CPPA Joins Federal and State Agencies in Effort to Strengthen Tech Capacity in Government
Today, the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) joins several federal and state government entities in an effort to strengthen tech capacity in public service.
The public sector has long understood the need for traditional IT staffing to support infrastructure, cybersecurity, and technical support. However, many government agencies need to broaden their technical expertise to meet the current needs of society’s digital transformation. This evolution is fundamental to accomplish the government’s mission to provide meaningful oversight and consumer protection in an accelerating technological landscape.
“Technology touches nearly every aspect of consumers’ lives,” said Executive Director Ashkan Soltani. “It’s more important than ever that government is able to keep pace with these advancements in order to do its job. We are proud to join other agencies in our commitment to strengthen our tech capacity and ensure greater accountability in our data-driven future.”
As part of this commitment, the Agency will undertake accelerated recruitment for technologists, including openings for two technologist investigator positions within the Enforcement Division. In the coming months, the Agency will also begin recruitment for its Chief Privacy Auditor, a technical specialist who will be tasked with building out the agency’s research and Audits function. This expansion will enable the Agency to audit privacy, security, and automated decision-making technology. These highly specialized positions are critical to navigating and evaluating emerging challenges in algorithms and AI.
“Enforcement and technical expertise go hand-in-hand,” said Michael Macko, the Agency’s Deputy Director of Enforcement. “We’re continuing to deepen our bench of privacy enforcers, and additional technologists will help us evaluate complex systems and architectures. We’ll do what it takes to identify violations.”
California leads the way in technology in the private and public sectors. Landmark efforts, such as Governor Newson’s Executive Order, position California to respond to the most emergent technologies by directing the state to examine the potential benefits and risks associated with generative artificial intelligence.
It’s in this spirit that the CPPA is committed to rethinking technology positions within government and creating a talent pipeline to accelerate California’s pathway to build the workforce of the future. Through collaboration across agencies and a strong commitment to strengthening our tech capacity, we will be better equipped to tackle emerging challenges.
Individuals interested in joining our team and contributing to our mission can sign up for our jobs mailing list to stay informed about upcoming opportunities.
Contact: press@cppa.ca.gov