Health & Safety Net Researcher (Associate/Full Specialist) - California Policy Lab

Position overview
Position title: Health & Safety Net Researcher
Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by the rank and step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: . The current full-time base salary range for this position is $76,500 - $197,700. Off-scale salaries, which yield compensation that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.

Percent time: 100

Anticipated start: December 2025

Position duration: Two years

Application Window

Open date: October 20, 2025

Most recent review date: Monday, Nov 17, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications received after this date will be reviewed by the search committee if the position has not yet been filled.

Final date: Monday, Apr 20, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

Department Overview

The California Policy Lab (CPL) generates research insights for government impact. Through hands-on partnerships with government agencies, CPL performs rigorous research across issue silos and builds the data infrastructure necessary to improve programs and policies that millions of Californians rely on every day. We work on California's most urgent issues, including homelessness, poverty, criminal justice reform, and education inequality. At its Berkeley site, CPL resides as a center within the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE). CPL recognizes the value of having a diverse staff at all levels of the organization. When you join our team, you can expect to be part of an inclusive and equity-focused community.

Position Description

The Health & Safety Net Researcher will lead CPL's research portfolio relating to the social safety net and health, in collaboration with and under the oversight of CPL's faculty affiliates and Research Director. This is an exciting role for a skilled safety net and/or health researcher who wants to design and conduct policy-relevant quantitative research in partnership with state and local agencies throughout California. The Health & Safety Net Researcher conducts quantitative research, including conceptualizing research questions and design; requesting, receiving, and cleaning data files; creating and implementing an analysis plan; conducting quality assurance reviews; summarizing results in documents for both academic and policy audiences; and generating replicability documentation. The Health & Safety Net Researcher can implement multiple research designs and analysis techniques, including but not limited to randomized control trials, quasi-experimental designs using natural experiments or other such variation, and difference-in-difference and event study analyses. Further, a successful candidate can lead research projects under the oversight of CPL's Research Director with small teams, write proposals to support research projects, and ensure timely and high-quality completion of research tasks. The Health & Safety Net Researcher will mentor and supervise other research staff. The position will report to the Research Director and will work directly with leading social policy researchers at UC and other top universities, state and local government agency staff, and CPL's leadership team.

Position Responsibilities

• Under the oversight of the Research Director, conduct quantitative research, including conceptualizing research questions and design; requesting, receiving, and cleaning data files; creating and implementing analysis plans; conducting quality assurance reviews; summarizing results in documents for both academic and policy audiences; and generating replicability documentation.
• Annually publish multiple reports and policy briefs based on research.
• Implement multiple research designs and analysis techniques, including but not limited to randomized control trials, quasi-experimental designs using natural experiments or other such variation, and difference-in-difference and event study analyses.
• Lead research projects with small teams, write proposals to support research projects, and ensure timely and high-quality completion of research tasks.
• Supervise other research staff, provide feedback on performance.
• Partner effectively with state and local agency staff to build a joint research agenda.

Conviction History Background
This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

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Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
Associate Specialist

Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree and at least five (5) years of professional experience

OR

Master's degree or equivalent international degree and at least three (3) years of professional experience

Full Specialist

Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree and at least ten (10) years of professional experience

OR

Master's degree or equivalent international degree and at least eight (8) years of professional experience

OR

PhD or equivalent international degree and at least two (2) years of professional experience.

The California Policy Lab is unable to offer visa sponsorship for these positions.

Preferred qualifications

• Ph.D. in economics, public policy, or related social science field, or equivalent experience.
• Five or more years of post-Ph.D. experience managing projects as a Principal Investigator and supervising project staff.
• Training and experience that clearly demonstrates qualifications.
• Fluency in data-analysis packages from commonly used programming languages like Python, R, Stata, SQL, or SAS.
• Expertise in one of CPL's policy areas.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and ability to work both independently and as a team member.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail and ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes.
• Record of independent research and publication, including leading research design and analysis and writing for both academic and policy audiences.
• Experience writing grant proposals, communicating with funders, and managing grant reporting.
• Expertise in social safety net and/or health policy research.
• Experience working with large and complex administrative datasets, including data linkage techniques.
• Knowledge of data management systems, practices, and standards and ability to work discreetly with sensitive and confidential data, and experience with GitHub.
• Experience collaborating with government agency partners.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Research Statement - Please discuss research accomplishments and proposed plans. This can include, for example, your publication record, awards, presentations, inclusive research practices that promote the excellence of your research, and areas for future research.
  (Optional)
• Writing Sample - One or more illustrative examples of the candidate's research - a "job market paper," a manuscript, or other research product suitable to the candidate's field. The candidate should be the primary author.

Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Apply link:

Help contact: [email protected]

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy ( APM 210 1-d ). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community , which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy .

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Job location

Berkeley, CA with an expectation of 3 days a week in the office