RESEARCH SCIENTIST SUPERVISOR I

State of California; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 107,000 - 138,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is seeking a Unit Supervisor (Social/Behavioral) in Epidemiology/Biostatistics to lead the Home Visiting and Systems Evaluation (HVPME) unit in Sacramento County. The role involves scientific leadership, study design, and performance measurement to inform public health decision-making.

Telework is available; candidates must reside in California. Salary ranges from $9,578 to $12,343 per month.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree is a minimum requirement.
• Doctoral degree or Doctor of Medicine may be required for certain minimum qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Lead the HVPME unit and oversee evaluation activities.
• Develop management and information systems for program evaluation.
• Present findings to management, public health audiences, and in reports/journals.

Skills

Leadership

Public health evaluation

Education

Master’s degree

Doctoral degree

Job description

Job Posting: Unit Supervisor (Social/Behavioral) (Epidemiology/Biostatistics)

Department of Public Health

JC-530053 - Unit Supervisor (Social/Behavioral) (Epidemiology/Biostatistics) RESEARCH SCIENTIST SUPERVISOR I

$9,578.00 - $12,343.00 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: 9/16/2026

Job Description and Duties

Incumbents in one of these classifications who possess a Master’s Degree and it is a requirement of the minimum qualifications, shall receive an educational pay differential equivalent to 2% of their monthly base pay. Those who possess a Doctoral Degree or Doctor of Medicine, and it is a requirement of 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 and 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 leadership for evidence-based decision-making to ensure home visiting programs are targeted to high need populations and implemented as intended.

The incumbent works under the general direction of the Research Scientist Supervisor (RSS) II, Supervisor of the Home Visiting and Systems Evaluation Section. The RSS I provides scientific and management oversight of the Home Visiting Performance Measurement and Evaluation (HVPME) Unit. The HVPME unit conducts a variety of program evaluations to determine the reach, fidelity, outputs, outcomes, and impact of home visiting programs. The RSS I oversees development of management and information systems, development and application of fidelity and performance measures, and the scientific quality of the program evaluation work. Evaluation approaches include qualitative and quantitative methods and are based on relevant public health, evaluation science, implementation science, and social science literature. The incumbent presents the findings through consultation to departmental management and staff, presentations to public health audiences, fact sheets, government reports, and articles in scientific journals.

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.

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

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

Position Details

• Job Code #: JC-530053
• Position #: 580-520-5643-010
• Working Title: Unit Supervisor (Social/Behavioral) (Epidemiology/Biostatistics)
• Classification: RESEARCH SCIENTIST SUPERVISOR I $9,578.00 - $12,343.00 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: Sacramento County
• 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 team members, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring to us and the work we do.

Are you looking to join an exciting, dedicated team of professionals that work to improve the health and well-being of women, infants, children, and adolescents in California? To accomplish its mission, the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health Division (MCAH) maintains partnerships, contracts, and agreements with state, federal, and local agencies in both public and private sectors. MCAH hosts an array of programs and initiatives to serve the state's diverse populations and regions providing important resources, information and data about reproductive health, family planning, pregnancy, birth outcomes and more. Most programs and initiatives within MCAH are funded by the 1935 Social Security Act's Title V Block Grant.

Diversity and inclusion are core values of the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Division, Center for Family Health, California Department of Public Health. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

CDPH Diversity Statement

CDPH’s success arises from the differences in who we are, how we think and what we experience. It is these differences that best form policies, develop resources and deliver services to serve California's diverse communities.

CDPH continues to build and strengthen a work culture where all employees are inspired to share their talents and ideas, to become part of a team that works to better serve the needs of California’s diverse communities by delivering innovative solutions and quality resources.

We are committed to creating an environment where all employees are included, treated with dignity and respect, and in a position to contribute to protecting the health of all Californians

CDPH is an E-Verify Employer

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

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

Special Requirements

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 # 530053 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.

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareers Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. Submitting an electronic application through your CalCareers account is strongly recommended since electronic applications will be received/processed faster than other methods of filing. Please submit only one application.

If you are unable to submit your application electronically through your CalCareers account, please email [e-mail] for assistance and a CDPH Human Resources Division staff member will contact you to assist with the online application process or, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method as explained in the How to Apply section below. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included.

Desirable Qualifications

• Leading teams to develop data collection systems
• Leading program monitoring and evaluation activities
• Working with local public health agencies and leading stakeholder engagement activities
• Incorporating health equity concepts into program planning activities
• Familiarity with maternal and child health programs and/or topic areas
• Excellent project management skills, including planning, budgeting, coordinating team member activities and ensuring that deadlines are met
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Self-motivation and capable of leading a team of experienced researchers

Experience working in Social/Behavioral Sciences and/or Epidemiology/Biostatistics

Benefits

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]

Hiring Unit Contact:
MCAHPersonnelLiaison
[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

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ): Please describe your professional scientific experience in the Research Scientist specialty(s) Social/Behavioral Sciences and/or Epidemiology/Biostatistics. Include the start and end dates of each job (month and year), duties performed, and level of responsibility.

Please note, at least one year of work experience must include the following experience: full journey level work including planning, organizing, and directing scientific research studies of highly developed scientific scope and complexity. Making independent, complex decisions in their specific scientific specialty. Serving as scientific advisors or consultants to other scientists within their scientific specialty. Adapting methods, techniques, and procedures to carry out assignments. Conducting highly specialized phases of a major scientific project or investigation of sufficient scope which requires coordination with professional staff from other state, local, or federal agencies, academia, or international collaborators. Conducting and presenting scientific research or investigations to the public and scientific community. Using scientific findings to assist in the development of public policies. Drafting and publishing research in scientific Journals.

The SOQ must be typed, single-spaced, in size 11-point font or larger, and no more than two (2) pages in length.

Applicants who do not follow these instructions may be disqualified from further review of the job application.

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.