Office Assistant

Salary: See Position Description
Location : Lower Lake
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: MSS05977
Department: Lake County Department of Social Services
Opening Date: 05/28/2026
Closing Date: 6/18/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


Position Information
SALARY: $17.66/ hourly, $3,061.07 / monthly, $36,732.80 / annually

Performs a variety of general or specialized clerical duties related to filing, reception, form processing, record maintenance, mail, typing or data entry; obtains and compares information related to department records, programs, and services; may perform the initial applicant screening as an incidental function and initiate cases through the department's automated system; and performs related work as required
Working under general supervision, Office Assistant II is the journey level in the Office Assistant series. Employees at this level are expected to be fully qualified and able to perform difficult and responsible office support work within the framework of established work methods and procedures and to use independent judgment in selecting and applying specific references, procedures, sequences, and alternatives to different work situations, referring non-procedural questions to the supervisor. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the lower level of Office Assistant I, or if filled from the outside, require prior related experience.

The Office Assistant II differs from the Office Assistant III by the level of supervision received, the scope and effect of functions performed, the degree of independence exercised, and the complexity of work assigned. The Office Assistant III may also be assigned lead worker duties, or screening duties on a consistent rather than incidental basis. The Office Assistant series differs from the Account Clerk series in that the primary duties of the Account Clerk involve the application of mathematical skill and ability in the use of financial, numerical and statistical data and information. The Office Assistant class performs a wide variety of general office support duties in which the use of mathematical ability is incidental to the primary function and most frequently performed duties.

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

• Addresses complaints and explains regulations to customers or the public.
• Responds to inquiries regarding departmental functions, services, policies, and procedures.
• Obtains information from customers, visitors, or callers to determine appropriate resource, action, document, or staff referral to meet their needs.
• Explains the proper use of forms and documents.
• Prepares items for mailing and sorts and distributes incoming mail according to established guidelines and procedures.
• Operates multiline telephone system including answering calls, transferring calls, and taking messages.
• Schedules customer appointments and maintains schedules for technical or professional staff.
• Composes correspondence, reports, memos, and other documents.
• Reviews and processes forms/documents in accordance with established guidelines and procedures.
• Monitors and updates manual or electronic files.
• Operates a variety of standard office equipment.
• Compiles information to respond to questions or address issues.
• Reviews submitted forms or applications to verify accuracy and completeness.
• Operates automated systems, or other department-specific computer systems.
• Maintains accurate department and customer records.
• Performs initial screening of applications for departmental services.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS
Note: The level and scope of the knowledge and skills listed below are related to job duties as distinguished between the two levels in the Definition section.
Knowledge of:

• General office functions, procedures, equipment, and filing systems.
• General goals and purposes of department programs, services, and operations.
• English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Word processing, spreadsheet, database, email, calendaring programs, and automated systems.

Ability to:

• Explain policies, procedures, and regulations governing program operations.
• Analyze situations involving rules and regulations and demonstrate good judgment when making decisions.
• Quickly and accurately enter and retrieve data using an automated system.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Interact with individuals from various educational, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Work cooperatively as part of a team.
• Identify and correct inaccurate or inconsistent information.
• Listen attentively and understand oral information provided.
• Prioritize, plan, and organize one's own work.

Minimum Qualifications
One (1) year of full-time experience performing clerical duties in an office environment.

Supplemental Information
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• A valid driver's license will be required at the time of interview. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• Positions require pre-employment screening, including background checks, and fingerprinting
• Government agencies accessing US government information, which include federal tax information must ensure that background investigation requirements for all agency employees and contractors that have access to federal tax information are consistent to the IRS background investigation requirements for access to federal tax information.
• Background checks are required and must be repeated every 5 years. Background requirements consist of three components which include, fingerprinting, citizenship verification and local law enforcement checks.
• Lake County is required to verify Employment and Education if a conditional offer of employment is made to an applicant.
• Lake County offers: Flexible Office Hours available for most positions; Monday - Friday with a variety of schedules between 6:30am - 7:00pm.
• Work remotely from home available for some positions upon Lake County Department of Social Services Approval.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION
TRAINING AND 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. Examination administration and processing time is approximately two weeks after the closing date of the job bulletin.
ELIGIBLE LIST INFORMATION
A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Lake. 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 TEST 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 View email address on click.appcast.io 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 assure 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 LAKE COUNTY Nestled inland and to the north of the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake County is rich with geographic history and landmarks. Lake County is home to Clear Lake, which is said to have been formed more than 2 million years ago and is the largest natural freshwater lake in the state of California. As a neighboring county to Napa, Lake County is renowned for growing premium wine grapes, pears, and walnuts, and as certified by the State's Air Resources Board, has the cleanest air in California. Also found in Lake County is Mount Konocti, which was formed from volcanic eruptions between 100,000 and 600,000 years ago. The local economy is based primarily on agriculture, tourism, and the geothermal power industry.
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.