Research Data Specialist II

Job Description and Duties

All applicants will be considered, however SROA/Surplus candidates will be given priority.

Are you interested in making life better for Californians? Are you looking for a career and not just a job? Do you want to create a meaningful impact in your community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) has a career opportunity waiting for you! California not only needs you, it wants you as part of the growing workforce. New employees, new ideas, and new creative perspectives are needed in all areas at the CDTFA. We value staff and are dedicated to employee career development. Our agency supports the development of staff by offering training to flourish in their position and programs to promote and explore upward mobility. To learn more about us, please see CDTFA Gateway to New Opportunities video

The California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) is seeking ambitious and driven individuals to join us. We offer fulfilling careers and provide a reliable income, stable benefits, work-life balance, paid holidays, and advancement opportunities. CDTFA offers a Career Center that provides assistance with resumes, mock interviews, interview tips and tricks, and other job opportunities within CDTFA and other state agencies.

We are committed to growing the capabilities of our team members with our excellent hands-on training, classroom training, and our mentoring program. We build a community where you can work with diverse individuals to explore ways of being creative and innovative to make processes more efficient.

The Research Data Specialist (RDS) II serves in a lead capacity solving complex business problems within the Research and Statistics Section. The RDS II contributes to data science and machine learning projects, with particular focus on solving complex problems. The RDS II works independently and serves as one of the section’s data science and statistical experts, prepares statistical analysis for external publications and scheduled reports, and estimates tax revenue for sales and use tax, special taxes, and fee programs. The incumbent may be involved with all stages of the data science pipeline, including data cleansing and transformation, exploratory data analysis, model development, experimentation, production, and maintenance. The incumbent requires high level knowledge and experience in data science best practices, Python and SQL, as well as experience or interest in data science.

We are a high functioning team, and the work we do makes a difference to the Californians we serve. If this meaningful and challenging position interests you, please apply today!

How did you hear about this opportunity?

Under Government Code 14200, this position may be eligible for partial telework for eligible candidates residing in California. All telework/hybrid schedules require staff to report to the office a minimum number of days per week. Schedules are subject to change.

Currently, per the California Budget Act of 2025, all California Department of Tax and Fee Administration salaries are subject to the provisions of the State of California’s Personal Leave Program.

This recruitment has been posted for more vacancies than currently exist as it may be used to fill additional identical vacancies which occur within 180 days of the closing date of this bulletin.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

• Position may be located in a high-rise building.       

• Standard office environment.

• Requires being in a stationary position, consistent with office work, for extended periods of time.

• Daily use of a personal computer, office equipment, and/or telephone. 
• Telework is partially available.  

Special Requirements

• This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.; for more information about E-Verify, please go to

• Position requires employee to be fingerprinted and successfully pass a background investigation.

• Travel may be required up to five percent (5%) of the time.

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:

• Expertise in software development in Python.

• Familiarity with source code version control system such as Git.

• Proficiency in SQL.

• Experience with Snowflake or Databricks.

• Statistical or data science training.

• Strong understanding of econometric or machine learning methods applied to fiscal data.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.

• Working knowledge of docker containerization platform. 

Benefits

CDTFA appreciates and proudly celebrates diversity with an emphasis of an inclusive atmosphere in all levels of the organization. CDTFA is a participant in The Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) Capitol Cohort to advance racial equality and advance opportunities for all in California. Employees of different races, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, disabilities, gender orientations and personal experiences are welcomed to contribute to the success of CDTFA.

The CDTFA was presented with the Large State Employer of the Year Award for 2018 from The Association of California State Employees with Disabilities (ACSED); showcasing CDTFA’s support of employment, promotion, and fair treatment of persons with disabilities.

CDTFA values its staff and is dedicated to employee career development. Our agency supports the development of staff by offering training to flourish in their position and programs to promote and explore upward mobility.

Working for the State offers great opportunities, generous benefits, and career development. In addition, you can look forward to:

• Nearby (third-party) parking. 
• Convenient to public transportation. 
• Located near downtown, multiple eateries, major freeway access.

For more information about the outstanding benefits offered to State Employees

Statement of Qualifications

Applicants must include a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for this recruitment. The SOQ is a narrative discussion prepared by the applicant describing how the applicant’s skills, knowledge, abilities, education, training, and experience, qualify them for the position. The SOQ serves as documentation of each candidate’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. The CDTFA will not consider applicants who fail to provide an SOQ with their application. Resumes do not take the place of the SOQ.

Additionally, your SOQ must include:

• Name on SOQ.
• SOQ must be no more than two pages in length, single-spaced.

1. Describe a Python coding or software development project that you worked on in the past. How did you organize your code? Did  you collaborate with other software developers? How did you ensure that your code was free of errors.

2. Describe your process for beginning a new software development or coding project. What processes would you implement to  ensure the quality of your product?

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 - A completed Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) must be submitted with your STD. 678 in order to be considered for this position. Please see the Statement of Qualifications section of this job posting for additional information.