Assistant Branch Chief

Job Description and Duties

This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by serving as the Assistant Branch Chief of the Infectious Diseases Branch (IDB). Through its four sections (Disease Investigations, Veterinary Public Health, Surveillance and Statistics, and Vector-Borne Disease), IDB staff are responsible for surveillance, investigation, prevention, and control of communicable diseases of public health importance. IDB is headquartered in Richmond/Sacramento with additional staff located in five field offices statewide.

The Assistant Branch Chief ensures that program activities are scientifically sound, operationally efficient, and aligned with departmental priorities, legislative mandates, and emerging public health needs. The incumbent collaborates closely with Section Chiefs, statewide field offices, executive leadership, and external partners, providing expert guidance on complex, sensitive, and high - impact communicable disease issues. The incumbent provides leadership, operational oversight, and administrative direction to ensure statewide communicable disease prevention and control activities are effectively planned, coordinated, and executed. Supports and shapes statewide efforts by overseeing program planning, personnel management, fiscal operations, and policy development.

The Supervisor II works under the general direction of the Public Health Medical Administrator I, Branch Chief of the Infectious Disease Branch.

In July 2025, the State of California implemented the Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025. This program temporarily reduces employees’ monthly base pay in exchange for paid leave credits. This position is subject to PLP 2025 and will have a monthly base pay reduction of 3% in exchange for 5 hours of leave credits through June 2027. The salary ranges shown on this job posting do not reflect the salary reduction.

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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.

Special Requirements

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 #(532602) 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 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 View email address on us.fitly.work 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

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:

• Supervisory experience
• Budgets and accounting

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Instructions:

1. Describe jobs you have held that were analytical and/or technical focused. What were the primary functions and level of independence and responsibility within each role?
2. Describe a time when you planned, developed, and coordinated program activities or projects from design through evaluation. How did you ensure effective implementation, communicate complex technical concepts clearly, and evaluate the work of others to accomplish these tasks successfully?

In your answer, please include the job(s) in which you performed these duties and length of time spent in each job, including start and end dates (month and year) and level of responsibility.

Note: For a glossary of terms, please click here .

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 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 .