Vendor Monitoring and Evaluation Researcher
The Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) has been part of the nation’s nutrition safety net for 50 years.
Extensive research has found WIC to be a cost-effective investment that leads to healthier infants, more nutritious diets, health care for children, and subsequently higher academic achievement for students. WIC helps families receive healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other community services.
Like other divisions within the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), WIC builds its program by addressing social determinants of health. WIC impacts the life course by promoting health practices that can ultimately improve life outcomes often experienced by vulnerable communities.
WIC serves babies and children up to age five, pregnant women, and new mothers. Dads, grandparents, foster parents of young children, and working families are welcome at WIC too!
Monthly, nearly one million WIC participants can find support at one of 84 local agencies which offer services at more than 500 sites throughout California. WIC participants can redeem their food benefits at approximately 3,800 grocers who are authorized to serve WIC families.
In 2019 - 2020, the WIC Division implemented an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card called the California WIC Card and a new management information system that allows WIC participants to be served more efficiently.
About the CDPH/WIC Family
Over 200 state staff work at CDPH’s WIC Division, headquartered at the Natomas campus in Sacramento. WIC is committed to a hybrid workforce and the state provides a modest stipend for those who fully and partially work from home. Staff are provided with a computer or laptop, camera, and large screen to conduct their work. We build our unit teams virtually and maintain contact with stakeholders by being on camera to solidify our relationships.
The WIC Division is led by senior managers administering a Local Policy and Health Programs Branch, Local Services Branch, Vendor Management Branch, Communications, Food, and Vendor Policy Branch, Data and Integrity Branch, WIC Systems Integration Branch, and the Operations team. Through these branches, support staff, analysts, specialists, researchers, and nutritionists serve the needs of WIC families, supports our program partners, and ensures the California WIC Program is administered appropriately and effectively.
This position supports the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) mission and strategic plan by advancing the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities. As an employee of the Data and Integrity Branch, the incumbent serves as part of a team that collects, analyzes, monitors, and leverages data, research, and policies to benefit, optimize and protect the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and its participants, local agencies, and vendors.
The candidate works under the general direction of the Chief, Vendor Analysis, Research, and Evaluation (VARE) Section, Research Scientist Supervisor I (RSS I). The Research Scientist I (RS I) assists WIC in understanding the characteristics and business practices of the WIC vendors, identifying participant access and gaps in services, and monitoring food prices and expenditures. Plans, organizes, and conducts program Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), behavioral research, and quality assurance activities; prepares data summaries, graphs, presentations, and State reports. Assists with development and implementation of a M&E plan for Vendor Management activities. Develops and generates routine quality assurance (QA) mechanisms and process implementation reports to ensure WIC Vendor program activities are cost-effective and operating as planned. Develops and updates Tableau data visualization reports to assist staff with making data-informed program decisions.
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:
- Communicate and collaborate with data and non-data colleagues.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills including reviewing and editing documents.
Experience In:
- Working with large databases.
- SAS (or similar) statistical software packages.
- Monitoring and evaluation methods.
Knowledge Of:
- Government assistance programs.
- Data visualization techniques.
- Data-driven decision-making techniques.
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.
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.