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.

The California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Injury and Violence Prevention Branch (IVPB) works to ensure all Californians have safe places in which to live, work, play, and fully participate in all activities of daily life free of violence or injury. IVPB is the focal point for department efforts in injury and violence prevention, surveillance, and safe physical activity promotion. This position is in the Injury Prevention Program Section, which primarily focuses on unintentional injuries, but has some overlapping project collaboration with our "intentional injury" (aka - violence) prevention team as well as colleagues in the Epidemiology and Surveillance Section.

• Department Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov
• Check out How to Apply for a Job at CDPH
• Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.
• The CDPH does not currently use E-Verify for employment verification.
• The salary listed in this ad may not include recent adjustments or changes from the fiscal year

Job Description And Duties

The Health Program Specialist (HPS) II works under the direction of the HPM II, Chief, Injury Prevention Program Section of the Injury and Violence Prevention Branch. The incumbent is responsible for the development, planning, organization, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of the Drowning Prevention Program.

These functions support the efforts of IVPB as well as varied state drowning prevention stakeholders and others towards the CDPH goal of addressing and reducing drowning injuries and fatalities statewide.

The HPS II facilitates effective communication among collaborative partners; ensures statewide program consistency; provides professional guidance and complex consultation; and directs health policy and program development.

The three-year Childhood Drowning Data Collection Pilot Program mandated by Senate Bill 855 (Chapter 817, Statutes of 2022) will address the shortcomings to the existing data systems on childhood drowning by establishing a childhood drowning data system, which will be used to inform a coordinated, data-driven state plan for childhood drowning prevention.

The HPS II is responsible to support this project by building an advisory group and facilitating meetings, research on educational, environmental, and engineering best practices for drowning prevention, draft and publish reports for the legislature and developing a statewide action plan.

Minimal in-state and out-of-state travel (5%), with overnight stays as needed, is required to conduct site visits or participate in off-site meetings.

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:

• A conscientious individual with a solid work ethic.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Experience working with public health and drowning prevention, particularly in the fields of Injury Prevention or water safety promotion.
• Team player who develops and maintains cooperative working relations with internal and external stakeholders
• Desire to improve the health of Californians by reducing preventable injuries.
• High level of experience utilizing technology for communicating, producing webinars, and creating documents and spreadsheets.
• Solid writing, verbal, and remote platform presentation skills (Teams, Zoom, Webex).

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)

An SOQ is a narrative discussion regarding how the applicant’s education, training, experience, and skill meet the Desirable Qualifications for the position. The SOQ responses are also evaluated for writing ability. For additional information on writing an SOQ, please visit How to Write Engaging SOQs for CDPH.

Please address the SOQ by using specific examples of your education, training and experience.

For your Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), please share in a narrative format, single spaced and no more than two pages, answers to all 4 of the following questions:

1. What about this HPS II position in injury prevention interests you and how does it fit within your career path in public health? (Please respond to this IVPB job duty statement specifically).
2. Describe how your education, training and skillset make you the right candidate for this specific position at IVPB? Please include any experience with the drowning prevention topic/field and your familiarity and use of technology in the workplace (i.e., Teams, SharePoint, Zoom, Canva, Excel, etc.).
3. Describe and define your interpersonal communication style and how you would engage with a team working across several public agencies and with a range of perspectives and work styles?
4. Describe in detail your health program administration experience within your previous positions. Please include:

• The position(s) in which you performed these duties and the start and end dates (month and year) of each position.
• If you've had major/independent responsibility for a significant health program and the duties performed.
• Describe the type of organization where you managed the significant health program. Provide details on the:
• Type of organization and size
• Complexity of health program and scope
• Functions and duties of the program
• Staff you oversaw and their roles
• Community or clients served
• Any relevant experience with program planning, evaluation, and making recommendations to management.

Health program administration refers to the practice of managing and overseeing the operations of healthcare or public health programs to ensure efficient delivery of health services within a specific healthcare setting.

Eligibility Information

If you are new to California State Service, you must take and pass the examination for this classification to be eligible for hire. Current state employees without transfer or list eligibility must also complete and pass the examination for this classification to qualify for this position.

Please go to CalHR’s website to review the Health Program Specialist II exam bulletin.

Telework Information

This position may be eligible for telework up to three (3) days per week and is required to report in-person to the designated headquarters office location a minimum of two (2) days per week. 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.

Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee’s designated headquarters office 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 duty statement.

Final Filing Date: 5/1/2025

Job Code #: JC-474768

Position #(s): 580-340-8336-014

Working Title: Project Consultant

Classification: HEALTH PROGRAM SPECIALIST II

$7,064.00 - $8,842.00

Work Location: Sacramento County

Telework: Hybrid

Job Type: Permanent, Full Time

Should you have any questions regarding the application process, our Recruitment Team is ready to help you at [email protected] or (916) 445-0983.