Senior Personnel Specialist

Job Description and Duties

Come join our team! DTSC's Transactions Unit provides essential services to the employees of DTSC. We have a Senior Personnel Specialist position available. If you are enthusiastic, dedicated, and customer service oriented, this may be the position for you. Don't miss this great opportunity, apply today  

As a Sr. Personnel Specialist you will have the opportunity to:

• Serves as a lead and training specialist providing one-on-one assistance and guidance to PS staff regarding appointments, separations, payroll, benefits, and leave accounting. Provides technical expertise in the interpretation and application of rules and regulations, employee rights and benefits, application of bargaining contract provisions, and payroll procedures. Resolves transaction problems arising from employment history and payroll documentation. Researches and applies various personnel reference sources including the Personnel Transactions Manual (PTM), Payroll Procedures Manual (PPM), Benefits Administration Manual (BAM), CalHR’s Laws & Rules, Regulations, and Policy Memos, and CalPERS Manuals. Develops and maintains job aids, reference materials, procedures, and desk manuals to ensure consistency in processing and compliance with State and departmental policies.  
• Processes all CEA and Exempt hires, including onboarding, appointment, payroll, benefits, and leave accounting.
• Generates monthly and quarterly Management Information Retrieval System (MIRS) and Mobius reports; creates adhoc reports as requested by HR management, Fiscal staff, and Executive staff for special projects and/or control agency drills.
• On behalf of PS Staff, researches and creates letters of appeal to CalHR related to retroactive transactions, benefits, and payroll; keeps HR management apprised of status.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Working Conditions

Effective July 1, 2025, specific Bargaining Units and associated Excluded State employees are subject to a salary reduction between 2% - 4.62% in exchange for hours in the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025) per month. For more details, please click here .

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. The Department of Toxic Substances Control does not participate in E-Verify for employment authorization purposes.

A hybrid schedule may be available for this position.

Click the link below for a special message from Director Katie Butler on DTSC’s culture:

Special Requirements

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required for the hiring manager’s review. Applications submitted without an SOQ may be disqualified.

The SOQ should be no more than 2 page(s) in length, Arial 12-point font size, must answer questions in the same order as they appear.

Your SOQ should address the following:

1. Describe your education, training, knowledge, skills, and experience as it relates to this position. Include examples performing personnel and payroll functions; interpreting and applying laws, rules, bargaining unit contracts, policies, and procedures; providing customer service to employees and management; training, mentoring, or guiding new staff.
2. Describe a time where you had to respond to an employee regarding a complex or sensitive issue?  What steps did you take to build trust and maintain professionalism? What was the outcome ?

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

• Knowledge of control agencies laws, rules, regulations, resource manuals, and bargaining unit contracts related to personnel transactions, payroll, leave, and benefits
• Ability to research, understand, interpret, and apply State and Federal laws, rules, regulations, and bargaining unit contracts
• Ability to provide exceptional customer service in a professional and courteous manner
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with executive staff, management, departmental employees, control agencies and outside entities
• Ability to handle confidential or sensitive information
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and exercise sound judgement

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Additional Application Instructions

For experience/education to qualify during the application screening process, and to ensure that minimum qualifications can be determined, applicants should include all employment history on the Employment Application (STD 678), including detailed job descriptions, hours worked per week, and start/end dates (MM/DD/YYYY). Application packages without this information may experience delayed processing times and your eligibility for this position may be impacted.

Electronic applications submitted through your CalCareer Account are highly recommended . If you are unable to apply electronically through your CalCareer account, please mail a completed and signed STD. 678 and application package to the mailing address provided above in the “Application Instructions” section. Applications must be postmarked on or before the final filing date.

For mail-in or drop-off applications, please include JC# 534410  and indicate the basis of your eligibility in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) section. SROA and surplus candidates should submit a copy of their letter with their application.

Pending Budget Approval - DTSC will obtain all necessary approvals prior to extending a job offer.

Foreign Degrees

Applicants who completed their education outside the United States (with foreign degree/ transcripts) must obtain and submit verification of United States course/degree equivalency.

Foreign education credential evaluation services can be found .

DO NOT include any confidential information to your application or supporting documents (i.e., Social Security Number, birthdate, marital status, medical information, examination results, method of eligibility, etc.).

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.
• Statement of Qualifications - A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required and must be submitted with your Employment Application (STD.678). Please refer to the "Special Requirements” section above for additional information.