ATTORNEY III

State of California; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 121,000 - 171,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Office of Legal Services seeks an Attorney III for the Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ). You will handle complex legal work, advise on health facility licensing, and apply state and federal laws to department policies and procedures.

You must work reliably under pressure, with strong analytical and advocacy skills, and be prepared for telework/hybrid arrangements per CDPH policies.

Qualifications

• Excellent analytical, research, and communication skills (written and oral).
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize workload and manage multiple projects with short-term deadlines.
• Understanding of public health principles and practice.
• Experience with licensing and enforcement schemes and knowledge of care modalities.
• Experience drafting and interpreting statutes and regulations.
• Knowledge of relevant state and federal privacy laws and the Public Records Act.
• Litigation experience and knowledge of California state administrative law (APA).

Responsibilities

• Handle difficult, complex, and sensitive legal work for CHCQ.
• Provide legal and policy advice on administrative, procedural, and regulatory issues and projects with significant impact on public health.
• Represent CHCQ in expedited informal hearings to enforce minimum staffing standards.
• Review written materials or provide training for other attorneys on the team when needed.

Job description

$10,852.00 - $15,325.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 10/9/2026

This classification is authorized to receive a starting salary rate of $12,046.00 under Pay Scales Section 5.

The California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Office of Legal Services is seeking an Attorney III to join a team committed to protecting our State's most vulnerable residents by ensuring, among other things, that long-term care residents receive the treatment and care required by law; that patients admitted to a hospital receive care that complies with the licensing requirements; and that businesses licensed by the Department to provide care in a patient’s home are qualified to provide the care needed.

The Attorney III is responsible for handling difficult, complex, and sensitive legal work for the Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ). The Attorney III provides legal and policy advice on administrative, procedural, and regulatory issues and projects that have a significant impact on public health and health policy, and any political impact on the Department. The Attorney III also uses a detailed and sophisticated understanding of federal and state statutes and regulations to provide guidance pertaining to health facilities and professionals licensed and regulated by CHCQ; keeps up-to-date knowledge of federal and state laws that may impact CHCQ, such as federal and state privacy laws and medical breaches, bankruptcy, receiverships, professional licensure laws and regulations, and the Public Records Act (PRA); and applies applicable statutes and regulations to policies and procedures of CDPH, including reviewing those policies and rendering advice on such matters. The Attorney III may represent CHCQ in expedited informal hearings to enforce minimum staffing standards. The Attorney III may also be called upon to review written materials or provide training for other attorneys on the team in the absence of the Career Executive Assignment (CEA) Assistant Chief Counsel (ACC) or the Attorney, Assistant Chief Counsel (AACC) of the CHCQ team within the Office of Legal Services (OLS).

The Attorney III must be capable of functioning reliably and independently; exercising discretion; working well under great pressure in politically sensitive situations; and completing the work required within strict time requirements, or on an expedited basis, with minimum supervision.

In July 2025, the State of California implemented the Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025. This program temporarily reduces employees’ monthly base pay in exchange for paid leave credits. This position is subject to PLP 2025 and will have a monthly base pay reduction of 4.62% in exchange for 8 hours of leave credits through October 2026. The salary ranges shown on this job posting do not reflect the salary reduction.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

Telework Information:

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework permitted is at the discretion of the Department and is subject to change, consistent with CDPH’s Telework Program. All employees who telework are required to be California residents in accordance with Government Code 14200. Candidates who reside outside of the state of California may be interviewed; however, the selected candidate must have a primary residency in the state of California prior to appointment (and continue to maintain California residency) as a condition of employment. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the job offer being rescinded.

Travel may be required for this position. Reimbursement for travel takes into consideration an employee’s designated headquarters, as reflected in the duty statement, and is subject to regulations and bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the designated headquarters office will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

The headquarters office location for this position is identified in the attached duty statement.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• ATTORNEY III

ATTORNEY III $10,852.00 - $15,325.00A New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

# of Positions:

1

Telework:

Hybrid

Job Type:

Permanent, Full Time

Department Information

At the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the core of our mission to advance the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities. We are genuinely and strongly committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness where we can grow and learn together with a diverse team of employees. In recruiting for team members, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring to us and the work we do.

The Office of Legal Services (OLS) provides comprehensive legal support and services to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) programs and leadership to advance CDPH’s mission to optimize the health and safety of all Californians. OLS is comprised of four legal teams: the Operations and Administrative Litigation (OPAL) team; the Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ) team; the Public Health Programs (PHP) team; and the Regulations, Privacy and Special Projects (RPSP) team. This position is for the CHCQ team.

* The salary information listed on this advertisement may not reflect recent salary increases from salary adjustments or changes in the fiscal year.

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:

• Excellent analytical, research, and communication skills (both written and oral)
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize workload and manage multiple projects with short-term deadlines
• Understanding of public health principles and practice
• Experience with licensing and enforcement schemes and interest in and/or knowledge of modalities for the delivery of care
• Experience drafting and/or interpreting and applying statutes and regulations
• Knowledge of relevant state and federal privacy laws, and knowledge of the Public Records Act
• Litigation experience and knowledge of California state administrative law, particularly the Administrative Procedure Act

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 application process. The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position.

Department Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov

Human Resources Contact:
Human Resources Division
[phone]
[e-mail]

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:
EEO Office
[phone]

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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.