Communications Dispatcher I - Street Environmental Services - Public Works (1704)
Company Description
Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below.
Application Opening: Friday, October 14, 2026
Application Deadline: Apply Immediately. Application filing will be open at least through Friday, October 23, 2026 and will close any time thereafter.
Compensation Range: $73,944 - $89,856 annually
Recruitment ID: RTF0169265-01127343 / TEX-1704-169267
Appointment Type: Temporary-Exempt (TEX), Category 18: This is not a permanent appointment. This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer and shall not exceed 36 months.
San Francisco Public Works (Public Works) has a far-reaching portfolio with a $453 million annual operating budget, an active capital portfolio that exceeds $3 billion and a workforce of 1,700-plus employees. The department operates around the clock, touching every neighborhood in San Francisco. The staff designs and manages the construction of civic buildings and streets; cleans and greens the right of way; maintains civic buildings; manages multi-million-dollar bond programs; trains people for jobs; keeps the right of way free of hazards; paves the roads; repairs bridges and public stairways; expands accessibility; and works at the forefront addressing some of San Francisco’s biggest challenges. With a mission to enhance the quality of life in San Francisco for residents, visitors and business owners, Public Works is committed to providing outstanding public service through an equity lens.
Please visit the “About Us” section of our website at https://www.sfpublicworks.org/about to learn more about the department’s core values, Racial Equity Initiative, leadership team, history, budget and more.
Public Works currently has four vacancies for the position of Communications Dispatcher I (1704) within the Bureau of Street Environmental Services (SES).
Job Description
Job Description
Under supervision, the Communications Dispatcher I performs a variety of specialized duties in connection with communications dispatch functions. Communications Dispatcher I operates a variety of communications equipment, including two-way radio, telephone and radio-paging services, to dispatch and transmit information with mobile field units and communicate with the public.
NATURE OF WORK:
The nature of the work may require working variable shifts including weekends and holidays.
Essential Job Duties:
1. Operates a variety of communications equipment and information transmitting devices such as, multi-line telephones, two-way radio and pager systems utilized to receive information, request reports and emergency calls from a number of mobile radio field units and telephones, or to transmit messages to field units and/or to route calls to proper bureau or detail for action.
2. Verifies and evaluates messages received to determine if information is accurate and may follow up to ensure proper receipt and understanding to determine type of action necessary and appropriate staff and/or agency to be notified.
3. Dispatches mobile units and equipment to specific work locations, including locations where traffic control, citing and towing services are needed; makes phone requests for ambulance, tow-truck or other emergency services; makes inquiries of other agencies as requested by field units; reads maps and gives directions on how to get to location of emergency.
4. Records essential information and facts from messages transmitted or received by radio and telephone by entering and retrieving data from computer, time stamping and logging messages for permanent record keeping, maintaining continuous records of the status of units assigned, and maintaining a regular log of all messages transmitted and received by radio and telephone.
5. Assists communications dispatchers to coordinate communications emergency procedures by working with staff from various City departments (e.g., Police, MUNI, Fire, Sheriff & PUC,) and communications dispatchers from 911 and DPW, during accidents, emergencies and natural or other disasters.
6. Transmits alarm information to supervisor on duty when the department needs assistance; notifies the Police department daily of streets scheduled for no-parking zones; prepares records and performs other clerical duties related to this procedures. May monitor surveillance equipment and intrusion alarms from on-site buildings.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- One year of verifiable experience operating a two-way radio communications base station, receiving, recording and transmitting messages from one source to another; OR
- Combined total of one year of verifiable experience operating a multi-line telephone, and a two-way radio communications base system. Six months of this experience must have been operating a two-way radio base station.
Applicants must fully meet the minimum qualifications by the final filing deadline unless otherwise stated.
Note on Qualifying Experience: Experience with hand-held two way radios is not qualifying. Applicants must have operated a two-way radio base-station in order to be considered qualified to participate in this recruitment process.
Verification:
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://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.
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.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.
Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.
Selection Procedure: The selection process will include evaluation of applications in relation to minimum requirements. Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluation qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will be invited for an interview.
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process.
Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ): Candidates may be required to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) as part of the employment application. This SQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the minimum qualifications for this position. The SQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.
Depending on the number of applicants, the Department may establish and implement additional screening mechanisms to comparatively evaluation qualifications of candidates. If this becomes necessary, only those applicants whose qualifications most closely meet the needs of the Department will move forward in the recruitment process.
Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through all of the steps in the selection procedure.
Pre-Employment and Selection Information:
- MEDICAL EXAMINATION: Prior to appointment, eligible candidates must successfully pass a medical examination to determine his/her ability to perform the essential function of this job.
- MEDICAL TESTING: Prior to appointment, eligible candidates must successfully complete the TB testing Process.
- SECURITY CLEARANCES AND BACKGROUND INVESTIGATIONS: Positions in this classification may require that successful candidates who become eligible for appointment may be required to go through a background investigation to determine the candidate’s suitability for employment in this classification. Factors considered in the investigation may include employment history, use of illegal/controlled substances. Reasons for rejection based on this investigation may include, but not limited to: applicable convictions, repeated or serious violations of the law, inability to accept supervision, inability to follow rules and regulations, falsification of application materials and/or other relevant factors. Failure to obtain and maintain security clearance may be basis for termination.
- DRUG TESTING REQUIREMENT: Applicants for positions in this classification, who are not currently employed by the City and County of San Francisco in a safety-sensitive position represented by Local 261, are required to pass pre-employment drug and alcohol testing. All employees in this classification may also be subject to drug and alcohol testing upon reasonable suspicion or after a work-related accident. Applicants with a positive result from a pre-employment drug test will be restricted from hire in safety-sensitive function positions for six months after the date of the positive test.
Additional Information
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 Worker
- ADA Accommodation
- Right to Work
- Copies of Application Documents
- Diversity Statement
Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: At the City and County of San Francisco, we share a commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. Each member of our organization is responsible and accountable for what they say and do to make San Francisco an inclusive and equitable place to live and work by employing fair and just practices to and for all.
Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst, Tara Stevens, at [email protected].
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.
