What are the responsibilities and job description for the 911 Telecommunicator position at Catawba County?
New as of 01/01/2026:
Your well-being matters from the start — benefited new hires are eligible for up to 40 hours of advanced annual leave and 40 hours of advanced sick leave.
Position Description
Catawba County Emergency Services is looking for reliable, calm, and service-oriented individuals to join our 911 Communications Center as Telecommunicators. As the essential link between the public and emergency responders, Telecommunicators are responsible for answering 911 and non-emergency calls, gathering critical information, and dispatching law enforcement, fire, and EMS personnel. This role involves working in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment that requires multitasking, sound judgment, and the ability to remain composed under pressure.
This position requires working 12-hour night shifts, including weekends, holidays, and overtime, based on the operational needs of the 911 Center.
Top applicants will be scheduled to complete a CritiCall test on-site before advancing in the hiring process. Testing will be offered Tuesday, November 10, through Thursday, November 12. Applicants should allow 1-1.5 hours for testing.
Responsibilities
- Answer and process emergency and non-emergency calls for service
- Gather essential details and determine the appropriate level of response
- Dispatch public safety units via two-way radio and Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD)
- Determine response requirements for medical emergencies using the Emergency Medical Dispatch program
- Document call details and maintain responder status updates in CAD
- Perform DCI queries and relay critical law enforcement information
- Read and interpret maps to assist responders and callers
- Maintain confidentiality and secure access to sensitive data
- Support after-hours calls for other County departments
- Learn and obtain all necessary certifications
- Must be flexible with work schedule, including holidays, nights, weekends, and overtime as needed
- Perform additional duties as assigned
Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED equivalent, along with demonstrated ability to perform the essential duties of the position
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Ability to pass a CritiCall exam (part of the selection process)
- Ability to meet Division of Criminal Information (DCI) standards
Additional Requirements
- Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills
- Ability to recognize and comprehend another person's speech, including listening to and understanding information and ideas conveyed through spoken words and sentences
- Ability to clearly communicate information and ideas in written and spoken language so that others understand
- Ability to transmit, broadcast, switch, control, and operate telecommunications systems and other relevant equipment (e.g., computers, phones, etc.)
- Ability to monitor multiple radio talk groups simultaneously and to distinguish between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness
- Ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without distraction, and when necessary, switch between two or more activities or sources of information
- Ability to type at least 35 words per minute
- Physical requirements include: the ability to sit for extended periods, light lifting or carrying up to 10 pounds, adequate vision, hearing, and speech, and the ability to work in an environment that may be noisy at times
Preferences:
- Experience in a 911 communications or emergency response center
- Background in medical, fire, or law enforcement fields
- Familiarity with emergency radio and phone systems
As of 7/1/2025:
You will find that Catawba County has one of the best benefits packages around. Our Human Resources staff are dedicated to keeping in touch with trends in benefits on both a local and national level, listening to employees' suggestions regarding benefits, and continually reviewing to ensure our benefits package is of good quality and meets the needs of both our employees and our organization.
Available benefits include:
Health Care
- Health: For a small bi-weekly premium, employees may choose between a traditional (co-pay) health plan and a high deductible health plan coupled with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Coverage may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), or family.
- Dental Insurance: At no cost to full-time employees, the County covers preventive, routine, and non-routine care. Coverage for the same benefits may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), and family. In addition, a $2,000 benefit toward orthodontia coverage is provided for children up to age 19.
- Vision Care: Coverage is available, at group rates, for employee and dependents,with 2 plan options to choose from.
- Supplemental critical care and accident insurance plans: These optional coverage plans are available at a nominal cost.
- Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax accounts that can be used to pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses.
Employee Wellness
- Employee Health Clinic (EHC): An employee medical clinic, available to all County employees, which operates 40 hours a week. Services provided include acute care, first aid, evaluation and care for workers' compensation injuries, pre-employment screenings, health education, and behavioral health referrals. Services are offered both in person and through telehealth. Acute care is available to employee’s children ages 3-17, regardless of health insurance coverage, and for employee’s adult children (ages 18-26) or employee’s spouse if covered on the county’s health insurance.
- Wellness: The County recognizes the importance of our health and well-being. We maintain a very proactive and effective Wellness Program, including reimbursement and discounts for gym membership, incentives for physical activity, on-site nutrition counseling, free exercise opportunities, wellness education, and more.
- Employee Assistance Program: Counseling services are available to all County employees and immediate family members in the home. Services are provided in a private and confidential setting (in-person or virtually). The County provides coverage for the first six visits.
Work Life Balance
- Annual Leave:Full-time employees earn from 10-24 days annually based on years of service. Service credit from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- To help new employees settle in, up to 40 hours of annual leave is advanced upon hire, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
- Sick Leave:Full-time employees earn one day (8 hours) of sick leave per month. Sick leave from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- New hires are advanced up to 40 hours of sick leave, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
- Holiday Leave: Throughout the year, 11 days of paid leave are provided in recognition of holidays.
- Flexible work schedules.
- Time off for activities that support our local schools.
- Continuing educational assistance.
- Discount tickets to recreational venues.
- Employee appreciation days/activities.
- Tax-free flexible spending account to pay for dependent care.
Financial Security
- Local Governmental Employees Retirement System: For employees assigned to work 20 hours per week or more in a benefitted position, participation in this program is automatic. Employees contribute 6% of their salary, which is tax-deferred. After (5) years of creditable service, you become fully vested in the retirement system. Employees may also take advantage of individual and group retirement counseling through the Human Resources department.
- 401K: The County provides a 2% contribution plus an additional 1% match (up to 3% total contribution by the County). Our sworn law enforcement officers receive a flat 5% contribution to their 401k.
- Other Tax Deferred Programs: Other tax-sheltering programs are available through IRS Code 125 (Cafeteria Plan), and a 457 supplemental retirement plan (Deferred Compensation).
- Longevity Pay: After 5 years of creditable service, employees receive an annual longevity payment that is paid every year thereafter. This lump sum payment rewards employees for their length of service to Catawba County. The amount is based on years of service.
- Life Insurance: Death benefit equal to one times the employee’s annual salary, with a minimum coverage amount of $25,000. Optional supplemental life insurance coverage is also available for both employee and dependents through payroll deduction at group rates.
- Short Term Disability: Available at no cost to employees, benefits are available after a 55-day waiting period.
- Long Term Disability: Available through payroll deduction at group rates.
- Eligibility for membership and financial services at State Employees Credit Union (SECU)/Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU).
Salary : $44,367 - $55,459