Physician

Full Job Description

Notice of Change: If you submitted an application prior to 12/24/25 for this position and it is still active, your application is still under consideration.

SALARY
$242,132.80 - $276,529.76 Annually
Bilingual allowance, when applicable

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We are looking for dedicated and compassionate Physicians to join our County Health team!

The current vacancies are for one (1) full-time Pediatrician at the Santa Maria Health Center in Santa Maria and one (1) full-time Internal Medicine Physician at the Santa Barbara Health Care Center in Santa Barbara.

The County classification title is Staff Physician.

We are also accepting applications to establish one employment list for future Full-Time, Part-Time, Extra Help, and 1414** vacancies for the Staff Physician job classification in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Carpinteria, and Lompoc.

This job classification is also utilized by the Behavioral Wellness Department (BWELL) and this list may be used to fill future vacancies in the Behavioral Wellness Department.

**Civil Service Rule 1414.

Appointment to Fill Vacancy During Leave of Absence.1414 vacancies may occur as a result of a leave of absence, and the duration of the appointment shall be subject to the return of the individual who is on leave.

A person who is appointed to a position under Civil Service Rule 1414 may be able to transition into a regular position in the classification without re-application or re-testing, depending on the performance of the appointee and the needs of the department.

Please select the location(s) you would like to be considered for current and future vacancies.

If you qualify for this position and pass the required selection steps, your name will be sent to the hiring manager(s) of the vacancy location(s) and department(s) where you have expressed that you are willing to work.

BENEFITS OVERVIEW:

BENEFITS: The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits. Click on the Benefits Tab above or CLICK HERE to view more information.

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards for an advanced vacation accrual rate

NOTE: The County has a generous hiring incentive program and may provide reimbursement for reasonable relocation expenses, and, at the discretion of the CEO, can provide flexible relocation assistance, housing and student loan offsets, cash incentives, and/or vacation and sick leave pre-accruals in the interest of attracting the best talent to the organization.

POSITION:

As a licensed medical doctor, assumes independent responsibility for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients of the County of Santa Barbara Health (County Health) department with the all of attendant necessities of care, including but not limited to history, physical examination, ordering of tests, interpretation of testing, procedures, referral to specialists and overall case management of the patients’ medical conditions; performs related administrative duties to support County Health clinic and program operations; and performs other related duties as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Staff Physicians are licensed medical doctors who are Board Certified or eligible in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics, or other recognized specialty consistent with County Health assignment.

Professional services are provided in clinic settings and for a variety of public health programs.

Incumbents report to the County Health Medical Director or designated Staff Physician, Supervising and receive administrative direction from a Health Center Administrator.

The IDEAL CANDIDATE will possess:

• Clinical Expertise: Proficient in diagnosing and treating diverse medical conditions, with a valid California Physician & Surgeon license and DEA certification.
• Comprehensive Case Management: Strong skills in managing outpatient care, coordinating testing, procedures, and specialist referrals follow-up for a wide range of patient needs.
• Collaborative Leadership: Ability to provide clinical leadership and support to midlevel staff and supervise in the absence of a senior physician.
• Adaptability: Willingness to respond to public health emergencies and provide standby call coverage outside regular business hours.
• Cultural Competence: Capable of effectively treating patients from diverse socio-economic backgrounds with empathy and professionalism.

About the Departments:

County Health: The County of Santa Barbara Health department provides essential health services to approximately 440,000 residents.

It is our mission to improve the health of our communities by preventing disease, promoting wellness and ensuring access to needed health care.

Our five Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) offer a range of primary and specialty care services for adults, teens, children, and infants.

Located throughout the County, our Health Care Centers ensure accessible, high-quality care close to home.

County of Santa Barbara Health Care Centers:

• Santa Maria Health Care Center, 2115 S. Centerpointe Parkway, Santa Maria, CA 93455 (map)
• Lompoc Health Care Center, 301 North R Street, Lompoc, CA 93436 (map)
• Santa Barbara Health Care Center, 345 Camino del Remedio, Santa Barbara, CA 93110 (map)
• Franklin Health Care Center, 1136 E. Montecito Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 (map)
• Carpinteria Health Care Center, 931 Walnut Avenue, Carpinteria, CA 93013 (map)

For more information, please visit: https://www.countyofsb.org/2150/Health-Care-Centers

Department of Behavioral Wellness (BWell): Founded in 1962, it is our mission to promote the prevention of and recovery from mental illness and addiction among individuals, families and communities, by providing effective leadership and delivering state-of-the-art, culturally competent services.

The Department provides treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to 10,000 clients with mental illness and substance use disorders annually through its professional staff of over 400, in addition to its many contracted Community-Based Organization (CBO) providers.

The Department’s decisions and service delivery are guided by the following values:

• Quality services for persons of all ages with mental illness and/or substance abuse
• Integrity in individual and organizational actions
• Dignity, respect, and compassion for all persons
• Active involvement of clients and families in treatment, recovery, and policy development
• Diversity throughout our organization and cultural competency in service delivery
• A system of care and recovery that is clearly defined and promotes recovery and resiliency
• Emphasis on prevention and treatment
• Teamwork among department employees in an atmosphere that is respectful and creative
• Continuous quality improvement in service delivery and administration
• Wellness modeled for our clients at all levels; i.e., staff who regularly arrive at the workplace healthy, energetic and resilient
• Safety for everyone

For more information, please visit: www.countyofsb.org/behavioral-wellness.

Requirements

• Provides basic medical services to County Health patients consistent with community standard of care and County Health policy and procedures; provides clinic consultative services for the administration of County Health programs; and provides related medical leadership and consultative support to midlevel clinicians.
• Provides direct outpatient care services according to established appointment schedules; and provides indirect outpatient care services as required to support the case management of patients’ medical conditions, including review and response to all testing, patient and vendor requests for services related to medical conditions, specialty consultations, emergency care, and hospital follow up.
• Maintains medical records consistent with County Health guidelines and professional standards; completes billing statements with accurate diagnostic and E&M coding; and reviews and countersigns medical charts as required.
• Attends and participates in regular and special meetings of clinician, clinic, and/or departmental staff as requested; and participates in administrative committees, including peer review, medical quality, and utilization review committees and activities.
• Obtains and/or maintains current credentials and appointments as necessary for County Health clinic operations, including CenCal membership, and Medi-Cal, NPI, DEA, CHDP, and CCS status; and may supervise physicians and midlevel clinical staff in the absence of Staff Physician, Supervising.
• Provides clinical support to midlevel clinical staff and accepts designation as the supervising physician of midlevel clinical staff when requested.
• Serves as a County Health Emergency Responder for community, County, or State health-related emergencies and performs related duties as assigned by the County Health Emergency Operations Center, Health Officer, or Medical Director.

Qualifications

Possession of the following:

• A valid license as a Physician & Surgeon from the Medical Board of California (those enrolled and in the final year of an approved formal residency training program may apply and participate in the selection process, but must obtain a valid license as a Physician & Surgeon from the Medical Board of California at the time of appointment); AND
• A valid DEA certificate for the prescription of controlled medications; AND,
• Board Certification or eligibility in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Pediatrics or other specialty consistent with assignment.

Residency Program: Those enrolled and in the final year of a residency program are required to submit an official letter of anticipated graduation from the residency program at the time of application that:

Confirms good standing; AND Lists the anticipated date of successful completion.

Out-of-State: In addition, physicians not currently possessing a Physician & Surgeon License from the Medical Board of California, but who have an equivalent license issued by a medical board outside of the State of California, may apply and participate in the selection process, but must obtain a Physician & Surgeon License from the Medical Board of California at the time of appointment.

Additional Qualifications: Some positions in this class may require some or all of the following:

• Board certification in a specialty consistent with the County Health assignment.
• A valid California Class C Driver’s License.
• Eligibility for hospital privileges in local acute care hospitals.
• Willingness to provide standby call coverage on weekdays, weekends, and holidays as well as being available for consultation after regular business hours.

Knowledge of: the principles and practices of modern medicine; human anatomy and physiology; medical terminology; community resources in medical treatment; American Medical Association ethics and standards; pharmacology including laws regarding informed consent, dosage ranges, drug incompatibilities, and side effects; ICD-10 and CPT coding and billing principles; clinical and administrative supervisory principles and practices; and standard English grammar and usage.

Ability to: assess symptoms and make an accurate diagnosis; prescribe treatment appropriate to the patient’s condition and situation; skillfully apply principles and techniques of modern medicine; communicate effectively in both oral and written forms; establish and maintain effective relationships with staff, patients, the public, and other County employees; coordinate activities and efforts with other medical, nursing, and auxiliary staff; understand and accept the needs of medically indigent patients; and interact with and effectively treat clients from diverse socio-economic backgrounds.

Additional Information

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS:

• Review applications and supplemental questionnaire to determine those applicants who meet the employment standards.
• Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking. Responses to the required supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and autoscored. Candidates’ final score and rank on the employment list will be determined by their responses to the supplemental questionnaire.

Candidates must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the supplemental questionnaire ranking to be placed on an employment list.

An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI.

Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months.

At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS: The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants.

Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting.

We require verification of needed accommodation from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider, or learning institution.

Recruiters will communicate with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process. Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss required deadlines.

Selectees for employment must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 of the California Penal Code relating to child abuse, elder/dependent adult abuse, and physical violence abuse reporting.

County of Santa Barbara Health (County Health) requires all employees working in direct contact with patients or clients in a high-risk environment to comply with the County Health Employee Immunizations policy.

This can be accomplished by providing documentation of immunizations, submitting laboratory immune titers demonstrating adequate immunity, or obtaining required vaccinations.

A list of requirements, based on the specific program, will be sent at the time an offer letter is presented to the selected candidate(s) and initial documentation will be required at this time.

Additionally, for the Behavioral Wellness Department, a Live Scan and Background Check: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, the selected candidate's appointment is contingent upon successful completion of a Live Scan and background check which includes a conviction history check, and satisfactory reference checks.

A Live Scan is electronic fingerprint scanning that is certified by the State Department of Justice.

Further instructions about when and how to complete the Live Scan will be included in the offer letter. Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination.

The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.

Conditional Job Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, the selected candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check and satisfactory reference checks.

Appointee will also be subject to a post-offer medical examination. Appointee must satisfactorily complete a (12) twelve-month probationary period.

Disaster Service Workers: Pursuant to Governmental Code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT

The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance.

The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates.

The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: The recruitment has been moved to continuous. Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Farrah Medrano, Talent Acquisition Lead
County Health, PHDRecruiter@sbcphd.org