Viral Pathogens Supervisor

Job Description and Duties

This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by supervising work in the field of infectious diseases for the detection of influenza, enterovirus, adenovirus, SARS-CoV-2, norovirus, rotavirus and other respiratory and gastroenteric viruses using real-time PCR, genetic sequencing, and cell culture.  The Public Health Microbiologist (PHM) Supervisor is responsible for the supervision of PHM I, II, and Specialists and Research Scientist, Microbiologists, Research Associates, and other scientific staff.

The PHM Supervisor is a Unit Supervisor within the Respiratory and Gastroenteric Diseases Section.  Duties include providing day-to-day administrative guidance and direction to subordinates. This includes planning, organizing, and directing tasks related to the current scientific studies or public health investigations (diagnostic or surveillance) of broad scientific scope and complexity. The PHM Supervisor will be expected to make independent decisions and serve as a consultant to other lower-level scientists conducting studies in the field of respiratory and gastroenteric diseases. The administrative duties of the PHM Supervisor will include budgeting and program planning for scientific research projects and investigations, recruitment, training, and supervising appropriate research personnel and other lower-level staff. The PHM Supervisor may conduct highly specialized phases of a major scientific project or investigation that would require coordination with professional staff from other State, local, or Federal agencies and publish or present such scientific research or investigations to other public health experts and the community.

Responsibilities also include recruitment, placement, and performance evaluation of personnel; organizing, analyzing, and reviewing testing results; development and evaluation of protocols; and quality assurance and quality control. The PHM Supervisor will act as a CLIA Technical and General Supervisor as part of our quality assurance and quality control.  The PHM Supervisor oversees work with potentially infectious materials in a biosafety level 2 or 3 laboratory. Use of appropriate biosafety precautions, including personal protective equipment required as necessary, as well as standing or sitting for long periods of time in a laboratory environment.

The incumbent works under the general direction of the Research Scientist Supervisor II of the Respiratory and Gastroenteric Diseases Section (RGDS) within the VRDL Branch.

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Working Conditions

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 # (532481)  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 calcareers.ca.gov  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.

Will also consider Temporary Authorization Utilization (TAU) appointments- Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications for the classification but do not currently have eligibility on an employment certification list by having taken and passed an examination may apply as a TAU. TAU appointments are limited to a duration of 9 months within a 12 consecutive month period. In order for a TAU appointment to become permanent, individuals must take and pass the related examination, and thereby become eligible from a certification list, within 9 months of TAU appointment. Individuals who successfully obtain eligibility prior to the expiration of the TAU appointment will not be required to re-compete in a competitive process for permanent appointment to that position.

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:

• Public health laboratory experience in a leadership role, preferably in virology with knowledge of conventional and cutting-edge technology for diagnostic detection of viruses and other pathogens of public health significance.
• 5 years of hands-on laboratory experience with increasing responsibility over time.
• Experience training laboratory staff in highly complex laboratory techniques and instrumentation.
• Ability to manage a complex portfolio of public health laboratory services for multiple clients.
• Experience in efficient delivery of reliable laboratory services.
• Working knowledge of laboratory quality management systems such as CLIA, and laboratory safety such as chemical hygiene and biosafety.  
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Professional demeanor and excellent interpersonal skills

Benefits

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

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) Instructions

Statement of Qualifications

Limit your response to one (1) page maximum (Font: Arial, size 12, 1” margins). List your full name and the date on the page.  Responses that do not conform to these specifications may be disqualified.

Please summarize why you are qualified for this position. You may address specific items listed in the Desirable Qualifications description. Please include your educational background, years of experience at different stages of your career, training and certifications relevant to this position, and leadership/supervisory experience from your work history.

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

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 will not be scored/reviewe d .

• 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.