Research Specialist I

Riverside County, CA

$73K — $98K *
Healthcare
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's or Ph.D. in psychology, behavioral health, evaluation, or social sciences with a focus on statistics and research design.
  • Experience in research or evaluation activities, including statistical analysis and interpretation.
  • Proficiency in statistical software such as SPSS or R programming language.
  • Familiarity with report design in SSRS, Power BI, and/or Crystal Reports.
  • Experience with Structured Query Language (SQL) is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

  • Initiate and oversee research and statistical investigations in behavioral health or social services.
  • Coordinate with agencies to gather data and develop research and evaluation plans.
  • Define study populations, generate databases, and create reports using queries and programming.
  • Prepare and present narrative reports detailing research findings and potential program impacts.
  • Conduct needs assessment research for new programs and identify funding sources for support.

Benefits

  • Flexible work schedule options including 5/8 or 9/80 schedules with hybrid opportunities.
  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans available.
  • Participation in CalPERS retirement system with various tiers.
  • Flexible Benefit Credit contributions towards insurance costs.
Full Job Description
Salary : $73,214.95 - $98,780.30 Annually
Location : Riverside
Job Type: Regular
Job Number: 26-79837-EM
Department: Behavioral Health
Division: Research
Opening Date: 07/01/2026

This position will support Behavioral Health programs with data analysis and reporting, developing evaluation designs, developing program indicators, identifying or developing data sources, assisting with survey design, and identifying areas of greatest need. Staff will write queries to produce ongoing and ad hoc reports. Incumbents will develop written and oral presentations that will be tailored to it's intended audience such as the general public, department leadership, funders, vendors, or stakeholders. Duties are performed with instruction and guidance and require the utilization of initiative and judgment in problem solving activities. Positions in this class are distinguished from the Research Specialist II class in that the former is subject to closer supervision and may perform subordinate research responsibilities when the latter is the project lead over more highly complex research studies and program evaluations.

The most competitive candidates will have a Masters or Ph.D. with graduate-level work in psychology, behavioral health, evaluation, or social sciences with a strong emphasis in statistics and research design desired. The ideal candidate will have experience in research and/or evaluation activities, including statistical analysis and interpretation, and proficiency with statistical software such as Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and/ or R programing language (SPSS and/or R). Additionally, competitive candidates will have experience in report design in Structured Query Language Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Power BI, and/or Crystal Reports. Structured Query Language (SQL) skills are highly desired. Experience in behavioral health and using electronic health record data is also a plus.

Schedule: This position offers a 5/8 or 9/80 schedule with opportunities for a hybrid schedule.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES
• Initiates research and statistical investigations and recognize the need for research and statistical investigations in the areas of behavioral health or social service delivery and program planning and evaluation.
• Assists in the coordination with staff and outside agencies to obtain data; designs, organizes and develops research plans and evaluation designs.
• May assist in defining study populations and sample selection criteria; generating databases and writing queries and computer programs to produce ongoing and ad hoc reports; conducts surveys and interviews and administers questionnaire forms; collects and analyzes baseline and administrative data; performs random assignment of study subjects; and, periodically posts reports to the web site.
• Advises administrators of research findings and/or procedures; prepares narrative reports of findings with valid conclusions, projects program impacts, and predicts trends.
• Assists in conducting research to identify needs for new programs, identifies appropriate sources of funding to support new programs and prepares funding applications.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Graduation from a recognized college with a Bachelor's degree in social science, statistics, mathematics, economics, business/public administration, public health, data processing, or any of the natural sciences. While a Bachelor's degree is preferred, additional qualifying experience may be substituted for up to two years of education on the basis of 30 semester or 45 quarter units equaling one year of experience.

Experience:

OPTION I

Two years of progressively responsible experience in administrative, professional, investigative, technical or other responsible work which included statistical analysis, research or program design and data collection, and electronic data storage and report generation or grant writing.

OPTION II

Two years as an employment, eligibility, social service, or accounting supervisor with responsibilities that include the development or use of personal computer programs to compute or analyze benefits or the delivery of services.

Knowledge of: policies, procedures, practices and legislation governing the provision of social service delivery systems; advanced research and statistical methods including data collection and analysis; computer programming and processing methods; principles of management including planning, organizing and evaluating programs; social service concepts and issues.

Ability to: develop and prepare concise and coherent oral and written reports and recommendations; analyze, interpret and evaluate statistical data and research findings; use statistical software packages on personal computers; maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work; design and carry out research topics related to social service.

Other Requirements
License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Application Status: To confirm your application was received or check on the status of your application, log-in to, click on your name in the upper right corner, and click on "Applications & Status."

Sign Up for Job Alerts: Go to, click on "Careers," click on "County Job Openings," and click on "Subscribe to Job Alerts" icon.
For questions regarding this recruitment:
Please contact Edgar Manzo at (951) 955 - 0951 or
Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquiries.
APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veteran's Preference
The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here:
Reasonable Accommodations
The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at:
Proof of Education
If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services () or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. ().
Work Authorization Requirement
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.
BENEFIT PROGRAM: SEI
MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list
MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS).
  • Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
  • Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
  • Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:
  1. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
  2. A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
  3. A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change base

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Riverside County, CA

More Healthcare Jobs

Find similar Research Specialist I jobs: