Groundwater Program Analyst

Environmental Science Associates•Sacramento, CA

23h•$86,000 - $105,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is seeking an early-career Groundwater Program Analyst with 2-7 years of experience in groundwater management and water resources to join their Technology Services team. This is a hybrid position, ideally located near Sacramento or another ESA California hub, supporting work from a flexible location with occasional in-person team meetings and client travel. The role involves helping groundwater agencies implement sustainable management practices by configuring and operating ESA’s Groundwater Accounting Platform (GAP), which tracks allocations, reports pumping, and manages demand transparently. The position sits at the intersection of policy, data, and people, requiring collaboration with various stakeholders to translate complex sustainability rules into understandable and reliable systems.

Requirements

2-7 years of experience in groundwater management in California.
Master’s degree in water resources, hydrology, environmental science or management, environmental policy, or a related field, OR 2-7 years of experience working in groundwater management in CA.
Solid foundation in understanding groundwater management and California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), including concepts like groundwater allocations, demand management, sustainable yield, and reporting/compliance.
Proficiency with spreadsheets and aptitude for data QA/QC and systems thinking.
Experience with geospatial tools such as QGIS or ArcGIS and parcel or other spatial data.
Ability to pass a federal and/or state background check for project-based assignments.
Bachelor’s degree in a water resources related field.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with SQL or scripting languages such as Python.
Coursework or a certification in GIS.

Responsibilities

Configure groundwater management programs within GAP, including geographies, zones, management areas, water accounts, and measurement types.
Assemble, integrate, and perform QA/QC on data for groundwater accounting, such as meter data, evapotranspiration data, extraction records, and parcel spatial data.
Prepare and process parcel and spatial data for parcel-level accounting using GIS tools.
Translate allocation rules and demand management policies into platform configuration and accounting logic, documenting assumptions.
Build and validate dashboards and reports for agencies and growers on usage, allocations, deadlines, and compliance.
Support the development of data management strategies by analyzing workflows, inventorying data sources, and identifying pain points.
Prepare workshop materials, training guides, and platform demonstrations, and facilitate stakeholder workshops and meetings.
Draft sections of proposals, scopes of work, memos, and technical documentation.
Grow towards independent ownership of program configuration and client/stakeholder support.