Public Health Laboratory Technician I

Full Job Description

The County of Sonoma Department of Health Services is seeking qualified candidates to fill a Public Health Laboratory Technician position at either the I or II level. If you are interested in being considered for the II level, you will need to apply to the separate, concurrent recruitment being conducted for that level.

About the Position

Public Health Laboratory Technicians use precision and accuracy to process and test environmental and select human specimens. Public Health Laboratory Technicians follow standard operating procedures and established policies, consult with others as needed, and support the Public Health Microbiologists. Responsibilities include:

• Performing microbiological laboratory tests on river, ocean, recreational, drinking, and shellfish growing waters
• Performing laboratory tests on milk samples
• Operating and maintaining various types of laboratory support equipment (pH meters, balances, media dispensers, conductivity meters, distilled water system, autoclaves, etc.)
• Performing quality control testing for biological testing and equipment compliance
• Preparing and processing a variety of microbiological specimens for examination by the Public Health Microbiologists
• Assuring sterilization and cleanliness of work area, instruments, and equipment
• Preparing microbiological media and reagents
• Providing phone and in-person customer support
• Conducting inventory and supply management for the lab

Hours for this position are typically 8 am-5 pm weekdays. The selected individual may be required to work weekends and/or holidays as needed, depending on the current response to health issues. Work is performed indoors with strict requirements around health and safety protocols and appropriate personal protective equipment is provided. Note: Possession of the State of California Milk Inspection Certificate of Proficiency is required prior to being promoted to the Public Health Laboratory Technician II level.

The ideal candidate will possess:

• Coursework in biological, chemical, and physical sciences
• Some experience working in a laboratory setting
• The ability to prioritize work to meet reporting deadlines
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, record keeping, and data entry skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong analytical ability
• The ability to develop and maintain good working relationships

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 Public Health Laboratory Technician II ($38.45/hour)
• 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
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement 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
• Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*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 Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

The Department of Health Services is currently recruiting to fill a Public Health Laboratory Technician position at either the I or II levels. 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.

Requirements

Experience & Education: Any combination of education, training and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include:

Public Health Laboratory Technician I: coursework in biology, chemistry, or equivalent natural science, and some experience working in a public health or clinical laboratory.

License: 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.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Qualifications

Public Health Laboratory Technician I
Knowledge of: biology and chemistry; general scientific terminology; quality assurance and control methods and procedures; occupational hazards of and safety precautions for a public health laboratory; methods, materials and equipment used in a public health laboratory; methods and procedures used in thorough cleaning and sterilization of laboratory equipment; basic mathematics.

Public Health Laboratory Technician I
Ability to: learn to perform laboratory tests of non-human specimens submitted to the laboratory; use and maintain laboratory equipment; follow oral and written instructions of a technical nature; make arithmetic calculations and keep accurate records; perform repetitive laboratory tasks; maintain high standards of cleanliness in the laboratory; establish and maintain good working relationships with co-workers, staff of outside agencies, and members of the public.

Additional Information

• 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 and 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.

Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments.

This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process.

Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race.

This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

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 and 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 and 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.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment.

Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation.

Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position.

If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.

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

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: DP

HR Technician: VH