Sheriff's Senior Communications Technician - Promotional

Position Information

THIS RECRUITMENT IS PROMOTIONAL ONLY. YOU MUST PRESENTLY BE A FULL- OR PART-TIME REGULAR OR PROBATIONARY COUNTY OF SONOMA, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, SONOMA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, OR SONOMA COUNTY WATER AGENCY EMPLOYEE IN ORDER TO APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Sheriff's Senior Communications Technician position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Sheriff's Office employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list. The Civil Service title of this position is Senior Communications Technician.

Sheriff's Senior Communications Technicians m anage and execute complex projects involving construction, maintenance, testing, and repair of communications equipment, and troubleshoot issues related to network performance, security, and interconnectivity, as well as providing technical support for communication systems to various organizations, including emergency services . They also assist the Assistant Communications Manager in designing radio communications systems, and supervise the installation of the communications systems and their programming and configuration. In addition, they will train new technical staff and assign and review daily work activities within the shop to ensure efficient operations.

Please note that this position is required to climb heights of up to 225 feet. It is also required to work long and irregular hours and is subject to emergency call-outs, 24 hours per day on a pre-established standby schedule. Applicants unwilling to meet these requirements will not be considered qualified for this position.

As the ideal candidate for this position, you will possess:

• A two-year degree in Electronics, Information Technology, or Networking (desired but not required)
• Knowledge or experience with DC power supplies, radio microwaves, and VHF/UHF radio propagation, as well as trunking systems and proficiency in programming radio frequencies
• Exceptional analytical abilities, as well as effective writing and public speaking skills
• The ability to adapt to changing situations and diverse personalities with a focus on teamwork
• A desire to continually learn and stay updated on emerging technologies and industry trends, as well as an interest in conducting research

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications (Word, Excel, Visio), and intermediate skills in creating reports and presentations

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. Normally, completion of academic, military, or vocational program leading to an associate degree in electronics technology or its equivalent, and five years of journey level work experience in the installation, maintenance, and repair of two way communication transmitters and receivers, microwave, and public security systems would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Additional course work in supervision and/or management is desirable.

License: Possession of a valid general class Radio-Telephone Operator's license issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), or equivalent certificate issued by an appropriate certification body in the absence of FCC regulations.

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: Within one year of employment, incumbents must obtain 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 Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and Cisco Certified Network Associate Security (CCNA Security) certifications, or equivalent certifications, is desirable. All licenses and certifications, once obtained, must be kept current as a condition of employment in this classification.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of: electronics, radio communications, and microwave theory, principles, and practices; operating principles of transmitters and receivers, including microwave systems, analog and digital systems, and simulcast.

Knowledge of: installation, maintenance, programming, diagnosis, and repair methods utilized with modern digital and analog communications equipment, including two-way radio, microwave systems, antenna systems, and network equipment; the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission covering the installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of transmitters, receivers, and related communications equipment; advanced and emerging technologies such as P25, trunking, and RoIP (Radio over Internet Protocol); advanced radio configuration and programming; principles of staff development and training; computer, local area networks, and wireless voice and data systems; standard work safety principles and practices; and principles of effective grounding of telecommunications equipment; rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission.

Ability to: provide technical direction to other Communication Technicians; utilize test equipment in locating and repairing operating faults; diagnose and resolve complicated software and hardware problems for computers, networks, interface systems used in radio systems; remain current on industry standards and trends in emergency radio communications; apply basic project management techniques; think creatively; develop new methods or approaches as needed; exercise initiative, ingenuity, and sound judgment in identifying and solving difficult technical problems; use hand tools appropriate to the duties and responsibilities of the position; read schematic diagrams; maintain records and prepare reports; receive and issue oral and written directions clearly and concisely; maintain effective working relations with county departments, other agencies, and coworkers; climb to heights of up to 225 feet; work long, irregular hours; lead staff in technical communications work, and provide performance feedback to the Communications Manager; and respond to emergency call outs, 24 hour per day on preestablished standby schedule.

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 may 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: EV

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: 11/25/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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