Sheriff's Communications Technician I

Position Information

If you have telecommunications experience and a desire to contribute to the safety of the community, join the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office as a Sheriff's Communications Technician I!


Starting salary up to $41.45/hour ($86,511/year) and a competitive total compensation package!

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity at the II level, you must apply to the separate recruitment being conducted for Sheriff's Communications Technician II.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement - With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Sheriff's Communications Technician II (up to $111,285 annually)
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - An annual Staff Development and Wellness benefit of $565
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

Working in the Sheriff's Office Telecommunications Bureau , Sheriff's Communications Technicians learn to assemble, install, test, maintain, and repair equipment such as communication towers, 911 emergency radios, two-way radios, and other specialized electronic law enforcement and public safety systems. In order to work on communication towers and ensure uninterrupted public safety services, Sheriff's Communications Technicians must be willing to climb to heights as high as 225 feet and to provide immediate support during emergency situations. Ideal candidates will have:

• Training and/or experience working with radio-over-internet protocol (RoIP) and voice-over-internet protocol (VoIP) systems
• Knowledge and an understanding of LMR and microwave public safety radio systems
• Experience installing and maintaining radio service software and configuring network interfaces on computers and equipment
• Familiarity with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety practices
• The ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
• Experience managing work priorities and meeting deadlines
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, including Excel, Outlook, and Word

The Sheriff's Communications Technician position offers unique challenges, a rewarding work environment, and the opportunity to contribute to the safety of our community. Through on-the-job training, experience, and the support of management, incumbents gain the skills and abilities needed to obtain career advancement and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) certification.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the International Union of Operating Engineers, Stationary Engineers - Local 39 Memorandum Of Understanding (Local 39 MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory . The Civil Service title for this position is Communications Technician I. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of training and/or education which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed below. Normally, completion of academic, military, or vocational programs leading to an associate degree in electronics or communications technology or its equivalent, would provide such opportunity.

License: Within one year of employment, incumbents must obtain a general class Radio-Telephone Operator's license issued by the FCC and a tower-climbing certification that meets the criteria for Safety, Health, and Environmental training per the American National Standards Institute and National Association of Tower Erectors - Climber Training Standard. Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Certification: Possession of a Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician (CCENT) certification, or an equivalent certification, is desirable.

All licenses and certifications, once obtained, must be kept current as a condition of employment in this classification.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: basic electronics, radio communications, and microwave theory and practices; basic digital and analog principles; applications of microwave and radio receivers, transmitters, and auxiliary communications equipment, including amplifiers and antennas; basic telecommunications and data networking software and equipment including routers and switches; basic radio modulation and direction; standard tools and test equipment utilized in the repair and servicing of radio communications equipment; standard work safety principles and practices; principles of effective grounding of telecommunication equipment.

Ability to: learn to install, troubleshoot, maintain, and replace telecommunications and radio communications equipment; utilize test equipment in locating and repairing operating faults; learn to collect and analyze data and test information to identify operating problems/situations and take appropriate and effective corrective actions; use hand tools appropriate to the duties and responsibilities of the position; stay current on radio standards; read schematic diagrams; maintain accurate records and document activities; establish and maintain good working relations with county departments, co-workers, and others contacted in the performance of assigned duties; climb to heights of up to 225 feet; work long and irregular hours.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

BACKGROUND PROCESS

Being part of the Sheriff's Office and being expected to keep the public safe requires a thorough background investigation process. This process includes an assessment of prior work history, verifying educational experiences, court reports, public records searches, and understanding past patterns relating to drug usage, financial patterns, etc. This entails gathering a significant amount of information from job candidates and speaking to former employers, friends, family members, etc. Polygraphs, drug tests, and medical and physical examinations are also part of this process. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment. This process can take anywhere from 3-5 months. Many factors are taken into consideration and one should not assume a credit issue or prior drug use is automatically disqualifying. Candidates will be given the opportunity to present mitigating information they feel should be considered. You are encouraged to be as responsive as possible while this process is taking place to help expedite the timeline, and we encourage you to stay patient and interested in this great career opportunity while this process is taking place.

You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Please read the Sheriff's Office Pre-Employment Drug Use Guidelines for further information.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: JL
HR Technician: RR

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off :Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan :Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generousCounty contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement :Fully integrated with Social Security.For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan :Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical : County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 4/7/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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