Telephone Operator - Relief

County of San Mateo, CA

San Mateo, California United States

Posted: Feb 05, 2026

Salary: $5,248.53 - $6,562.40 Monthly USD Monthly

Salary Top:6562

Part Time

Dispatch and Telecommunications

Description
The Information Services Department of the County of San Mateo seeks Telephone Operators.
Note: The job announcement was amended on February 17, 2026 to remove the English and Spanish language fluency from the ideal candidate.

The department is in the San Mateo Medical Center located at 222 West 39th Avenue in the city of San Mateo, CA.

Telephone Operators,under general supervision, operate a centralized soft telephone with an online directory that connects a high volume of incoming calls to the appropriate individuals, County staff and departments. Relief Telephone Operators will be required to work all shifts, including evening, weekend, overnight, and holiday shifts, provide off-hours support to co-workers, and perform other related duties as assigned.

Relief will be expected to work to fill shifts for vacations and sick calls, which will include weekday evening shifts, and 8-hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday including overnight shifts. These positions should expect to work overnight 11p-7am shifts.

Training for these positions will consist of 2 months of training: initially, after hours training from Wednesday through Friday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., and Saturday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and additionally, 1 month of business hours training: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Example of Duties

Provide factual information to the public regarding County functions and activities
Place authorized long-distance calls: maintain records of assisted and long-distance calls
Take emergency telephone calls and locate appropriate staff
Locate and notify appropriate individuals of fires, disasters, and similar emergencies
Monitor County intrusion and fire alarms and notify the appropriate agencies
Notify appropriate staff who are on-call and responsible for issues occurring after normal business hours involving the County Coroner, Sheriff's Office, Probation Department, and other County departments
Maintain logs of specific types of calls
Operate standard office equipment and perform minimal typing and clerical duties

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

1 year office support work experience involving considerable contact with the public, primarily by extensive use of telephones;
Experience with a soft phone call routing application and basic computer skills desired;
Ability to multitask and have flexibility in a busy work environment;
Ability to maintain focus and calmness with emergency calls;
Ability to work well as a team with co-workers;
Availability to work evening, weekend, holiday, overnight, and other shifts;
Ability to sit for long periods of time; and
Possession of excellent hearing and manipulative skills to operate a soft phone application.

NOTE: This is a relief/extra help, at-will assignment, paid on an hourly basis. Extra-help hours are dependent on the business needs of the department and therefore work hours may vary from week to week. Extra help employees shall not exceed 1,040 hours of work per fiscal year. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.

Application/Examination

This is a relief recruitment. Anyone may apply. A supplemental application form must be submitted in addition to the standard County employment application form. Your responses to the supplemental questions will provide additional information about your qualifications for this position and will be used by the department in the evaluation process. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for your responses. Neatness, clarity of expression, and the ability to follow instructions will be considered in the evaluation process.

The department will screen application materials, and they will contact qualified candidates directly for a departmental interview.

This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted five days in advance on this job announcement.

Apply immediately. This recruitment is open on a continuous basis and selections may be made at any time within the process.

Applications for this position will only be accepted online. I f you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply.
About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer. We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community.

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County of San Mateo Human Resources Department

San Mateo County government protects and enhances the health, safety, welfare, and natural resources of the community, and provides quality services that benefit and enrich the lives of the people of this community.

We are committed to:

The highest standards of public service
A common vision of responsiveness
The highest standards of ethical conduct
Treating people with respect and dignity

San Mateo County is located in the scenic San Francisco Bay Area. The County’s diverse population has approximately 750,000 residents, growing to over one million in daytime population. San Mateo County provides the benefits of a temperate climate and clean air, with abundant ocean sports and recreational activities. Rural open space areas, as well as metropolitan San Francisco, are within easy reach. San Mateo County government has a budget of $2.4 billion, with a workforce of over 5,400 employees in 22 departments and agencies.

San Mateo is an Equal Opportunity Employer

County of San Mateo, CA

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Telephone Operator - Relief