What are the responsibilities and job description for the Health Worker 3 (2587) - Multiple Departments Citywide -H00196 position at San Francisco Department of Public Health?
Recruitment: REF58271N
Published: July 01, 2026
Contact
Juliette Soto - juliette.soto@sfdph.org
Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's
application portal.
Share
Department: Public Health
Job class:
2587-Health Worker III
Salary range: $83,174.00 - $101,010.00
Role type: Permanent Civil Service What does this mean?
Hours: Full-time
Exam type:
Continuous
Rule:
Rule of the List
List type:
Combined Promotive and Entrance
About:
7/1/26: Announcement amended to update compensation. Applicants that have already applied DO NOT need to reapply.
The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status.
This is a Citywide Exam posting. Your application to this posting is an application to take a citywide exam.
Application Opening : November 14, 2025
Application Deadline : Continuous
Salary : $83,174 - $101,010 Annually
Appointment Type : Permanent Civil Service
Recruitment ID : CCT-2587-H00196
Work Arrangement: Onsite
The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. Fulfilling this mission requires employees working across our hospitals, clinics, programs, and offices to deliver services and support the communities we serve. Individuals interested in joining SFDPH should expect to work in person across these settings.
The San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration are the core divisions of SFDPH. The San Francisco Health Network is the City’s only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services.
Role description
Location(s) include but are not limited to: Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH), various clinics, and the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HOM).
Shift: Days, evenings, weekends, and/or holiday shifts may be required, depending on the position.
General Job Description
Under general supervision, the 2587 Health Worker 3, performs a wide variety of the more difficult paraprofessional duties in a service program; works with professional staff in extending effective services to clients of the program served; plans, develops, and follows through on all contacts and cases; may supervise a small staff of workers, primarily Health Worker 1 and 2. The essential duties include, but are not limited to the following:
In therapeutic rehabilitation programs, assists in the planning of recreational, educational, and work therapy activities;
Interviews and screens patients;
Identifies patient’s general condition and assists in assessing specific patient conditions and in treatment planning in conjunction with professional staff;
May perform crisis intervention activities;
Represents program staff in meetings with local community groups and governmental and social agencies to provide information on the activities and goals of the assigned program;
As part of a therapeutic program, may conduct craft, recreation, and other activity groups;
As directed, may assist in conducting therapy sessions with professional supervision;
Maintains records incidental to other assigned duties, including patient's charts;
May conduct surveys and operate technical equipment;
Supervises others, primarily in the lower Health Worker classifications; and
When assigned to a specialized activities program, plans, implements, supervises, coordinates, publicizes, evaluates and documents the activities for patients, including social, creative, educational, physical and religious programs.
The 2587 Health Worker 3 performs other related duties as assigned/required.
Working Conditions: Some positions may require employees to work directly with individuals within locked jails and psychiatric facilities; the homeless population and individuals who have or are carriers of infectious/communicable diseases. Some positions may also require exposure to inclement weather conditions and/or heavy lifting
How to qualify
Two (2) years of verifiable experience within the last five (5) years*, working with a culturally diverse population performing a combination of at least two (2) of the following duties:
serving as a liaison between targeted communities and healthcare agencies;
providing culturally appropriate health education/information and outreach to targeted populations;
providing referral and follow up services or otherwise coordinating care;
providing informal counseling, social support and advocacy to targeted populations;
escorting and transporting clients;
providing courier/dispatcher functions;
performing pre-clinical examinations of vital statistics, such as measuring a patient’s weight, height, temperature and blood pressure.
Substitution: Possession of a Community Health Worker Certificate from City College of San Francisco can substitute for 6 months of experience.
Note: Special Conditions - Some positions may require applicants to meet additional special condition(s), which include, but are not limited to:
Bilingual Proficiency in English and a target language. Applicants must indicate on the application form the language(s) in which they claim proficiency.
Possession of a valid Alcohol and other Drugs Counseling Certification accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies
Activity Therapist Experience
Verification of Education and Experience
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education or experience verification is required, information on how to verify education and experience requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/ .
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.
What else should I know?
Selection Procedures
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following.
Multiple-Choice Examination: (Weight: 100%)
The multiple-choice exam is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities in job related areas which may include but not be limited to:
Ability to: work effectively in diverse, multicultural environments by understanding the ethnic, economic, and social factors affecting communities; provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and equitable care;establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships; coordinate services and schedule appointments; prepare, organize and maintain records; implement activities and programs; assess client needs through interviews and evaluations; apply sound judgment to develop appropriate services or treatment plans; interpret and apply office policies, laws, regulations and procedures; read and review information such as forms and documents; apply de-escalation or counseling techniques in sensitive or high stress situations; train individuals, evaluate work performance, and provide constructive feedback; lead, motivate, and supervise staff; work with patients/clients with substance use disorders, behavioral health needs; written and oral communication; and/or utilize technology and work with data using various software and systems.
Knowledge of: principles of activity therapy; and/or health and community services.
Candidates must achieve a passing score on the multiple-choice exam in order to continue in the selection process and will be placed on the confidential eligible list in rank order according to their final score.
Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.
Scores attained on the 2587 Health Worker 3 Assessment will be 'banked' for three years from the test date. Candidates are not required to retest during this period. If a candidate applies and qualifies for another job using the same 2587 Health Worker 3 Exam within one year of the 2587 Health Worker 3 exam date, their score will be automatically applied to that announcement. After one year, a candidate has the option to either (a) apply their test score to the other announcement or (b) retest. Re-testing is allowed after one year from the date from the date of the test only if a candidate applies and is qualified. The most recent score becomes the official score if a candidate chooses to retest.
If the examination undergoes significant changes in the future, the use of banked scores may change. Candidates with banked scores would be required to re-take the exam sooner than the three-year period if they apply to a job opportunity using the same modified exam.
Language Proficiency Exam: For positions requiring bilingual fluency, candidates who meet the special language condition requirement must pass a departmentally approved language proficiency exam prior to appointment. Only those eligible candidates who pass the bilingual proficiency test will be considered for the bilingual position
Certification
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the Rule of the List.
Eligible List/Score Report
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.
Candidate names will remain on the list for a maximum period of 12 months . Candidates that are not selected and expire off the list may re-apply.
To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments .
Published: July 01, 2026
Contact
Juliette Soto - juliette.soto@sfdph.org
Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's
application portal.
Share
Department: Public Health
Job class:
2587-Health Worker III
Salary range: $83,174.00 - $101,010.00
Role type: Permanent Civil Service What does this mean?
Hours: Full-time
Exam type:
Continuous
Rule:
Rule of the List
List type:
Combined Promotive and Entrance
About:
7/1/26: Announcement amended to update compensation. Applicants that have already applied DO NOT need to reapply.
The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status.
This is a Citywide Exam posting. Your application to this posting is an application to take a citywide exam.
Application Opening : November 14, 2025
Application Deadline : Continuous
Salary : $83,174 - $101,010 Annually
Appointment Type : Permanent Civil Service
Recruitment ID : CCT-2587-H00196
Work Arrangement: Onsite
The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. Fulfilling this mission requires employees working across our hospitals, clinics, programs, and offices to deliver services and support the communities we serve. Individuals interested in joining SFDPH should expect to work in person across these settings.
The San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration are the core divisions of SFDPH. The San Francisco Health Network is the City’s only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services.
Role description
Location(s) include but are not limited to: Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG), Laguna Honda Hospital (LHH), various clinics, and the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HOM).
Shift: Days, evenings, weekends, and/or holiday shifts may be required, depending on the position.
General Job Description
Under general supervision, the 2587 Health Worker 3, performs a wide variety of the more difficult paraprofessional duties in a service program; works with professional staff in extending effective services to clients of the program served; plans, develops, and follows through on all contacts and cases; may supervise a small staff of workers, primarily Health Worker 1 and 2. The essential duties include, but are not limited to the following:
In therapeutic rehabilitation programs, assists in the planning of recreational, educational, and work therapy activities;
Interviews and screens patients;
Identifies patient’s general condition and assists in assessing specific patient conditions and in treatment planning in conjunction with professional staff;
May perform crisis intervention activities;
Represents program staff in meetings with local community groups and governmental and social agencies to provide information on the activities and goals of the assigned program;
As part of a therapeutic program, may conduct craft, recreation, and other activity groups;
As directed, may assist in conducting therapy sessions with professional supervision;
Maintains records incidental to other assigned duties, including patient's charts;
May conduct surveys and operate technical equipment;
Supervises others, primarily in the lower Health Worker classifications; and
When assigned to a specialized activities program, plans, implements, supervises, coordinates, publicizes, evaluates and documents the activities for patients, including social, creative, educational, physical and religious programs.
The 2587 Health Worker 3 performs other related duties as assigned/required.
Working Conditions: Some positions may require employees to work directly with individuals within locked jails and psychiatric facilities; the homeless population and individuals who have or are carriers of infectious/communicable diseases. Some positions may also require exposure to inclement weather conditions and/or heavy lifting
How to qualify
Two (2) years of verifiable experience within the last five (5) years*, working with a culturally diverse population performing a combination of at least two (2) of the following duties:
serving as a liaison between targeted communities and healthcare agencies;
providing culturally appropriate health education/information and outreach to targeted populations;
providing referral and follow up services or otherwise coordinating care;
providing informal counseling, social support and advocacy to targeted populations;
escorting and transporting clients;
providing courier/dispatcher functions;
performing pre-clinical examinations of vital statistics, such as measuring a patient’s weight, height, temperature and blood pressure.
Substitution: Possession of a Community Health Worker Certificate from City College of San Francisco can substitute for 6 months of experience.
- Required experience will be counted from the month and year you submit your application, going back the number of years specified in the recency requirement above.
Note: Special Conditions - Some positions may require applicants to meet additional special condition(s), which include, but are not limited to:
Bilingual Proficiency in English and a target language. Applicants must indicate on the application form the language(s) in which they claim proficiency.
Possession of a valid Alcohol and other Drugs Counseling Certification accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies
Activity Therapist Experience
Verification of Education and Experience
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education or experience verification is required, information on how to verify education and experience requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/ .
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.
What else should I know?
Selection Procedures
After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following.
Multiple-Choice Examination: (Weight: 100%)
The multiple-choice exam is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities in job related areas which may include but not be limited to:
Ability to: work effectively in diverse, multicultural environments by understanding the ethnic, economic, and social factors affecting communities; provide trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and equitable care;establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships; coordinate services and schedule appointments; prepare, organize and maintain records; implement activities and programs; assess client needs through interviews and evaluations; apply sound judgment to develop appropriate services or treatment plans; interpret and apply office policies, laws, regulations and procedures; read and review information such as forms and documents; apply de-escalation or counseling techniques in sensitive or high stress situations; train individuals, evaluate work performance, and provide constructive feedback; lead, motivate, and supervise staff; work with patients/clients with substance use disorders, behavioral health needs; written and oral communication; and/or utilize technology and work with data using various software and systems.
Knowledge of: principles of activity therapy; and/or health and community services.
Candidates must achieve a passing score on the multiple-choice exam in order to continue in the selection process and will be placed on the confidential eligible list in rank order according to their final score.
Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.
Scores attained on the 2587 Health Worker 3 Assessment will be 'banked' for three years from the test date. Candidates are not required to retest during this period. If a candidate applies and qualifies for another job using the same 2587 Health Worker 3 Exam within one year of the 2587 Health Worker 3 exam date, their score will be automatically applied to that announcement. After one year, a candidate has the option to either (a) apply their test score to the other announcement or (b) retest. Re-testing is allowed after one year from the date from the date of the test only if a candidate applies and is qualified. The most recent score becomes the official score if a candidate chooses to retest.
If the examination undergoes significant changes in the future, the use of banked scores may change. Candidates with banked scores would be required to re-take the exam sooner than the three-year period if they apply to a job opportunity using the same modified exam.
Language Proficiency Exam: For positions requiring bilingual fluency, candidates who meet the special language condition requirement must pass a departmentally approved language proficiency exam prior to appointment. Only those eligible candidates who pass the bilingual proficiency test will be considered for the bilingual position
Certification
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the Rule of the List.
Eligible List/Score Report
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.
Candidate names will remain on the list for a maximum period of 12 months . Candidates that are not selected and expire off the list may re-apply.
To find Departments which use this classification, please see the city Position Counts by Job Codes and Departments .
Benefits:
Health Insurance, Pension Plan, Maternity & Paternity LeaveSalary : $83,174 - $101,010