Company Description

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply immediately, as the announcement may close at any time.

• 6/2/2022: Announcement updated to amend closing date
• 8/18/2022: Announcement reopened for more applicants

Announcement will be open continuously and interviews will be conducted on an as-needed basis. 

Appointment Type: Temporary Exempt (TEX). These TEX, as-needed positions work on-call, as needed. Positions are limited to 1,040 work hours in a year. Exempt employees are considered "at will" and serve at the discretion of the department head.

The San Francisco Department of Public Health (DPH) is currently accepting applications for temporary exempt, as-needed 1229 Special Bilingual Examiners to conduct examinations of DPH employees' bilingual skills. Work assignments typically range from two (2) hours to two (2) days in duration, although longer assignments are possible. Some positions may require the following languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, Filipino, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian.

San Francisco is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse cities in the nation. Nearly half of all city residents speak a language other than English at home and over a third of all residents are immigrants. The City and County of San Francisco provides language access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals to enable them to access government services. Special Bilingual Examiners conduct language testing of City and County Department of Public Health employees to determine their proficiency in bilingual translation and interpretation.

The qualified applicant pool resulting from this recruitment may be utilized to fill future exempt vacancies. 

Job Description

Under general direction, the Special Bilingual Examiner conducts oral and/or written tests of bilingual language skills at various testing locations, rates candidates’ performance on tests and performs related duties as required. The essential functions of the class include, but not limited to:

• Administering tests of bilingual language skills in interview settings and classroom testing environments;
• Preparing test materials and arranging facilities prior to exams, distributing test materials, providing instructions to administer tests, and answering general questions;
• Maintaining security of the test materials before, during and after the exam; 
• Preventing candidates from taking test materials;
• Rating candidate test performance and bilingual proficiency using established rating scales, scoring exams and providing exam results in the designated format to candidates and human resource professionals;
• Reporting and documenting unusual incidents; and
• Assisting in the development of exam items, test questions and rating guidelines.

The 1229 Special Bilingual Examiner performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

1. High school diploma or equivalency certificate; AND

Either:
A. Completion of a recognized certificate or certification in translation and /or interpretation in the designated language to and from English; OR

B. At least ten (10) examination days or eighty (80) hours of verifiable work experience as a Bilingual Examiner; OR

C. At least one (1) year of verifiable work experience as a Qualified Interpreter, Translator, Teacher, or similar occupation for which the main responsibility is to translate and/or interpret the designated target language to and from English.

Note: The certificate MUST be from a recognized Interpreter and Translator Certification program. A departmental designated bilingual staff certificate is NOT considered qualifying.

One year of full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above 40 hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Desirable Qualifications: The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Demonstrated professional experience as a Medical/Heath Care Interpreter.
• Ability to speak, read, and write fluently in target language and English .
• Experience evaluating spoken and written information in both English and target language.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills in both English and the target language.
• Degree from a recognized school of translation and interpretation. 
• Excellent punctuality.
• Flexibility.
• Exceptional customer service skills.
• Ability to deal tactfully and effectively with a large and diverse group of people.

Verification of Experience: http://sfdhr.org/getting-job#verification Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process.

Verification of Education: If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at http://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements  

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco

Additional Information

• Application Reopening - 8/18/2022
• Application Reopening Deadline - Continuous, may close at anytime
• Application Opening - Originally 12/15/2021
• Application Deadline - Originally 6/2/2022
• Salary: $68.50-$101.76 Hourly
  • Click here for more information. 

How to Apply: Please complete and submit your online application.

• Please ensure that you answer the language skills ability questions when you apply. Applicants must indicate on the application form the language(s) in which they claim proficiency.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

SELECTION PROCEDURES:
The selection procedure will include evaluation of the application packet in relation to minimum requirements. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluate qualifications of candidates. 
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1. Licensure/Certification/Registration: Valid licensure/certification/registration as a requirement to perform the job must be kept current throughout length of employment. Failure to demonstrate/show proof of possession of required valid licensure/certification/registration may result in dismissal and/or termination of employment.
2. Note on ICARE: Willingness to uphold/abide by ZSFG’s ICARE (I-Introduce, C-Connect, A-Ask, R-Respond, E-Exit) philosophy for employee and patient interactions: https://zuckerbergsanfranciscogeneral.org/about-us/.
3. Note on Electronic Health Record (EHR): The Department of Public Health (DPH) is implementing a unified Electronic Health Record (EHR) system and DPH employees must demonstrate competency in the use of the system that is appropriate for their classification as a condition of employment.
4. Note on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Some positions in the Department of Public Health will require the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including but not limited to gloves, gowns, eye and face protection, and face-fitting respirators. The requirement for the use of PPE may come on short or no notice. Facial hair or any condition that interferes with a face-fitting respirator’s seal (i.e. comes between the sealing surfaces of the respirator and the wearer’s bare skin) is not permitted when face-fitting respirators are worn, including during initial or periodic respirator fit-testing. Employees who choose not to shave and do not have either American Disabilities Act (ADA) or Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Accommodations do not have the right to alternate work assignments or the option of using a loose-fitting Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) in place of a FaceFitting Respirator.
5. Medical Examination/Drug Testing: Prior to appointment, at the Department's expense, applicants may be required to take a tuberculosis (TB) screening test, a medical examination and/or drug test.

The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the diversity of its workforce. All employees are required to participate in the Department of Public Health's work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity through: 

• Commitment to providing exceptional care and services to all residents of the City and County of San Francisco service population, with heightened awareness of responsiveness to racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse members of the service population and the DPH workforce. 
• Desire and commitment to lead and participate in anti-racism, racial justice, and equity work that improves quality of patient care and employee experiences; along with the commitment and fortitude to drive change in these areas. 
• Desire to work with, relate to, serve, and support a diverse service population and workforce. 
• Commitment to health equity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status.

The City and County of San Francisco is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

Additional information regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information about the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Workers
• Reasonable Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst, Analyst Name, by telephone at 628-271-6709, or by email at Juliette.Soto@sfdph.org

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT: All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.