Job Posting: Food and Drug Investigator

Department of Public Health

JC-525448
-
Food and Drug Investigator
INVESTIGATOR

$6,339.00 - $10,609.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 8/3/2026

Job Description and Duties

THERE IS ONE VACANCY BEING ADVERTISED ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTIES. THE INCUMBENT WILL BE HEADQUARTERED IN THE COUNTY NEAREST THE RESIDENCE OF THE SELECTED CANDIDATE. THE COUNTIES ARE: * Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego *

This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by promoting health and wellness and improving state health outcomes by advancing protective measures and reducing risks.

The Investigator is responsible for conducting thorough and complex investigations, initiating enforcement actions to safeguard public health, delivering educational outreach, collaborating within a team environment for planning, evaluation, and quality improvement, maintaining technical expertise, and working cooperatively with industry partners and government agencies.

This classification consists of two alternate ranges. As incumbents advance within the ranges, their law enforcement responsibilities are expected to become more complex and require broader knowledge and application of investigative techniques and procedures. More advanced incumbents train and lead staff in the performance of field investigations and conduct the more complex criminal, civil, or administrative investigations to detect or verify suspected violations of laws.

This position is designated as peace officer under California Penal Code 830.3 (f) and (h). The incumbent performs the full range of peace officer duties and responsibilities in the accomplishment of their assignments and must comply with the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (CA POST). During the course of their employment, incumbents are required to carry a firearm and be proficient in its use. They must also be knowledgeable in the use of force, and demonstrate appropriate application as prescribed in department policy.

The incumbent works under the general direction of the Supervising Food and Drug Investigator of the Food and Drug Branch (FDB), Drug and Medical Device Compliance and Enforcement Section, Investigations and Technical Support Unit.

This classification is authorized to receive a starting salary rate of $6,974.00 under Pay Scales Section 5.

In July 2025, the State of California implemented the Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025. This program temporarily reduces employees’ monthly base pay in exchange for paid leave credits. This position is subject to PLP 2025 and will have a monthly base pay reduction of 2% in exchange for 3.5 hours of leave credits through June 2027. The salary ranges shown on this job posting do not reflect the salary reduction.

If new to California state service, you will need to have taken and passed the examination for this classification in order to be hired for this position. If you are a current state employee, but do not have transfer eligibility or list eligibility, you will need to have taken and passed the examination for this classification in order to be hired for this position. Please go to CalHR’s website to review the exam bulletin:

https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHRPublic/Search/ExamSearchResults.aspx#classid=3976

Please let us know how you heard about our position by taking this brief survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CDPHRecruitment

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

Telework Information

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 attached duty statement.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-525448
Position #(s):
580-613-8610-006
Working Title:
Food and Drug Investigator
Classification:
INVESTIGATOR
$6,339.00 - $8,558.00 A
$7,306.00 - $10,609.00 B
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
United States
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time

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 Food and Drug Branch’s mission is to protect and improve the health of all California residents by assuring that food, drugs, and medical devices are safe and not adulterated, misbranded nor falsely advertised, and that drugs and medical devices are effective.

“The salary information listed on this advertisement may not reflect recent salary increases from salary adjustments or changes in the fiscal year.”   

 

“CDPH is an E-Verify Employer”  
Department Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov

Special Requirements

  • The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.
  • The position(s) require(s) Medical Clearance prior to being hired.
  • The position(s) require(s) Psychological Evaluation clearance prior to being hired.

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 # (525448) 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 www.CalCareers.ca.gov. 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 apply@cdph.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.

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 8/3/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply. Individuals who are eligible for a Training and Development assignment may also be considered for this position(s).

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

How To Apply

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 CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Department of Public Health
CCAU Mailing
Attn: Classification & Certification Unit
P.O. Box 997378
MS 1700-1702
Sacramento, CA 95899-7378

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Department of Public Health
CCAU Drop Off
Classification & Certification Unit
1615 Capitol Avenue Suite 73.430
Sacramento, CA 95814
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

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 www.CalCareers.ca.gov. 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 optional. It may be included, but is not required.
  • Statement of Qualifications -

    Please see Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) instructions below at end of posting. Applications received without a written response to the SOQ may be rejected.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

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:

• Experience investigating, inspecting, and auditing facilities required to operate with a government-issued license to ensure compliance with government laws, regulations, and guidelines.

• Planning, organizing, and conducting independent investigations, inspections, or audits.

• Ability to review manufactured products and the associated records, policies, procedures, and documents to determine if a violation has occurred.

• Prioritize and manage multiple investigations, work plans and assignments.

• Writing complex investigation, inspection or audit reports that clearly and concisely document the results.

• Maintaining issued equipment (vehicle, computer, camera, etc.) to conduct investigations, inspections, or audits.

• Knowledge of principles and practices related to medical devices, pharmaceutical, or manufacturing industries. Experience in enforcing federal and state regulations.

Benefits

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

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the application process. The Hiring Unit Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position.

Department Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov
Human Resources Contact:
Human Resources Division
(916) 445-0983
apply@cdph.ca.gov
Hiring Unit Contact:
Zainab Khan
(279) 667-2249
zainab.khan@cdph.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
EEO Office
(916) 445-0938
CivilRights@Cdph.CA.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Statement of Qualifications (SOQ):

On a single page, single-spaced, 12-point Cambria font, answer the following prompt:

Describe how your work experience and/or education make you the most qualified individual for the investigator position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job