RESEARCH DATA SPECIALIST III

Classification: Research Data Specialist III | Salary: $8,392.00 – $10,505.00 per month (new state hires start at minimum) | Telework: Hybrid | Type: Permanent, Full Time | Location: United States | Positions: 1

About the role

The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) serves, protects, and supports Californians experiencing need, empowering wellbeing and disrupting systemic inequities. The Research, Automation, and Data Division (RADD) advances CDSS’s data infrastructure by improving how the Department collects, manages, and uses data in service of public programs. RADD leads statewide initiatives to streamline operations, strengthen data governance, expand automation, enhance visualization and analytics, and facilitate research partnerships.

CDSS Guiding Principles:

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Belonging – ensuring meaningful participation for all.
• Community Engagement – prioritizing lived experience as a driving force for programs and services.
• Empowerment – recognizing each community and person’s capacity to lead in their own life.
• Quality Services – aligning intent and impact through accessible, community-driven, interconnected, continuously improved services.
• Data Defined Outcomes – equitable collection and analysis, data-driven action, and transparent accountability.

The Data Lifecycle Lead sits within the newly formed Data Policy & Project Management Bureau. This role is central to strengthening enterprise data literacy, organizational learning systems, and evidence-driven decision-making. You will design and lead research and evaluation projects, create evidence-based training and learning strategies, and guide data lifecycle processes that support CDSS workforce and organizational priorities. Your work directly supports programs serving vulnerable Californians by ensuring the Department uses data responsibly, effectively, and equitably.

Responsibilities

• Advance enterprise data literacy by developing research-backed training, coaching models, and learning strategies that strengthen CDSS staff capacity for responsible, ethical, and effective use of data.
• Assess and improve workforce learning outcomes by analyzing data literacy needs, evaluating program and training effectiveness, and providing clear, actionable insights that guide strategic decisions across the Department.
• Lead major research and evaluation initiatives by coordinating methodological design, managing analytic workflows, and partnering with internal and external teams to deliver quality, equity-informed research.
• Build and steward organizational learning infrastructure by aligning with CDSS learning agendas and managing knowledge repositories, communication tools, and systems that enable consistent and strategic use of data across programs.

Requirements

• Must meet the Minimum Qualifications for Research Data Specialist III per the Classification Specification.
• A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required; applications without an SOQ will be disqualified.
• SOQ must be typed in 12-point Arial or Times New Roman, single-spaced, no more than two pages.
• SOQ must address all three prompts:
  • Describe experience conducting advanced research or evaluation activities to support organizational decision-making, including analytical methods, data lifecycle knowledge, or evaluation frameworks applied.
  • Provide an example of designing or delivering data literacy or other data-related training, including approaches used and impact.
  • Provide an example of developing a data process, procedure, or governance policy, describing your role, the problem solved, and the impact.
• Complete and accurate employment history (STD 678) is required; resumes do not substitute.
• If meeting minimum qualifications with education, unofficial transcripts must be included; official transcripts may be required at hire.