| Location | Santa Clara, CA |
| Salary | $156,006.24–$189,644 Per Year |
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Specialist
Salary
$156,006.24 - $189,644.00 Annually
Location
Throughout the County of Santa Clara, CA
Job Type
Full-Time
Job Number
26-S09-A
Department
Emergency Medical Services
Opening Date
10/29/2026
Closing Date
11/13/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit
92
Description
Under direction, to plan, organize, coordinate, direct, manage, supervise, and monitor the Countys emergency medical services system, which may include, EMS personnel, volunteers, provider agencies and/or facilities, in order to establish and ensure compliance with the California Health and Safety Code, California Code of Regulations, and the Countys code, regulations, policies, protocols, guidelines, and contracts for operation of the emergency medical services system and its components.
Typical Tasks
Coordinates and manages assigned emergency medical services program activities, including planning, prioritizing, monitoring for quality assurance and quality improvement, and participating in the agency-wide program meetings regarding program activities;
Provides daily direction to external municipal and private personnel related to the provision of emergency medical services;
Prepares contracts for services, manages contracts, monitors contract compliance, manages contract finances and other contract related activities;
Prepares reports requiring the collection and analysis of data;
Oversees and/or participates in the development, implementation, and maintenance of program goals, objectives, policies, and procedures to ensure achievement of program goals;
Monitors activities and evaluates performance of emergency medical services providers, including EMTs, paramedics, Emergency Medical Dispatchers, Mobile Intensive Care Nurses, EMS Flight crew personnel, and other pre-hospital care providers and equipment identified in the California Health and Safety Code, the California Code of Regulations, County code, regulations, and/or EMS policy;
Provides administrative and technical direction to assigned program services staff to ensure compliance with various reporting requirements;
Analyzes program services and evaluates changes and development of assigned health care program needs;
Researches and applies for program funding sources, such as grants and donations; administers grants to ensure compliance with regulations;
Coordinates program activities with agencies, service providers, and non-profit services;
Provides staff assistance and technical support for assigned program activities to other County departments and special interest commissions and committees;
Conducts organizational and operational service delivery studies and makes recommendations to address and resolve identified service delivery issues;
Assists hospitals and private and public safety agencies in planning, implementing, and maintaining pre-hospital emergency care programs;
Establishes comprehensive stakeholder relationships and assists and advises field and hospital emergency care personnel, communication personnel, medical-health professionals, community-based organizations, and the public on matters pertaining to emergency medical service;
Develops and coordinates the EMS component of disaster medical response and mass casualty incident plans and assists in the development of public health disaster response plans and procedures;
Responds to, coordinates, and manages disaster medical and mass casualty incidents;
Investigates complaints of suspected violations of emergency medical care standards, policies, protocols, the Countys Health and Welfare Codes, and State Health and Safety Codes;
Makes routine and unannounced inspections of EMS providers, including ambulance providers, paramedic units, base hospitals, and trauma hospitals;
Monitors emergency medical service delivery to ensure medical appropriateness and continuity of patient care;
Provides regulatory oversight, general assistance, and monitoring of educational institutions involved in training of emergency pre-hospital care personnel;
Participates in and makes presentations at organizational and community meetings as necessary;
Stays current on issues related to assigned programs and services; responds to and resolves community and organizational inquiries and complaints;
Establishes effective working relationships with representatives of community organizations, state/local agencies, management, staff, clients, and the public;
Uses specialized software and equipment, including electronic emergency management programs, electronic hospital and disaster management systems, electronic patient tracking system, portable and mobile radios, satellite telephones, wireless applications and emergency towing vehicle;
May prepare and administer annual budget for one or more assigned programs and monitor expenditures;
May be assigned duties within the Countys Emergency Operations Center, Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital Systems Department Operations Center, and/or deployed on out-of-county mutual aid requests on behalf of the County;
May create, coordinate, and deliver medical/health training and community education to EMS personnel, volunteers, and members of the public;
May manage assigned websites, including regular updates, adding pages and materials and making structural changes;
May monitor and measure internet and social medial outreach and communications across platforms; develops and implements improvements;
May be assigned supervisory duties of subordinate emergency personnel and oversight of contractors and volunteers as required.
May be assigned as a Disaster Service Worker, as required;
Performs related duties, as required.
Employment Standards
Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities:
Training and Experience Note: The required knowledge and abilities are attained through training and experience equivalent to a Bachelors Degree in Health Care Administration, Nursing, Public Administration, or a related field;
and
Three (3) years of emergency medical services experience.
A Masters Degree in one of the disciplines listed above may be substituted for one (1) year of emergency medical services experience.
Special Requirements:
Possession of a valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse, Paramedic, or Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in the State of California;
Must complete Emergency Vehicle Operators/Operations Course (EVOC) within six (6) months of appointment;
Possession of a valid California Drivers License prior to appointment and the ability to qualify for and maintain a County Driver authorization.
Knowledge of:
Basic principles, practices and utilization of the Incident Command System, Standardized Emergency Management System, National Incident Management System, and the California Public Health/Medical Emergency Operations Manual;
Principles and practices of pre-hospital care system management relating to one or more specialized service delivery programs;
Healthcare organizational structure and program components;
Principles and practices of program administration, including budgeting, marketing, purchasing, management, and program needs forecasting;
Current legislation and trends affecting healthcare providers for assigned program areas;
Program development and evaluation methods and report-writing procedures;
Medical terminology;
Basic principles, practices, and methods of training, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement;
Basic statistical and research methods;
Basic knowledge of investigative methods and disciplinary processes used within the EMS System.
Ability to:
Organize, coordinate, and supervise the work of subordinate staff and oversee contractors and/or volunteers;
Operate current communication and information system technologies used in emergency/disaster response;
Coordinate the activities of a large program or multiple program components;
Direct the work of others performing service delivery in assigned healthcare specialty areas;
Coordinate the assigned healthcare programs with other healthcare agencies;
Formulate, gather, analyze, and present financial, informational, and statistical data;
Integrate the activities of a program to attain program goals;
Analyze, interpret, and explain program policies and procedures;
Elicit community and organizational support for programs;
Represent Santa Clara Valley Health and Hospital System and the County of Santa Clara on assigned committees and with service providers;
Understand, apply, and implement Federal, State, and County codes, ordinances, regulations, and approved standards and guidelines for pre-hospital emergency care;
Apply the tools of a specialty subject area, as appropriate;
Instruct individuals and groups in pre-hospital emergency care;
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with the public, various agencies, and other County employees;
Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing, sometimes under highly stressful conditions.
Physical Requirements
The County offers comprehensive first-class medical, dental, and vision benefits plans for County employees and their dependents, including plans with no deductibles, no co-pays, no co-insurance, and no prescription drug co-pays. Learn more here.
The County also offers generous paid time off with significant vacation, sick time, and 13 paid County holidays annually! Details are included in the Memorandum of Understanding/Agreement with the bargaining unit applicable to the job classification.
In addition to the amazing perks above, the County also offers the additional benefits below.
Retirement Benefits
The County offers robust retirement plans including a 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan (similar to the private sector's 401(k) plan) and the CalPERS pension plan. In addition to lifetime retirement income available through the CalPERS pension plan, the 457(b) Deferred Compensation plan provides a great way to save for retirement and supplement the defined benefit pension available to employees. These plans help our employees build a plan for their future and contribute to their family's long-term financial well-being.
Health Flexible Spending Account
The Health Flexible Spending Account (HFSA) empowers employees to manage healthcare expenses efficiently with tax-free contributions (up to $3,200 for the 2024 calendar year). Secure tax-free solutions for your healthcare expenses and enjoy the flexibility to manage your healthcare finances effectively with the HFSA.
Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP)
The Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) enables employees to utilize tax-free funds for dependent care services, facilitating a convenient and cost-effective approach for managing your dependent care expenses. The County also offers the Employee Childcare Assistance Plan, an employer-funded DCAP, for employees with annual income under $120,000.
Life and AD&D
The County offers life and disability benefits including Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, Long-Term Disability insurance, California State Disability Insurance, and Integration with Leave. These benefits ensure financial security and income support when you and your family need it most.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The County prioritizes employee mental health and well-being and offers a top-tier Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Concern providing confidential counseling sessions covering stress, anxiety, relationships, grief, as well as financial/legal services, personal coaching, child and elder care referrals, and comprehensive crisis support.
Employee Wellness
The Employee Wellness Program offers free wellness programing, fitness classes and resources; including Elevate My Wellness an all-in-one platform designed to elevate your well-being journey.
Education Reimbursement
A generous Learning and Employee Development program is available, including Education Reimbursement for employees seeking additional training and professional development.
NOTE: Benefit and Retirement information may vary from bargaining unit to bargaining unit. Due to changes in State Law, current pension provisions described in the union contracts are not automatically applied. Specific pension benefits for new hires who start on or after January 1, 2013 may be different than indicated in the union contracts.
Click here to access all Memoranda of Understanding and most recent Summary of Changes.
01
Please answer the following questions. Completion of the following supplemental questions is REQUIRED for your application and is an integral part of the evaluation process. Initially, it will be used to determine minimum qualifications. For those applicants meeting the employment standards, this information will be critical in the subsequent competitive assessment to identify those candidates to be invited to continue in the examination process. Your responses to the questions may also be reviewed and scored in a Competitive Rating evaluation process based on pre-determined rating criteria. Your answers should be as complete as possible, as no additional information will be accepted from applicants once the Competitive Rating evaluation has begun. Please include the name of employer, job title, dates of employment and number of hours worked per week for questions asking about your experience. A response of "see resume" or "see application" will deem your application incomplete. Vague, incomplete or non-responsive answers could result in no or low scores in a competitive rating process. Do you understand this requirement?
02
What is the highest level of education you have completed?
03
Please indicate major field of study. If none, type N/A.
04
Do you possess a Masters degree in Health Care Administration, Nursing, or Public Administration?
05
Do you possess a valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse in California? If yes, please attach proof of possession.
06
If you selected yes, please indicate your license number and expiration date. If you do not possess one, write "n/a"
07
Do you possess a valid license to practice as a Paramedic in California? If yes, please attach proof of possession.
08
If you selected yes, please indicate your license number and expiration date. If you do not possess one, write "n/a"
09
Do you possess a valid certificate to practice as an Emergency Medical Technician in California? If yes, please attach proof of possession.
10
If you selected yes, please indicate your certification number and expiration date. If you do not possess one, write "n/a"
11
How many years of emergency medical services experience do you possess?
12
Describe your experience with emergency medical services.
Be specific in your responses and submit answers for EACH employer in the following format:
a) Employer name(s)
b) Job title(s)
c) Start/end dates of employment (Month/Year)
d) Total hours worked per week
e) Description of task(s) performed
If no experience, please type N/A.
13
Describe your experience with different projects, initiatives, or programs related to Emergency Medical Services within the last five (5) years.
14
Describe your experience in regards to emergency medical services quality improvement within the last five (5) years. Include examples and identify any applicable systems or approaches that you have used.
15
Strategic planning is core to EMS system management. Identify areas that you believe are key to consider in the context of strategic planning over the next three to five years. Be sure to identify why you believe that each item is important and how you would approach the strategic planning process.
16
How many years of supervisory or management experience in emergency medical services do you possess?
17
While assigned as the EMS Duty Chief, the candidate must be able to respond to an emergency call within ten (10) minutes by phone or radio and must be within forty-five (45) minutes of Santa Clara County. Can you meet this requirement?
18
How did you find out/hear about this job?
19
How did you find out about this job? If "Other" is selected: Please describe how you heard about this job.
Required Question
Employer County of Santa Clara
Address 70 W. Hedding Street
8th Floor, East Wing
San Jose, California, 95110
Phone (408) 299-6816
Website http://www.sccjobs.org/