The California Energy Commission seeks an Attorney III in the Hearing and Advisory Unit of the Chief Counsel's Office. The Chief Counsel's Office is a mission-driven group that values teamwork that fosters an environment of trust and collaboration. Attorneys have an opportunity to work directly and closely with the state's principal energy policymakers to support the CEC's work to create the energy system of the future - one that is clean, resilient, reliable, and safe.
Under the general direction of the Assistant Chief Counsel, Deputy Chief Counsel, or the Chief Counsel, depending on the assignment, the Attorney III will be responsible for providing a broad spectrum of legal advice on diverse legal issues in areas such as energy, environmental, and administrative law. The Attorney III's work includes appearances before the Commission and may include appearances in other state and federal agencies. Attorneys in the Hearing and Advisory Unit perform a variety of functions, including:
• providing legal advice and support to the Commission and its staff on matters of statewide and regional significance as the agency leads the state to a 100% clean energy future for all, including electricity reliability, reporting, and regionalization, and other incentive and regulatory programs.
• providing legal advice and support to the Commission and its staff on matters related to transforming transportation to help meet the state's trailblazing climate goals, including the clean transportation program, zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and related subjects, and regulatory rulemakings of statewide and regional significance.
• conducting more complex administrative hearings and enforcement and investigative actions.
• providing legal advice and analysis on state and federal legislation, rulemakings, and other proceedings, including activities at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, California Public Utilities Commission, and others.
• providing legal advice and support to the Commission and its staff in its first-in-the-nation regulation of the petroleum industry.
• providing legal advice to Commissioners and staff on a variety of other matters, including enforcement actions, investigation or complaint proceedings, open meetings, conflicts of interest, and energy policy matters.
Minimum Qualifications (MQs): The MQs for this classification can be found at Attorney Series . The documents you submit in your application package must highlight how you meet the MQs. If the MQs are not met, you will not be considered for this position.
Education Information: If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications for this classification, please provide your unofficial transcripts. Applicants who completed their education outside of the United States (with foreign degrees/transcripts) must provide evaluated transcripts. The transcript evaluation must state the number of units to which foreign coursework is equal. Foreign education evaluation services can be found at https://www.naces.org . Official transcripts and official foreign degree transcripts will be required prior to appointment. If you are not using education to qualify for this classification, you do not need to submit transcripts. To bypass the required document, select Choose/Upload and select Bypass File.
Please let us know how you heard about this position by taking a brief survey at CEC Recruitment Survey
You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .
Working Conditions The CEC supports a hybrid workplace model with office-based and remote-centered workers. Limited in-person attendance and occasional travel may be required based on the needs of the division. Regular and consistent attendance is essential to successful performance. This position is remote-centered, which means the incumbent works 50 percent or more of their time from an alternate work location.
Teleworking is only available for employees who reside in California. You must be located in California and provide your in-state address prior to your start date.
Minimum Requirements You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.
Additional Documents - Job Application Package Checklist
- Duty Statement
Position Details Job Code #:
JC-536270
Position #(s):
535-140-5795-035
Working Title:
Attorney
Classification:
ATTORNEY III $10,852.00 - $15,325.00 A
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
Sacramento County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
Department Information The CEC was established by the Legislature in 1974 to address energy challenges facing the state. Today, the CEC is the state's primary energy policy and planning agency and is leading the state to a 100% clean energy future. Serving all Californians, the CEC embodies diversity, equity, and inclusion, and has taken an active and meaningful role in creating an environment that enables each employee to thrive. The CEC operates under the umbrella of the California Natural Resources Agency and shares offices with the agency in a LEED Platinum Certified Building in downtown Sacramento.
The California Energy Commission seeks an Attorney III in the Chief Counsel's Office, Hearing and Advisory Unit. If you are interested in a challenging and exciting career in clean energy and are passionate about renewable, efficient, and reliable energy that addresses climate change, join our diverse team of global energy leaders! The California Energy Commission plays a lead role in creating the energy system of the future, not just in California, but globally.
This position is open to interested applicants who qualify. This can be a multi-step process. To be eligible to be hired:
1) Create an online CalCareers account. For a tutorial on the state application process, visit California State Hiring Process Instructional Video Series - YouTube or contact Careers@energy.ca.gov .
2) Complete and pass the Attorney III exam to be eligible to be hired for available positions. See information on Energy Commission Assessments and Exams .
3) To apply for this position, submit an application package through your CalCareers account. An application package must include all items under the "Required Application Package Documents" section. Resumes will not be accepted in place of a State Examination and Employment Application (STD. 678). Applications must include "to" and "from" dates (month/day/year), time base (full-time/part-time/number of hours per week/month), and applicable civil service classifications.
State employees are subjected to a temporary reduction in pay in exchange of 2025 Personal Leave Program (PLP) accruals. The specific reduction rate and hours were negotiated and agreed upon by each bargaining unit a greement.
Department Website: https://www.energy.ca.gov
Special Requirements You must include the following if you are applying by mail or in person:
1) How you are eligible (list eligibility, transfer within state service, reinstatement, SROA/surplus, etc.) in the Explanations box on the first page of the STD. 678.
2) The Job Control number 536270 and the title of the position you are applying for in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) box on the first page of the STD. 678.
3) Request for Personnel Action Number 140-097 in the Explanations box of the STD. 678.
4) Your original signature at the bottom of the first page of the STD. 678.
5) Include unofficial school transcripts with your application package if the position you are applying for has an educational requirement. You may be required to provide official transcripts if hired.
Application Instructions Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 11/12/2026
Who May Apply
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply. Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
California Energy Commission
Personnel Office - Postal
Attn: RPA 140-097|JC-536270
715 P Street, MS-3
Sacramento , CA 95814
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
California Energy Commission
Personnel Office - Drop Off
RPA 140-097|JC-536270
715 P Street, MS-3
Sacramento , CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:
- Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
- Resume is required and must be included.
- Other -
Cover Letter - Include a cover letter of no more than one page in length describing why you are the best candidate for this position. - Other -
Proof of CA Bar Admission - note you are eligible to apply for this position prior to taking/passing the CA Bar exam, however, you cannot be hired until passing the bar and are sworn in). - Other -
Writing Sample - Include a writing sample of no more than 10 pages in length that was prepared within the last three years containing a legal document (e.g., brief, memorandum, decision, or pleading) for which you were the primary author. You may edit or redact the writing sample to meet the page limit and to remove any privileged or confidential information.
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.
Desirable Qualifications In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
Ability to: Research; analyze, evaluate, and apply legal principles, facts, and precedents to legal problems; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action; prepare and present statements of fact, law, and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; prepare correspondence and memoranda involving the explanation of legal matters; draft opinions, pleadings, rulings, regulations, and legislation; negotiate effectively and conduct crucial litigation; work cooperatively with a variety of individuals, organizations and maintain the confidence and respect of others; prepare, present, and handle legal cases; direct the work of clerical and professional assistants; edit own or other individuals' written documents for accuracy and effectiveness; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action; reason logically; exercise good judgment; effectively plan and engage in discovery, including depositions and interrogatories, and to compel production or attendance of/at same; independently prepare and present difficult and complex cases before boards, commissions, trial courts, and appellate courts; independently present difficult and complex cases before administrative bodies.
Benefits Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.
Contact Information The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.
Department Website: https://www.energy.ca.gov
Human Resources Contact:
Personnel Office
(916) 654-4309
personnel.services@energy.ca.gov
Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.
EEO Contact:
Equal Employment Opportunity Contact
(279) 226-1002
EEO@energy.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.
