PRINCIPAL CLAIM AUDITOR

Job Description and Duties

The Operations Bureau performs prepayment audits of claims from state agencies to ensure legality, validity, and compliance with laws and regulations. The auditing process serves as a safeguard against improper claims by verifying legal justification, budget appropriation, and program alignment. It ensures claims confirm authority and consistency with relevant state and federal statutes, judicial opinions, attorney general guidance, and the California Constitution.

Under general direction provided by the Senior Management Auditor, the Principal Claim Auditor (PCA) supervises claim auditor staff engaged in extremely time sensitive audit of all claims (both paper claims and FI$Cal vouchers) against the State prior to payment from the State Treasury. The PCA is responsible for planning, direction, and coordination of the work of claim auditor staff within the Claim Audits unit. The Principal Claim Auditor trains and supervises staff and manages the unit workload.

Duties Performed:

(Candidates must perform the following functions with or without reasonable accommodations.)

Specific duties include, but will not be limited to the following:

• Planning, organizing, and directing staff conducting audits to ensure validity and legality of claims prior to payment from the State Treasury.

• Keeping current with applicable laws, rules, regulations, and office policies/procedures when auditing claim schedules and FI$Cal vouchers.

• Resolving complex problems presented by departments, management, and the executive office respective to claims.

Supervision and Staff Performance

• Provide supervision and on-the-job training to staff.

• Plan, organize, and direct staff.

• Ensure uniform application of laws and regulations when performing audits. This includes examination of all contracts, amendments, supplements or change orders for legality, completeness including; accuracy, propriety of purpose, sufficient provisions of law, required approvals, and proper staff preparation of summaries of contract requirements.

• Identify staff training needs.

• Evaluate staff work performance and prepare probationary reports and annual performance appraisals.

• Recruit, interview, and hire staff to fill vacancies.

• Monitor and review staff attendance reports.

Audit-related Tasks

• Identify proper audit procedures, policies, and legal authority.

• Review audit procedures, audit sampling techniques, and fiscal controls to make recommendations for improvement.

• Resolve most complex problems respective to claims.

• Determine the need for referring questions to the SCO Legal Office.

Communication

• Inform staff on the application of new statutory provisions, court decisions, Attorney General’s opinions, and administrative rules and regulations relating to claims against the State.

• Develop, maintain, and monitor written desk procedures, manuals, and audit reference files.

• Confer with departments, management, and the SCO Executive Office respective to claims.

Special Projects

• Perform special projects as required.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

Additional Documents

Special Requirements

A resume is required.

A Statement of Qualifications is required; please see ‘Required Application Package Documents’ for instructions.

Take the required examination here: Principal Claim Auditor Examination

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: 4/19/2026

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.

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 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:

State Controller's Office

Human Resources

Attn: Human Resources Office, J.W.

300 Capitol Mall 3rd Floor, Ste 300

Sacramento , CA 95814

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

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

State Controller's Office

Human Resources

Attn: Human Resources Office, J.W.

300 Capitol Mall 3rd Floor, Ste 300

Sacramento , CA 95814

Applications dropped off in person must be received by 5 p.m. in HR, by the final filing date.

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 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 required and must be included.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  In addition to the application, please provide a resume, and a personal statement of your education, training, experiences and skills that best qualify you for this position. The statement should also convey what specifically motivated you to apply for this position. Responses should be no longer than one page, single-spaced and in 12-point font.

  A notation or reference to other materials such as resumes or applications will not be considered and will not substitute for this statement. Applications received without these documents may not be considered.

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.

Benefits

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

Contact Information

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

Hiring Unit Contact:
Audits Recruitments
(916) 323-4551
[email protected]

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:
SCO EEO Officer
(916) 324-2223

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.