Research Scientist II (Chemical Sciences)

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 CDPH Center for Laboratory Sciences (CLS)'s mission and strategic plan by leveraging technology to enhance laboratory services, increase timeliness and efficiency of laboratory procedures, supports the quality of regulatory functions through high quality data and methodologies required for new regulations, and contributes to advanced protective measures and risk reduction. All of these contribute to CDPH's Mission to advance the health and well-being of California's diverse people and communities.

The Research Scientist II (Chemical Sciences) (RS II (CS)), plans, organizes, and directs scientific research studies of a highly developed scope and complexity. The RS II (CS) works as a member of a cooperative team, implementing standardized high-complexity clinical laboratory tests, and assists with development and performance of methods for qualification and quantification of toxic chemical residues and/or their metabolites in clinical samples, biological specimens, and possibly environmental samples as well. Independently conceives, plans and implements collaborative research needed to develop and perform practical instrumental analysis methods for qualification and quantification of toxic substances or their metabolites in clinical samples as needed, and possibly in environmental media as well.

While emergencies have been very infrequent or rare in the past, the RS II (CS)'s general availability to work is needed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ("24/7"). This availability is required for certain unexpected or unscheduled laboratory operations, and thus 24/7 availability is one condition upon which filling this vacancy rests. The position requires 5% out-of-state travel to program-sponsored meetings, scientific conferences, and specialized training. The incumbent works in the laboratory, which is in compliance with the requirements of the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA), and a clinical laboratory scientist license is desirable; however, not initially required to be considered for this role. Once hired, the RS II (CS) must work to attain a relevant clinical laboratory scientist license (clinical toxicologist scientist, clinical chemist scientist, or the accepted equivalent valid in the State of California).

The incumbent works under the general supervision of the Research Scientist Supervisor I (Chemical Sciences) (RSS I (CS)) in the Biomonitoring Unit of the Microbiology and Biomonitoring Section in the Drinking Water and Radiation Laboratory Branch (DWRLB).

Please let us know how you heard about our position by taking this brief survey:

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

Working Conditions

Telework Information

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 II (CHEMICAL SCIENCES)

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

Position Details

Job Code #:

JC-476069

Position #(s):

...-012

...-018

Working Title:

Analytical Chemist

Classification:

RESEARCH SCIENTIST II (CHEMICAL SCIENCES)

$7,367.00 - $9,422.00

# of Positions:

2

Work Location:

Contra Costa County

Telework:

In Office

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 for team members, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring to us and the work we do.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) works to protect the public's health in California, and helps shape positive health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

The Center for Laboratory Sciences (CLS) is based on the Richmond Campus which employs more than 1,200 people. The Richmond Campus is a flat, 29-acre property located in Richmond's Marina Bay. The CLS serves to protect and promote the health of all Californians through innovative and collaborative infectious disease and environmental testing, including provision of investigation and surveillance activities which form the basis of disease response and prevention. The CLS works to bring together emerging scientific capabilities in testing, analytics, and communications reflecting a new level of coordination, support, and leadership for the public health laboratory system at the state, local and national level. In addition, the Center relies on a continuous improvement infrastructure as a core value in developing solutions that emphasize a culture of quality and performance through performance management success.

The Drinking Water & Radiation Laboratory (DWRL) has two Sections, Microbiology & Biomonitoring Section (MBS) and Chemistry & Radiochemistry Section (CRS). DWRL is staffed with approximately 35 professional scientists, technicians, and admin support personnel who support a variety of Public Health programs by conducting special studies and by providing scientific expertise and laboratory services. DWRL provides environmental radiation/radiochemistry measurements, testing marine biotoxins in shellfish, researching emerging chemical contaminants of public health concerns, testing of opioids and illicit drug residues, and is an accredited clinical laboratory for testing toxic substances and their metabolites in human specimens. DWRL conducts surveillance of wastewater to detect viral and bacterial diseases to protect, maintain and advance public health readiness against known and emerging infectious disease threats and does water testing for microbial pathogens and indicator organisms. DWRL is located in a state-of-the-art, 500,000 square foot facility located a few blocks from the San Francisco Bay at the CDPH Richmond Campus.

New to State candidates will be hired at the minimum salary of the classification or alternate range, as applicable.

• 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 not currently an E-Verify employer.

Department Website:

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 # (476069) 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 ... 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.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 5/13/2025

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply. Individuals who are eligible for a Training and Development assignment may also be considered for this position(s).

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

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 CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Public Health

CCAU Mailing

Attn: Classification & Certification Unit

P.O. Box 997378

MS 1700-1702

Sacramento, CA 95899-7378

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Public Health

CCAU Drop Off

Classification & Certification Unit

1615 Capitol Avenue Suite 73.430

Sacramento, CA 95814

08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• 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.
• Other -

Please see Supplemental Questionnaire instructions below at end of Posting. Any applications received that do not provide a written response to the SQ will not be scored/reviewed.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

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 in organic and inorganic analysis in clinical or environmental samples using sophisticated analytical techniques (Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer, Gas chromatography/Mass spectrometer, and/ or Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer) for qualitative and quantitative analyses under quality assurance protocols. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Holding a current California clinical laboratory scientist license or having a plan in progress towards it is desirable.

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:

Human Resources Contact:

Human Resources Division

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...

Hiring Unit Contact:

Thomas Maldonado

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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

...

California Relay Service: ... (TTY), ... (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) Instructions

Please provide a response to the Supplemental Questionnaire below. Limit your response to one (1) page or less per question (font: Arial, size 11).

• Describe your experience performing quantitative chemical analyses and data quality evaluation by following standard operating procedures (SOPs) or laboratory developed methods.
• Describe your experience identifying existing and potential technical or quality issues which affect the laboratory's testing readiness and explain how you initiated to solve these problems.
• Describe your experience with analytical method development and validation using HPLC/MS, GC/MS, and/or ICP/MS.

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

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.