ATTORNEY III JC-531372

California Department of Public Health; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 121,000 - 171,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Department of Public Health’s Office of Legal Services seeks an Attorney III to support and represent the Department’s programs on a range of public health law matters. This permanent, full-time position is based in Sacramento and is part of the PHP house counsel team.

The attorney will handle complex legal issues, advise on contracting, information management, privacy and public records, and participate in regulatory and legislative drafting. Final filing date is 9/24/2026.

Responsibilities

• Advise CDPH programs on complex legal issues involving public health laws, authority of departments/programs, and compliance with statutory/regulatory requirements.
• Research, develop, and draft legislative language, regulations, and transactional documents and advise the Department and others on public health-related legal matters.
• Provide litigation support and guidance on open meeting, privacy, public records, and information management matters.

Job description

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.

Office of Legal Services

The Office of Legal Services (OLS) provides comprehensive legal support and services to California Department of Public Health (CDPH) programs and leadership. Together, we promote CDPH’s mission to advance the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities. OLS is comprised of four legal teams: the Operations and Administrative Litigation (OPAL) team; the Public Health Programs (PHP) team; the Center for Health Care Quality (CHCQ) team; and the Regulations, Privacy and Special Projects team.

This position is for the Public Health Programs (PHP) Team, which provides in-house legal advice and representation to over 200 public health programs spanning multiple subject areas, including such topics as infectious disease surveillance and control, chronic disease and injury prevention, food, drug, and radiation safety, genetic disease screening, the Women, Infants, and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program, and the licensing of numerous health facilities, from clinics to general acute care hospitals. These programs work on cutting edge health-related issues, including pandemic response and response to outbreaks of highly contagious diseases such as measles, food safety warnings, and illegal tobacco sales to children.

• The salary information listed on this advertisement may not reflect recent salary increases from salary adjustments or changes in the fiscal year.
• The CDPH is an E-Verify employer.

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

Job Description And Duties

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

From heart health and mental wellness to food safety and the prevention of infectious and chronic diseases, our programs and services touch the lives of every Californian, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Office of Legal Services (OLS) is seeking an attorney to support and represent the Department’s programs on a variety of matters. This is a permanent, full-time Attorney III position on the Public Health Programs (PHP) house counsel team, located in Sacramento.

The attorney who fills this unique position will have a diverse and challenging case load. The attorney will advise public health programs within CDPH on complex legal issues involving public health laws, matters of Departmental and programmatic authority, and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements for the conduct of state business, including those for contracting, information management, public records disclosure, open meeting laws, privacy laws, administrative hearing processes, litigation support, and such other legal issues as may arise. The attorney will also research, develop, and draft legislative language, regulations, and transactional documents and advise the Department, and potentially the California Health and Human Services Agency and the Governor’s Office, on Public Health-related legal matters pertaining to his/her assigned Centers, Divisions, Offices, and/or programs.

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 .

Final Filing Date: 9/24/2026

Position Details

Job Code #: JC-531372

Position #(s): 580-140-5795-039

Working Title: Attorney III

Classification: ATTORNEY III

Salary: $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