System Maintenance and Development Lead

CDPH is currently hiring a System Maintenance and Development Lead (Research Scientist Supervisor I) within our Center for Infectious Diseases! In this role, you will oversee the day-to-day activities of the System Maintenance and Development Team. This includes, but is not limited to, providing direct supervision to team staff, coordinating workload and priorities, and ensuring the team’s work aligns with Section and Branch objectives. Additionally, you will serve as an assistant proxy Product Owner by helping manage the system maintenance and development product backlog, supporting release planning and ensuring system enhancements and fixes are documented, prioritized, and communicated effectively to program leadership and technical partners.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leads and manages the day to day operations of the CalCONNECT System Maintenance and Development Team, providing direct supervision and guidance to staff responsible for developing, testing, and maintaining components of the CalCONNECT platform, which is used to prevent and control the spread of disease by supporting case investigation, contact tracing, and other types of public health disease control activities

• Facilitates regular team meetings; ensures clear communication of Section priorities established by the Research Scientist Supervisor II and Branch Chief; conducts 1:1 check in meetings with staff; reviews and approves timesheets; and completes annual performance evaluations

• Serves as the team representative in CalCONNECT daily meetings, leadership huddles, and the CalCONNECT Local Users Call to provide updates on team activities and elevate issues appropriately

• Mentors and supports the professional development of team staff and contributes to the coordination of CalCONNECT operations as part of the broader program leadership team

• Coordinates system-related projects and supports the implementation of section priorities by applying management, problem-solving, and communication skills to meet the needs of CDPH programs and local health jurisdictions (LHJs)

• Ensures the CalCONNECT system is configured to optimize disease control workflows and that the system functionality supports the day-to-day activities of epidemiologists, disease investigators, public health nurses, and contact tracers

• Facilitates public health activities and generates actionable insights to inform public health decision making and stays informed on system enhancements, modifications, and other related changes

• Utilizes subject matter expertise on functionality of the platform, contact tracing program priorities, state guidance, and an understanding of other CDPH teams to ensure the needs of system end users are met and maintains professional competence and stays current on developments in infectious diseases, epidemiology, and public health informatics to support evidence?informed system improvements

• Applies scientific and analytic methods to interpret system-related findings and provide input that supports CalCONNECT Section priorities

• Plans and organizes team level scientific studies and assessments to identify gaps in system functionality and recommend solutions to enhance the disease control capabilities contained within the CalCONNECT platform

• Supports programmatic evaluations by contributing subject matter expert for analytics that assess how system capabilities improve disease control outcomes. Oversees the team’s user acceptance testing (UAT) activities for each release cycle to ensure system functionality meets established requirements

• Coordinates troubleshooting of system issues and ensures design documents are reviewed for accuracy, clarity, and completeness; assists in evaluating readiness for adopting data standards; and contributes to developing protocols that support data exchange, export, and analysis

Minimum Qualifications

Three (3) years of professional scientific research experience in any of the stated specialties or in a closely related specialty, which shall include at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to a Research Scientist Staff and possession of a master’s or doctoral degree in any of the stated specialties or in a closely related specialty.

Desirable Qualifications

Experience working within the Heluna Health Science, and/or Data Systems field.

About California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

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. The Human Resources Division (HRD) partners with CDPH’s programs and management to provide guidance and consultative services on HR matters that are necessary for the Department to carry out its mission to deliver quality public health services.

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