RESEARCH DATA SPECIALIST I JC-532379

California Department of Public Health; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 97,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Department of Public Health seeks a Data Quality Specialist I to support CalSyS data feeds and ensure high-quality disease surveillance data.

Working in CID, OIDPR, you will query, mine, and prepare fully cleaned data sets using BioSense/ESSENCE, SAS, R, MS Excel, and SQL, while upholding privacy policies. This hybrid, permanent role offers opportunities to enhance public health response across California.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of data quality and data integration for public health datasets.
• Experience documenting QA/QC processes and creating training materials.
• Experience with public health data confidentiality and privacy policies.

Responsibilities

• Develop documentation of quality assurance and quality control processes for SYS data.
• Query, mine, manipulate, and prepare fully cleaned data sets for higher-level analytics.
• Collaborate with data analysts and data specialists; support data sharing and integration.

Skills

Data analysis

Documentation

Training materials

Data privacy awareness

Tools

BioSense/ESSENCE

SAS

R

MS Excel

SQL

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.

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 Research Data Specialist within the Center for Infectious Diseases (CID), Office of Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response (OIDPR), supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by supporting the implementation, utilization, maintenance, and operation of the California statewide syndromic surveillance (CalSyS) program. This program facilitates timely and broad monitoring of population health, ultimately leading to more rapid and targeted disease/injury control and data-driven prevention strategies, as well as increased situational awareness for public health response.
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 currently an E-Verify employer.

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

Job Description And Duties

THERE IS ONE VACANCY BEING ADVERTISED ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTIES. THE INCUMBENT WILL BE HEADQUARTERED IN THE COUNTY NEAREST THE RESIDENCE OF THE SELECTED CANDIDATE. THE COUNTIES ARE: Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Bernardino, or San Diego County.
The Research Data Specialist I (RDS I) within the Center for Infectious Diseases (CID), Office of Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response (OIDPR), supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by supporting the implementation, utilization, maintenance, and operation of the California statewide syndromic surveillance (CalSyS) program. This program facilitates timely and broad monitoring of population health, ultimately leading to more rapid and targeted disease/injury control and data-driven prevention strategies, as well as increased situational awareness for public health response.
The incumbent works under the general direction of the Research Data Supervisor I of the Data Quality & Integration (DQI) Unit within the Syndromic Surveillance (SyS) Section. The incumbent will serve as a subject matter expert for the data feed, data quality, and data integration of the SyS systems. The RDS I leads and supports development of documentation of quality assurance and quality control processes of SyS data. The incumbent is responsible for querying, mining and manipulation, data quality determination, statistical analysis, development, implementation, monitoring and maintenance of SyS data while working closely with other data analysts and data specialists. The incumbent shall draw from their knowledge of appropriate methodologies and processes appropriate for use with SyS data by the CalSyS program and other users of SyS data, and will share this knowledge via development and facilitation of documentation and training materials. The RDS I explores, identifies, and develops new strategies or sources for collecting, analyzing, securely sharing, and integrating/linking SyS data. The RDS I creates fully prepared and cleaned data sets for higher level analytics, spreadsheet summaries, reports, charts, and tables utilizing various software applications (e.g., BioSense/ESSENCE, SAS, R, MS Excel, SQL) while applying appropriate CDPH data privacy and security policies. The RDS I shall monitor systems and procedures with the goal of identifying improvement opportunities and facilitate change in procedures, as needed.
In the case of a public health emergency, this position may be asked to redirect to serve rotations in emergency staffing roles aligned with their classification level.
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 3% in exchange for 5 hours of leave credits through June 2027. 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: 9/30/2026

Position Details

Job Code #: JC-532379
Position #(s): 580-465-5742-909
Working Title Data Quality Specialist
Classification RESEARCH DATA SPECIALIST I
$6,955.00 - $8,706.00 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: United States
Telework Hybrid
Job Type Permanent, Full Time