Research Scientist Manager (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 a 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.

The incumbent works under the broad administrative direction of the Division Chief of the Environmental Health Laboratories. As the Chief of the Drinking Water and Radiation Laboratory Branch, the Research Scientist Manager (RSM) (Chemical Sciences) (CS) provides direction and manages the programs and operation of the Branch. The RSM (CS) provides consultation on issues related to California's laboratory analyses of water and other environmental matrices. The RSM (CS) manages, coordinates, conceives, and directs complex multidisciplinary laboratory research studies related to public health that provides valuable information to government entities, drinking water purveyors, and others in the scientific and public health communities. In this position, the RSM (CS) will prioritize and lead research efforts in identifying and addressing critical knowledge needs and gaps in the analysis of chemical, radiological, and toxicological constituents, as they relate to public health. The RSM (CS) serves as a Subject Matter Expert to the agency on chemical, radiological, and microbiological analyses as they relate to potential environmental exposures of public health concern.

In-office training required to start.

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 MANAGER (CHEMICAL SCIENCES)

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

Position Details

Job Code #:

JC-488213

Position #(s):

...-001

Working Title:

Branch Chief, Drinking Water & Radiation Laboratory Branch

Classification:

RESEARCH SCIENTIST MANAGER (CHEMICAL SCIENCES)

$12,839.00 - $15,003.00

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:

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.

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) 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.

• 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 # (488213) 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: 9/11/2025

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.
• 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 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:

• Managerial experience that demonstrates leadership, decision-making, entrepreneurship, and sound judgment in leading a group of multidisciplinary staff and a complex environmental laboratory program. Experience that demonstrates the ability to effectively plan, organize, and balance multiple and conflicting priorities to achieve the highest-level outcomes, resolve operational issues and develop timely, effective, and cost-effective solutions. Experience developing and managing a program budget and the allocation of personnel and other resources.
• Experience demonstrating advanced interpersonal skills and written and oral communication. Experience demonstrating the ability to represent the Drinking Water and Radiation Laboratory, including in various forums with high level management in the private industry, federal, state, and local government, environmental and community groups, and other CDPH constituencies.
• Able to interact and communicate effectively with staff, managers, executive staff, and management representatives of federal, state and local agencies. Understands that people process information differently. Takes initiative to build and maintain relationships and seeks and understands cultural differences. Has clear expression of ideas, thoughts, and expectations. Is an active and empathetic listener; effectively communicates management decisions to staff.
• Innovative problem solver. Applies new ways of thinking. Has the ability to solve problems, generates new ideas, and develops new approaches to achieve objectives. Capable of adapting quickly to changing needs.

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

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California Relay Service: ... (TTY), ... (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

When completing the Statement of Qualifications, these formatting guidelines must be followed: Responses must be typed, single-spaced with a font equivalent to 12-point size Arial. Document margins must be one inch on all sides. In the upper right-hand corner of each page, list your full name and the date. Do not include the questions in your response. Responses that do not conform to the specifications below may be disqualified. Your responses to the questions must be no more than 3 pages in length.

Please submit a Statement of Qualifications which includes the following information:

• Describe your managerial experience in planning, developing, administering, and managing a large, complex laboratory or environmental protection/public health program, with emphasis on organizational management and sound fiscal management. Provide examples that demonstrate leadership, creativity, and sound judgment in managing this program.
• Describe your knowledge and ability to supervise, motivate, and lead a program of scientific and administrative professionals, resolve conflicts, and effectively contribute to the laboratory's goals and objectives.
• Describe your experience making clear and convincing presentations, representing and speaking for the organization and preparing written reports.
• Describe your ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with management and staff within the California Department of Public Health, with Federal and State agencies, with local agencies, and with the private sector or other CDPH customers.
• Describe your knowledge of and experience with the California legislative and budgetary process, state control agencies, and other governmental entities that are necessary for effective program implementation. Provide examples of this experience.

Note: Resumes, letters, and other materials will not take the place of the Statement of Qualifications.

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.