Office Assistant III

Salary: $21.30 - $25.91 Hourly
Location : Merced or Atwater
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: MSS06051
Department: Merced County Human Services Agency
Opening Date: 07/14/2026
Closing Date: 7/21/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


Position Information
Under general supervision, perform highly responsible, specialized, and technical office support activities; explain rules, policies, and operations related to department records, programs, and services; may serve as a lead-worker and provide training and work assignments to a group of office support staff; and perform other related work as required.

The Office Assistant III is the advanced journey level in the Office Assistant series. Incumbents either act as lead-worker to a group of office support staff, or exercise detailed subject matter knowledge of a specific and complex program area or specialized record keeping system, or independently perform complex clerical tasks. Incumbents in this position exercise initiative and independent judgment within general policies and procedures.

Examples of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• As lead-worker, instructs employees in the interpretation and application of laws, regulations, policies, and procedures related to the department's programs and automated systems.
• Prioritize and manage workload distribution.
• Act as technical resource on more difficult problems or specialized issues; monitors quality and timeliness of unit work.
• Identify and provide individual instruction to co-workers for work deficiencies and provide feedback to supervisor as requested.
• Answer inquiries related to department services, programs, and operations.
• Obtain information, resolves discrepancies or errors, disperses relevant information, or refers client to the appropriate personnel or location.
• Explain the proper use of forms and documents.
• Produce notices, reports, letters, legal documents, fiscal, or statistical information.
• Verify that information or data is complete, accurate, and consistent.
• Operate automated systems, which involve interpretation of requirements and assisting in the layout and formatting of fields, screens, and report formats utilized in database, spreadsheet, or word processing software.
• Produce statistical, data processing, and production related reports.

Knowledge of :

• Modern office practices, and department specific methods, procedures, policies and regulations.
• Programs, goals, and purpose of the assigned department.
• English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and punctuation.
• Business letter writing.
• Lead-work and staff development techniques and practices.
• Computer terminology and computer keyboard arrangement.
• Common word processing, spreadsheet, and database software packages.

Ability to :

• Exercise sound judgment when initiating processes, actions, and alternatives within established procedures and regulations.
• Interpret and explain procedures to others.
• Provide verbal and written instruction to others.
• Exercise sound judgment when prioritizing, organizing, assigning, and monitoring workload.
• Apply the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures pertaining to initial application for the assigned department's services.
• Enter data accurately into automated system.
• Locate, identify, and correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Establish and maintain cooperative and effective work relationship with others.
• Deal tactfully and courteously with the public, county employees, and other staff.
• Lead and train subordinate employees effectively.
• Follow written and oral directions and instructions

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Operate a personal computer and modern office equipment with repetitive hand and arm motion.
• Communicate effectively with others in person, in writing, and over the telephone.
• Analyze data, interpret directions, procedures and regulations, and develop appropriate responses.
• Create correspondence, spreadsheets, and presentation materials using various computer software programs.
• Complete multiple priority projects with conflicting deadlines and under stressful conditions.
• Maintain confidential information in accordance with legal standards and/or County regulations.
• Frequent use of depth perception, peripheral vision and color perception
• Frequently lift, carry, reach, push, pull, twist and manipulate large and small objects.
• Occasionally kneel, bend, twist, squat, balance and crawl.
• Frequent use of hand-eye coordination.
• Occasionally lift and carry up to 40 pounds.
• Normal dexterity, frequent holding and grasp
• Frequent use of data entry device including repetitive hand and arm motion.
• Sit, stand or walk for long periods of time.
• Regular attendance is an essential function.

Minimum Qualifications
Experience: Two (2) years of clerical experience equivalent to an Office Assistant II in Merced County.

Education : One (1) year of college or business school training may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.


Desirable: Type at a corrected rate of 45 words per minute from clear copy.

Supplemental Information
Training & Experience Examination - Weighted 100% The Training & Experience Examination is designed to elicit a range of specific information regarding each candidate's knowledge, skill, abilities, and potential to effectively perform the duties relative to the classification. Responses to the questionnaire will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria. All applicants must complete the entire examination to receive a score.


To obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination.
ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Merced County. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

RETEST PERIOD
Once you have taken the examination, you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

SPECIAL TESTING ARRANGEMENTS Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability, military, or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements, please contact CalHR at or View phone number on click.appcast.io upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical, military, school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.

EDUCATION DOCUMENTS If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

GENERAL INFORMATION This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.


MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be
notified.

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not
ensure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list.


General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process, a background investigation may be required.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital
status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

ABOUT MERCED COUNTY
Merced County is located in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley in central California, an area earning worldwide acclaim for its rich agriculture, and spans from the coastal ranges to the foothills of Yosemite National Park. The City of Merced, the self-proclaimed Gateway to Yosemite, has a population of approximately 81,102, yet retains the charm of a small town with amenities routinely found in larger communities. Merced's revitalized downtown is emerging as the entertainment center of the area. The County is representative of the rural heartland and Gold Rush remnants underpinning the state's heritage. It is a peaceful, quiet, and friendly area with an abundance of beautiful bike paths and offers choices of higher education in UC Merced and Merced College.
Merit System Services does not negotiate or determine the benefits or salaries for positions offered by its partners. For more information about benefits or salaries, please visit the listed county or child support office's website or contact their human resources department.
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This recruitment is being used to full multiple vacancies, including vacancies in Spanish bilingual positions. Candidates must take and pass a bilingual proficiency examination prior to being appointed to a bilingual position. Please indicate if you would like to be considered for a bilingual position.

• I am Spanish bilingual (read, write, and speak) and would like to be considered for a bilingual position.
• I am not Spanish bilingual and do not want to be considered for a bilingual position.

Required Question