CDPH - Research Scientist Manager (Chemical Sciences)

CDPH - Research Scientist Manager (Chemical Sciences)

ishitagulati0

8 hours ago

3 min read

California Department of Public Health

Job Title: Research Scientist Manager (Chemical Sciences)

Work Location: Contra Costa County

Job Code: JC-488213

Application deadline: 9/11/2025

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is currently hiring for a Research Scientist Manager (Chemical Sciences) within our Center for Laboratory Sciences' Division of Environmental Health Laboratories. In this critical role, you will serve as the Branch Chief of the Drinking Water & Radiation Laboratory (DWRL) Branch.

DWRL provides environmental radiation/radiochemistry measurements, testing marine biotoxins in shellfish, researching emerging chemical contaminants of public health concerns, testing 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

Responsibilities:

Plan, coordinate, manage, and direct laboratory programs, and evaluate program effectiveness

Make improvements for major laboratory sampling and analysis programs including, but not limited to (1) the analysis of environmental contaminants in environmental and biological matrices, (2) the pathways, bioaccumulation, and human body burden of contaminants that may be associated with disease, (3) the surveillance of water for infectious disease, and (4) identification of radioactive isotopes that may pose risks to humans through environmental exposures

Conceptualize, design, plan, and provide leadership and coordination on major laboratory research projects and specialized studies to identify and fill gaps in knowledge, using laboratory analytical methods and equipment to detect and quantitate various chemical, microbial, and radioactive contaminants that pose actual or potential risks to public health from environmental and other relevant matrices

Make recommendations on findings of studies to the top management, other State and Federal research partners, peers, and the public and synthesize a wide range of data from a variety of fields

Provide scientific support and direction for the legal, legislative, and regulatory actions that occur in public health policy development; interpret research findings for use in public health policy development by upper management; and act as a subject matter expert on laboratory issues related to these measurements

Produce reports on findings based on research data, prepare research findings for presentation as needed in the scientific literature, and interpret these findings for the public

Represent the DWRL Branch and provide professional consultation through serving on advisory committees, interagency task forces, etc.

Review regulations and prepare/review requests for proposals, bill analyses, budget change proposals, legislative proposals, grant proposals, and other documents pertinent to Division and Branch activities, to ensure they adequately address public health needs and public health protection standards and meet laboratory requirements

Provide direction and overall management of administrative assignments and drills pertaining to DWRL Branch fiscal, personnel, contractual, and other administrative matters, and manage the Branch's budget, including grants and reimbursements from interagency agreements

Direct DWRL Branch's project planning process, manage its resources, evaluate resource needs, identify and resolve resource gaps that may exist, and consult with the Division Chief for unresolved budget issues

At 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.

How To Apply

New to State Service? The following steps will navigate you through the application process:

Create a CalCareer account by going to

Confirm that you meet the minimum qualifications for the position you are wanting to apply for. A link to view minimum qualifications is listed on each job posting.

After confirming that you meet the minimum qualifications, take, and pass the corresponding examination. Most exams are available online and can be found on CalCareers under the Exam/Assessment Search tab. Please note, while candidates are welcome to apply to positions without taking the examination, candidates must pass the examination prior to appointment. Please review the minimum qualifications thoroughly, prior to beginning the examination.

Apply! Follow all directions and be sure to submit all requested documentation.