- Develops sound water quality models.
- Keeps current with literature and new developments in water quality modeling, risk assessment, and nonprofit source analysis.
- Prepares reports of water quality modeling containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Prepares Requests for Proposals involving water quality modeling, systems analysis, and related technical contracts; monitors such contracts.
- Reviews environmental impact studies, proposals, and related reports and provides recommendations.
- Prepares correspondence.
- Establishes and maintains records and files.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in one of the physical, biological or environmental sciences or, in a field of engineering related to water resources.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience in water quality modeling, water supply management, and/or environmental engineering involving ground and surface water programs.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of principles and practices or environmental science and ecology.
- Knowledge of water quality modeling and computer applications.
- Knowledge of ecological and toxicological effects of water pollution and their interaction.
- Knowledge of the methods used to plan and conduct studies and surveys.
- Knowledge of research methods.
- Ability to prepare, modify, run and analyze results to water quality computer models.
- Ability to translate results of water quality models into individual wasteload allocations for dischargers.
- Ability to develop water quality models.
- Ability to provide scientific advice and assistance.
- Ability to read and interpret laws, rules and regulations relating to the environment and apply them to specific situations.
- Ability to develop, organize and conduct scientific programs for water quality or resource management.
- Ability to read and interpret technical materials, engineering specifications, reports and other scientific documents.
- Ability to work cooperatively as part of a group.
- Ability to prepare correspondence.
- Ability to prepare scientific reports.
- Ability to maintain records and files.
- Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
A Doctorate degree in one of the physical, biological or environmental sciences may be substituted for two (2) years of indicated experience.