RESEARCH SCIENTIST

State of California; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 77,000 - 109,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework option

Hybrid schedule

Job summary

The State of California's Department of Public Health is seeking a RPHO Assistant Epidemiologist (Epi/Bio or Soc/Behav) to advance statewide public health priorities across regions. The role focuses on equity, data infrastructure, and partnership with Local Health Jurisdictions.

The position is a 12-month limited term with hybrid work and up to travel. Applicants should submit official transcripts and complete CalCareers materials to be considered by the October 14, 2026 closing date.

Qualifications

• Experience in epidemiology and public health practice.
• Strong epidemiologic and statistical analysis skills with SAS, R and SQL.

Responsibilities

• Advance statewide modernization by strengthening LHJ analytic capacity.
• Improve data infrastructure and support statewide public health projects.
• Collaborate with Local Health Jurisdictions and partners on equity initiatives.

Skills

Epidemiology

Statistical analysis

SAS

R

SQL

Public health

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Job Posting: RPHO Assistant Epidemiologist (Epi/Bio or Soc/Behav)

Department of Public Health

JC-533193 - RPHO Assistant Epidemiologist (Epi/Bio or Soc/Behav)

Salary: $6,942.00 - $9,799.00 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: 10/14/2026

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:

• Sacramento
• Contra Costa

This is a hybrid position with up to 5% (may vary depending on need and scheduling with local partners) of travel required to assigned Local Health Jurisdictions (LHJs) or departmental in person meetings.

The Research Scientist (RS) will be directly assigned one or two of the following Regional Public Health Office regions: Rural North, Bay Area, Greater Sierra-Sacramento, Central California, Southern California, and Los Angeles, based on program need and fit with partners.

The RS advances statewide modernization by strengthening Local Health Jurisdiction (LHJ) analytic capacity, improving data infrastructure, and supporting broad public health projects through regional technical assistance. The role centers on equity, systems improvement, and the implementation of statewide public health priorities.

This position is a 12-month Limited Term (LT) and may be extended up to 24 months or become permanent.

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

Working Conditions

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.

• RESEARCH SCIENTIST

Classification: RESEARCH SCIENTIST $6,942.00 - $9,799.00 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: 12 Month Limited Term - 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 position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by enhancing preparedness and response for emerging public health threats through provision of leadership, guidance, and advance coordination and collaboration across a variety of complex program areas including policy, equity, public health practice, communications, access to clinical expertise, epidemiology, and pursuit of funding opportunities.

The Regional Public Health Office’s (RPHO) mission is to strengthen public health capacity across all regions by fostering trusting and collaborative state and local partnerships. RPHO works closely with local public health partners to address complex public health challenges, pool resources, share knowledge, and promote bidirectional communication and coordination across California.

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

In order to be considered for this position, you must submit a copy of your college transcripts official or un-official and/or Degree for education verification.

For experience/education to qualify during the application screening process, and to ensure that minimum qualifications can be determined, applicants should include all employment history on the Employment Application (STD 678) and/or Resume, including detailed job descriptions, hours worked per week, and start/end dates (MM/DD/YYYY). Application packages without this information will experience delayed processing times and your eligibility for this position may be impacted.

A completed State application (STD. 678) and any other relevant documents (e.g. unofficial transcript, copy of degree, resume, etc.) should be submitted electronically via your CalCareers Account. Please reference Job Control # (533193) and indicate the basis of your eligibility in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) section. SROA and surplus candidates should submit a copy of their letter with their application. Please remove any confidential information (i.e. social security number, date of birth) from your documents prior to submission.

Required Application Package Documents

• 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.
• Statement of Qualifications - Please see Statement of Qualifications instructions below at end of posting. Any applications received that do not provide a written response to the SOQ may be rejected.

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:

• Experience working with and knowledge of California’s local and regional communities, including direct collaboration with Local Health Jurisdictions.
• Strong epidemiologic and statistical analysis skills, including experience using SAS, R, SQL, and managing large public health datasets.
• Ability to lead and work effectively with multidisciplinary teams and convene large groups of internal and external stakeholders, including senior leadership.
• Demonstrated project management skills, including managing multiple concurrent priorities, identifying solutions quickly, and resolving complex governmental or programmatic challenges.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings for diverse audiences.
• Equity-minded, culturally responsive, and sensitive to the needs of diverse populations.
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to establish and maintain productive partnerships with local, regional, and state-level colleagues.
• Ability to develop, refine, and train others on policies, procedures, workflows, and best practices.
• High attention to detail and ability to analyze program situations and recommend effective courses of action.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and virtual meeting platforms.

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.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Instructions:

The SOQ should be typed, in 12-point Arial font, minimum one page and not exceed 2 pages. Please respond to the item below.

Describe how your academic background meets the minimum qualifications for the Research Scientist classification. In your response, identify your degree(s), relevant scientific specialty or closely related specialty and how they align with the scientific principles required for this classification.

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.