The City of San Luis Obispo is seeking an enthusiastic, adaptable, and service-oriented professional who is passionate about protecting public health, supporting sustainable water resources, and making a meaningful impact in the community. The ideal candidate enjoys solving complex challenges, building relationships, and working with a diverse group of stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, contractors, consultants, property owners, and City staff. They are an effective communicator who can confidently translate technical requirements into practical solutions while fostering collaboration and positive working relationships.
If you are selected for interviews, they will take place in person on Thursday, July 9, 2026, so please hold that date.
This role offers a unique opportunity to blend fieldwork, project coordination, regulatory compliance, technology, and public outreach in a dynamic and rewarding environment. The ideal candidate has a strong aptitude for learning to interpret civil and landscape plans, reviewing irrigation systems, and applying principles related to water systems, hydraulics, cross-connection control, and backflow prevention. They are comfortable using software, databases, GIS, and other technology tools to manage data, track program performance, and support informed decision-making. Most importantly, they bring a positive attitude, curiosity, and a commitment to continuous improvement, thriving in a collaborative team culture that values innovation, professional growth, and service to the San Luis Obispo community.
A DAY IN THE LIFE
You start your day by reviewing emails, permit applications, compliance reports, and customer inquiries related to the City's recycled water and cross-connection control programs. Before heading into the field, you check project schedules, review irrigation or construction plans, and coordinate with contractors, developers, City staff, and regulatory agencies to keep projects moving forward. One moment you may be assisting a customer with recycled water service requirements, and the next you could be reviewing a landscape plan to verify compliance with City standards, identifying opportunities to connect a property to recycled water, or evaluating a proposed backflow prevention assembly installation.
Throughout the day, you'll balance technical, regulatory, and customer-focused responsibilities. You might conduct a site inspection at a park, HOA, or commercial property to verify proper recycled water use, perform a cross-connection test, or work with a contractor to resolve a field issue. Back at the office, you could be updating GIS maps, analyzing water use and compliance data, preparing reports for state regulators, processing permits, or developing outreach materials that help customers better understand recycled water and cross-connection control requirements. Technology plays an important role, and you'll regularly use databases, GIS, spreadsheets, and other software tools to track program performance and support informed decision-making.
If you enjoy a mix of field and office work, working with people, solving problems, protecting public health, and advancing sustainable water management, you'll find this role both rewarding and impactful. Every day offers an opportunity to help ensure reliable water resources for the San Luis Obispo community while contributing to innovative programs that support the City's long-term environmental and sustainability goals.
JOB SUMMARY:
Performs a variety of professional and technical assignments in the development, implementation, and administration of the City’s recycled water and cross connection control programs, including the expansion of programs, building plan review, ensuring compliance with regulations, periodic reporting, administration of permit programs, and public education and outreach in support of assigned programs.
CLASS CHARACTERISTICS:
This classification performs complex work requiring independent judgment and initiative in the development, implementation, and administration of recycled water and the cross-connection control programs. This classification is distinguished from the Water Resources Program Manager in that the latter has overall management responsibility for the staff and activities of the Water Resources Program. This classification is distinguished from the Water Resources Technician in that the latter performs less complex technical, customer service, and outreach duties.
