Job Description

Salary : $89,648.00 - $114,462.40 Annually
Location : Santa Ana
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: 3886HP-[click to reveal phone number]0825-042 (O)
Department: Health Care Agency
Division/Service Area: Public Health Services
Opening Date: 08/19/2025
Closing Date: 8/26/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

CAREER DESCRIPTION

Public Health Microbiologist II
Salary Information

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment is open to the public for a minimum of five (5) business days and will close at 11:59 p.m. (PST) on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

This recruitment will establish an Open eligible list which will be used to fill current vacancies, and can be used to fill future Public Health Microbiologist II positions within the Health Care Agency. This recruitment may also be used to fill positions in a similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.
THE AGENCY

The County of Orange , Health Care Agency (HCA) is a dynamic organization dedicated to creating and supporting an environment that promotes the achievement of optimal individual, family and community health. Under the leadership of the Agency Director, a dynamic executive team with an organizational structure comprised of five (5) service areas - Administrative Services, Behavioral Health Services, Correctional Health Services, Public Health Services, and Specialized Medical Services - is committed to meeting the health needs of the diverse Orange County community.

THE DEPARTMENT The Orange County Public Health Laboratory (OCPHL) is a core component of the Public Health program within HCA that provides laboratory services to Correctional Health Services, Public Health Clinical Services, Communicable Disease Control Division, Environmental Health Services, and clinical and hospital laboratories. Furthermore, OCPHL provides specialized laboratory testing for assessing, investigating, and analyzing infectious diseases of public health concerning Orange County, California. OCPHL is certified by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and approved by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to perform high complexity testing in the areas of bacteriology, mycobacteriology, mycology, parasitology, virology, immunology, and molecular biology. Additionally, OCPHL has a Water Quality laboratory located in Newport Beach that is certified by the California Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) that primarily monitors the County's ocean and bay recreational waters.

THE OPPORTUNITY
HCA is recruiting for a Public Health Microbiologist II (PHM II) to perform complex standardized microbiological testing in areas such as: bacteriology, mycobacteriology (TB), parasitology, virology, and water quality for the detection of communicable disease-causing agents. The incumbents will be critical in maintaining the quality of testing that Orange County Public Health Laboratory provides to a variety of clients and programs.

The duties of the PHM II include, but are not limited to:

• Provide high quality, public health laboratory services to clients
• Conduct technical laboratory testing and analysis of a standardized and generally recurring nature using well defined procedures
• Evaluate, validate, and/or verify new laboratory testing methods
• Work with laboratory instruments and equipment including performing calibration and troubleshooting
• Act as a technical expert for assigned areas and provide consultation to clients
• Train, review, and oversee the work of PHM I(s), Laboratory Assistants, or PHM Trainees

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES
The ideal candidate will possess two (2) years of experience performing the duties of a Public Health Microbiologist in an official public health laboratory in which the experience was generalized public health microbiological work.

The ideal candidate will possess the following core competencies:

Technical Knowledge | Technical Experience

• Advanced knowledge of microbiological and serological concepts, principles, and techniques that can be applied to public health laboratory testing
• Utilizing and training on traditional microbiological and molecular methods to test and analyze communicable disease organisms such as Hepatitis, HIV, Tuberculosis, Salmonella, Gonorrhea, and Influenza
• Applying universal precautions to laboratory hazards associated with laboratory testing
• Understanding and following policies, processes and procedures for the handling of specimens containing agents of concern such as: blood, sputum, stool, and others
• Utilizing the Laboratory Information System at different phases of the testing process
• Conducting different and complex microbiological testing/examination methods and interpreting results for accurate identification of infectious agents
• Operating technical laboratory equipment and performing routine functional checks; adhering to safety rules and precautions
• Performing, recording, and reviewing quality control activities; following appropriate regulations, policies and procedures; and adhering to quality assurance program guidelines
• Understanding quality improvement and making recommendations for improving processes in the laboratory
• Cross-training in different laboratory testing sections to be able to provide backup testing in the event of a public health incident or emergency

Written & Oral Communication Skills

• Writing standard operating procedures, evaluation plans, and policies for departmental tests or methods as needed
• Communicating professionally and tactfully with clients when giving/explaining laboratory results and answering technical questions
• Communicating professionally with vendors or sales representatives regarding laboratory supplies or equipment as needed
• Adapting communication style depending on audience (client, peer, management, etc.)

Planning & Organization

• Planning, organizing, and prioritizing work to meet established deadlines
• Setting objectives and goals to achieve maximum productivity
• Maintaining proper documentation of equipment records
• Developing, utilizing and maintaining effective systems to manage multiple tasks and track information, equipment records, quality controls, business goals, etc.
• Strong attention to detail and monitors and checks work; plans and organizes time and resources efficiently

Leadership | Teamwork

• Facilitating, motivating, and supporting others to realize common goals
• Constructing positive relationships at all levels based on trust and respect
• Monitoring and sharing opportunities to improved processes and plans
• Helping staff acquire and apply new knowledge, skills and attitudes by explaining, modeling and giving effective examples

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here to learn more about the Minimum Qualifications for the Public Health Microbiologist II classification as well as the physical & mental requirements and the environmental conditions.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS Possession of a valid Public Health Microbiologist certificate issued by the California Department of Public Health. Required certification must be maintained as a condition of employment.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) screens all application materials for minimum and desirable qualifications. After screening, qualified applicants will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the process.

Veterans Employment Preference
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click to review the policy.

Application Screening | Application Rating (Refer/Non-Refer)
Applications and supplemental responses will be screened for qualifications that are highly desirable and most needed to successfully perform the duties of this job. Only those applicants that meet the qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step.

Eligible List
Once all assessments have been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.

Please note: The information you provide on your application and/or response to the supplemental questions may be used as a scoring device, so please be thorough and complete in your response. "See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be scored in lieu of the required information.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Email Notification Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account. NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Rosemary Donis at [click to reveal phone number](714) 834-6761 or

EEO INFORMATION
Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Employer

County of Orange

Address

400 W CIVIC CENTER DRIVE

Santa Ana, California, 92701

Phone

[click to reveal phone number]714-834-2555

Website
Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System
Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
Click for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.
01

The information you provide will be used to rate your qualifications for the position. Incomplete information will result in a lower rating. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing these questions. Please provide concise, descriptive, and detailed information when answering the question. If you do not have experience, please write NONE.NOTE: 'See resume', 'See above', or copy and paste of your resume are not considered qualifying responses and will not be scored.By selecting yes below, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this application requirement.

• Yes
• No

02

Do you possess a bachelor's degree with a major in Medical or Public Health Microbiology or an equivalent major as approved by the California State Department of Health from a college or university accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges or an equivalent accrediting agency as determined by the State Department of Health? Please note a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be attached to your application at the time you apply to move forward in the recruitment.

• Yes
• No

03

If you answered "Yes" to question #2, please list the type of degree. If you answered "No," please type N/A."
04

Do you currently possess a valid Public Health Microbiologist certificate issued by the California Department of Public Health?

• Yes
• No

05

If you answered "Yes" to question #3, please provide your valid certificate number. If you answered "No," please type N/A."
06

Please select the option that best describes your experience performing the duties as a certified Public Health Microbiologist in an official public health laboratory in which the experience was generalized public health microbiological work.

• Four (4) or more years of experience
• Three (3) years of experience
• Two (2) years of experience
• Less than two (2) years of experience
• No Experience

07

In detail, please describe your experience as a certified Public Health Microbiologist in an official public health laboratory. In your response, please include the organization you obtained your experience from, years of experience, and responsibilities.
Required Question

Job Tags

Full time, Traineeship, Immediate start,

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