Senior Psychiatric Technician (Safety)

Job Description and Duties

On an assigned shift, the Senior Psychiatric Technician directs and/or provides for the care, treatment, and training of individuals following established standards and procedures. A Senior Psychiatric Technician must have the ability to work extended hours and various shifts and must float to all work areas within the facility if called upon to do so.

Program, Unit, and Shift to be determined.

* Must maintain required license to practice as a Licensed Psychiatric Technician.

Effective October 1, 2025, State employees are subject to a salary reduction of three (3) percent in exchange for five (5) hours per month of the Personal Leave Program.

This position is not eligible for telework, this position is in person only.
Temporary state housing may be available for those relocating to fill hard to recruit positions. Housing assignments and rates will be determined in accordance with Department policy, operational priorities, and applicable labor agreements.

Interested individuals who do not have eligibility must take Department of State Hospitals' Senior Psychiatric Technician (Safety)examination to obtain list eligibility. Click the following link or copy and paste the link into your web browser to be taken to the Exam Bulletin where you will find the instructions for the exam: 

Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment. This recruitment may be utilized to fill future vacancies that may occur during the life of the certification list.

Please tell us how you heard about us (click on link below).

Pursuant to California Government Code requirements, candidates must be residents of the State of California at the time of appointment.

This position requires lawful authorization to work in the United States. The Department does not sponsor employment visas for this position.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS: Regular interaction with clients and staff in monitoring the provision of direct services, and other conditions common to on and off unit training environments. Responsible for staff who perform security tasks such as accounting for utensils and other equipment/tools to prevent the use as a weapon; inspecting the facility to identify security breaches that could lead to the escape of forensic individual; responsible for staff that include escorting forensic individuals in and out of the facility; and observing and intervening in forensic individual behavior that may injure people, damage property or signal impending escape attempts. Exposure to communicable diseases, and other conditions common to a clinical/nursing environment. Participation in meetings and conferences and other conditions common to an office environment. Effective use of equipment for report writing and data collection. Working different units within the Facility may also be mandatory. Mandatory overtime may be required on a periodic basis and rotating basis.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Must be able to perform the duties contained in this duty statement. Must possess and maintain sufficient strength, agility, endurance and sensory ability during mentally and emotionally stressful and emergency situations encountered to not endanger their own health and well-being or that of their fellow employees, forensic individuals, or the public.May be required to escort individuals to different areas on/off campus, which may include driving a State vehicle such as a gold cart, van, car, etc. Must be able to stand for periods of time in different areas of the unit or training sites and respond to all behavioral/medical interventions as required and participate in individual containment, intervention or restraint.

Level of Care employees will be required to perform the following Essential Functions: Must be able to lift 50 pounds without assistance; must be able to participate in client containment, intervention or restraint; must have the ability to work extended hours and various shifts; must float to all work areas within the facility if called upon to do so.

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a Drug Screening be passed prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) Medical Clearance prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) a(n) Copy of valid Psychiatric Technician License License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired.

Selected candidates are subject to special requirements. This position is required to complete a medical evaluation.

Electronic Application Submission is highly encouraged.

Submit a completed standard state application (STD. 678) and proof of valid Psychiatric Technician license by the final filing date. Applications submitted for vacancies must include the Position Title and Position Number in the Job Title Section and MUST be signed and dated. Applicants should indicate on their application, in the job title section, the type of eligibility they currently possess and which qualifies them to apply at this time. In the "Employment History” section of the application you must list your current employment history by providing the To and From dates with the month, day and year, the hours per week that you worked, which should be a whole number and not a range and the Total Worked (years/months). You must complete the Duties Performed section on the application. Applications with “see resume” are not acceptable. Applications received without all of this information will be considered incomplete and will not be processed. Candidates who do not submit all of the required documents will not be considered in the selection process. Surplus applicants must attach a copy of their surplus letter. Applications may be obtained from the Human Resources Personnel Office at the Porterville Developmental Center or completed and downloaded from the website indicated below. NOTE: All appointments are subject to State Restriction of Appointment (SROA), Departmental Restriction of Appointment (DROA), and Re-employment List procedures, pre-employment physical and fingerprint clearances. Further Information on the definition of the above may be found on the California State Department of Human Resources website at .

Benefits

As a state employee working for the Department of Developmental Services, you and your family will have access to excellent medical, dental and vision insurance benefits in addition to retirement benefits.

Benefit eligibility may be based on job classification, bargaining unit, time base and length of appointment. Additional benefits may also be outlined for specific bargaining units in employee collective bargaining contracts. For more information, please visit the links below:

California State Civil Service Employee Benefits Summary

Confidential Information

Do NOT include ANY confidential information on any documents you submit for a job vacancy, such as your State application, resume, or educational transcripts.

Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number (SSN), birth date, student identification number, driver’s license number (unless required), basis of eligibility, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age. Confidential information on the first page of applications submitted electronically online, such as Easy ID number, SSN, examination related information, and driver’s license number will automatically be redacted upon submission.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. If you are meeting Minimum Qualifications with education, you must include your unofficial transcripts/diploma for verification. Official transcripts may be required upon appointment. If it is determined an applicant does not meet the Minimum Qualifications, the candidate may be withheld from the eligibility list, rendering them inactive and ineligible to be hired for the position. Candidates who have been withheld may file an appeal with the California Department of Human Resources.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.