Human Services Social Worker Master's Degree including Special Skills Classes

Human Services Social Worker - Master's Degree

This is a continuous filing exam. Next filing cut-offs are at 5:00 pm on: 5/28/26, 6/25/26, 7/23/26, 8/27/26, 9/24/26, 10/22/26, 11/25/26, 12/24/26

Under direction and with independent professional responsibility, Human Services Social Worker Master's Degree positions provide direct public social services to clients, dealing with complex individual and family problems, and acting as program and casework consultants to staff.

Examples Of Knowledge And Abilities

Knowledge Of

• Goals and objectives of public social services
• Available public and private community resources
• Awareness of cultural differences and implicit bias
• Socio-economic awareness of low income population
• Applicable laws, rules and regulations governing the field of public social services
• National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics
• Interviewing techniques
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications such as Microsoft Office products, and other specialized applications related to area of assignment
• Basic arithmetic (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, decimals, percentages, ratios, and fractions)

• Social casework principles and practices including group work and community organization
• Social problems which call for the use of public and private community resources
• Socio-economic conditions and problems which affect the work of a public social service agency
• Principles, program provisions and requirements, and applicable procedures of criminal justice, victim-witness, multi-disciplinary review, and domestic violence systems and programs
• Crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques
• Research and analysis methods used in studies involving social services and public assistance programs
• Individual and group behavior and dynamics
• Medical, psychological and socioeconomic conditions and problems which affect the work of a public social service agency
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation

Ability To

• Communicate effectively with persons from a variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds
• Work effectively with diverse communities and perspectives
• Act and present professionally when engaging clients, contractors, coworkers, and others in the course of work
• Work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Interview effectively in a wide variety of circumstances
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with clients, fellow employees, other agencies and the general public
• Maintain composure under stress
• Compile and integrate information to make a comprehensive assessment
• Communicate clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing
• Independently initiate and respond to correspondence
• Think critically, reason logically, understand and follow complex instructions and procedures
• Compile various records and information accurately
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Read, analyze, interpret and apply complex regulatory material
• Read correspondence and reports and understand their meaning
• Organize work schedule, prioritize tasks and budget time
• Accept and use consultative supervision
• Maintain focus and a high volume of work amid interruptions
• Keep accurate and orderly records
• Compose routine business communications, reports and other written materials in a clear, concise, organized, and accurate manner
• Make arithmetical computations accurately and rapidly
• Demonstrate skill in the use of community resources
• Provide education to client or others, about public social service program as set forth in laws, rules, regulations, policies and procedures
• Demonstrate skill in the application of social work methods and practices in highly complex cases
• Provide program and casework consultation to other staff members
• Provide leadership in the utilization of social casework concepts and methodologies

Employment Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Either: A Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in social work, behavioral science, sociology, psychology, social psychology, counseling, education counseling, gerontology, marriage and family therapy, nursing, vocational rehabilitation, criminal justice, public administration or other field closely related to the intent of the class. Or: Current enrollment in the final semester of a Master's program at an accredited college or university leading to a Master's Degree in social work, behavioral science, sociology, psychology, social psychology, counseling, education counseling, gerontology, marriage and family therapy, nursing, vocational rehabilitation, criminal justice, public administration or other field closely related to the intent of the class.

Note: Failure to submit proof of completion of Master's Degree within six months of appointment may be cause for release from probation in accordance with Civil Service Rules.

If the minimum qualifications include an educational or certificate/license requirement, applicants must submit proof of requirements with the application. Failure to submit proof of requirements may result in disqualification from the examination. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.

General Qualifications

Criminal History and Background Checks: The County may access criminal history information on candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of appointment for this class consistent with the provisions of Board of Supervisors Resolution No. 82-602, Personnel Policies and Procedures B-5, and applicable federal and state laws. The County shall not consider for employment any candidate who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor that relates to or impacts the candidate's ability to perform the job duties of this class unless it is determined that mitigating circumstances exist. For purposes of accessing criminal history information, the candidate will be fingerprinted. A subsequent arrest notification may be obtained.

The County may also conduct a background check on the candidate prior to appointment to a position within this class. The background check may include personal and professional reference checks, credit history checks where authorized by Labor Code section 1024.5, Social Security Number verification, professional license/registration verification, military service information and driving history. Information obtained in the course of this background check will be considered by the appointing authority in the selection process. In obtaining such information, the County will comply with applicable consent and disclosure practices in the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act.

License Requirement: A valid California Driver License, Class C or higher may be required at the time of appointment. Failure to obtain or maintain the appropriate California Driver License may constitute cause for personnel action in accordance with Civil Service Rules or applicable bargaining agreement. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Child and Elder Abuse Reporting: Persons selected for employment must, as a condition of employment, sign a statement agreeing to comply with Section 11166 of the California Penal Code and Section 15630 of the Welfare and Institutions Code relating to child and elder abuse reporting.

Physical Requirements: Some positions in this class require the incumbents to be able to:

• Sit for periods up to one hour while driving to home visits.
• Climb flights of stairs to reach residents.
• Lift infants and toddlers weighing up to 40 pounds.
• Carry automobile child safety seats.
• Have sufficient vision to assess the physical condition of clients and home environment.

Individuals who do not meet these requirements due to disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Working Conditions: Some positions in this class require the incumbents to:

• Be exposed to persons living with physical, neurocognitive and/or emotional challenges.
• Work in dangerous, high crime areas of the community.
• Work during non-routine hours, standby, and/or callback.
• Work in and around substandard living areas with exposure to common communicable diseases, scabies, impetigo and other rashes.
• Work outside in all types of climatic conditions including inclement, very hot and