CoRRDS Unit Supervisor, RESEARCH SCIENTIST SUPERVISOR I JC-534320

California Department of Public Health; California; Hybrid; USD 107,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is seeking a Research Scientist Supervisor I to provide administrative guidance and technical leadership for the CoRRDS unit. You will oversee complex virology studies, budget planning, staff training, and coordination with state and federal partners.

The role requires strong written and verbal communication, leadership in lab settings, and the ability to drive high‑quality public health research outcomes that inform disease prevention and response

Qualifications

• Public health laboratory leadership experience.
• At least 5 years of hands-on laboratory experience.
• Experience training laboratory staff in highly complex laboratory techniques and instrumentation.
• Ability to manage a complex portfolio of public health laboratory services for multiple clients.
• Experience in efficient delivery of reliable laboratory services.
• Working knowledge of laboratory quality management systems.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to work with varied colleagues, stakeholders, and collaborators.

Responsibilities

• Provide supervision and technical leadership of the laboratorians of the COVID, Respiratory, Research, Development and Sequencing (CoRRDS) Unit.
• Plan, organize, and direct major scientific research studies or public health investigations of a broad scientific scope and complexity.
• Budgeting and program planning for special scientific research projects, recruitment, training, and supervising appropriate research personnel.
• Coordinate with professional staff from other State, local, or Federal agencies and publish or present scientific research to public health experts and the community.

Skills

Public health leadership

Lab leadership experience

Excellent communication

Writing skills

Education

Master's degree in relevant field

Doctoral degree in relevant field

Job description

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 Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory (VRDL) Program is one of the oldest and largest state public health virology laboratories in the United States. As a CLIA-certified state public health laboratory performing high complexity testing, it serves as the reference laboratory for local public health laboratories and other clients, provides primary testing for some local public health departments that do not have laboratories, and conducts research to advance public health diagnostics and science. The VRDL is an advanced reference laboratory for the federal Laboratory Response Network and coordinates several state laboratory testing networks including the Respiratory Laboratory Network and the Measles Laboratory Network. VRDL provides laboratory testing, technical consultation and support, training and assistance, and research required for the diagnosis, investigation, and control of viral and rickettsial diseases of public health significance.

• Department Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov
• Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.
• The salary listed in this ad may not include recent adjustments or changes from the fiscal year
• New to State candidates will be hired at the minimum salary of the classification or alternate range, as applicable.
• Effective July 2025, California’s Personal Leave Program (PLP 2025) reduces employees’ base pay by 3% in exchange for 5 hours of leave credits monthly through June 2027. The posted salary range does not reflect this reduction.

Job Description and Duties

Incumbents in one of these classifications, where a Master’s Degree is required to meet the minimum qualifications, shall receive an educational pay differential equivalent to 2% of their monthly base pay. Those where a Doctoral Degree is required to meet the minimum qualifications, shall receive an educational pay differential equivalent to 3% of their monthly base pay. Individuals with both a Master’s and Doctoral Degree will be given the best benefit in relation to salary shall only be eligible for only one amount.

This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by providing supervision and technical leadership of the laboratorians of the COVID, Respiratory, Research, Development and Sequencing (CoRRDS) Unit. The Research Scientist Supervisor (RSS) I duties include providing administrative guidance and direction to subordinates and planning, organizing, and directing major scientific research studies or public health investigations of a broad scientific scope and complexity, making independent decisions, and serving as a consultant to staff members conducting studies in the field of respiratory and gastroenteric diseases.

The RSS I will also perform administrative duties including budgeting and program planning for special scientific research projects, recruitment, training, and supervising appropriate research personnel and other staff members. The RSS I may conduct highly specialized phases of a major scientific project or investigation that would require coordination with professional staff from other State, local, or Federal agencies and publish or present such scientific research or investigations to other public health experts and the community.

The incumbent works under the general direction of the Research Scientist Supervisor II of the Respiratory and Gastroenteric Diseases Section (RGDS) within the Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory (VRDL) Branch.

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:

• Public health laboratory experience in a leadership role, preferably in virology with knowledge of conventional and cutting-edge technology for diagnostic detection of viruses and other pathogens of public health significance.
• At least 5 years of hands‑on laboratory experience with increasing responsibility over time
• Experience training laboratory staff in highly complex laboratory techniques and instrumentation
• Ability to manage a complex portfolio of public health laboratory services for multiple clients
• Experience in efficient delivery of reliable laboratory services.
• Working knowledge of laboratory quality management systems
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills to work with varied colleagues, stakeholders, and collaborators.

Statement of Qualifications

Limit your response to one (1) page maximum (Font: Arial, size 12, 1” margins). List your full name and the date on the page. Responses that do not conform to these specifications may be disqualified.

Provide an example of a situation where you made an independent, complex scientific decision within your area of scientific expertise. Explain the scientific problem, your reasoning, the options you evaluated, and the impact of your decision on the project, program, and/or stakeholders. In your answer, please identify your degree(s), the job(s) in which you performed relevant duties, the length of time in each job, including start and end dates (month and year), and your level of responsibility

PLEASE NOTE: Resumes, letters, Supplemental Questionnaire, transcripts, degrees, your state application, cover letters and other materials will not take the place of the Statement of Qualifications. Simply copying and pasting your resume will also not be accepted. Applications received without an SOQ may be rejected.

Eligibility Information

If you are new to California State Service, you must take and pass the examination for this classification to be eligible for hire. Current state employees without transfer or list eligibility must also complete and pass the examination for this classification to qualify for this position.

Please visit the CalCareers/Exams web page to review the Research Scientist Supervisor I exam bulletin.

Telework Information

This position may be eligible for telework up to three (3) days per week and is required to report in-person to the designated headquarters office location a minimum of two (2) days per week. 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.

Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee’s designated headquarters office 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 duty statement.

Final Filing Date: 10/20/2026

Job Code #: JC-534320

Position #(s): 580-732-5643-909

Classification: RESEARCH SCIENTIST SUPERVISOR I

$9,578.00 - $12,343.00

Telework: In Office

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time