Public Health Assistant Laboratory Director at County of Shasta – Redding, California

Salary: $100,404.00 - $128,160.00 Annually
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Department: Health & Human Services Agency - Public Health
Opening Date: 04/13/2026
Closing Date: 04/27/26
Location: 96001, CA
Job Number: 1179_HHSA_PH_040126

Description:

THE CURRENT VACANCY IS IN THE

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY – PUBLIC HEALTH BRANCH

ORAL EXAM IS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR MAY 2026

SEE “SPECIAL REQUIREMENT” SECTION REGARDING

POSSESSION OF A VALID MICROBIOLOGIST CERTIFICATION AND

VALID DRIVERS LICENSE

FINAL FILING DATE: APRIL 27, 2026 AT 5:00 PM

SALARY INFORMATION

$8,367 - $10,680 APPROXIMATE MONTHLY* / $48.27 - $61.62 APPROXIMATE HOURLY*

This position is an Unrepresented Management position. Please refer to the Shasta County Personnel Rules and the Unrepresented Management Cost of Living Increases for potential future salary increases: Shasta County Labor Agreements

ABOUT SHASTA COUNTY

Shasta County offers all of the amenities of the big city while retaining a comfortable small-town atmosphere. With its natural beauty, diversified culture, affordable housing, excellent educational system, abundance of recreational opportunities, and excellent quality of life, Shasta County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

Health and Human Services Agency

The Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) partners with communities to protect and improve the health and well-being of Shasta County residents. Established in 2006, the HHSA is organized into branches: Behavioral Health & Social Services, Public Health, Economic Mobility, with a centralized Administration Services. The HHSA promotes optimal health for all. The frail, the abused, the mentally ill and those without resources look to the HHSA for services and resources to meet their basic needs, and to protect their health and safety. This transformation improves efficiency, avoids unnecessary duplication of effort, encourages collaboration among programs and organizes the HHSA’s services to be more responsive to the needs of the public.

The Public Health Branch focuses on community-wide prevention of communicable disease, chronic disease, injury, substance abuse, family violence, and lead poisoning. Public Health helps the community develop policies and support community environments that encourage healthy behaviors. It promotes nutrition and physical activity, healthy aging, worksite wellness, and healthy communities. Public Health is also where the HHSA’s emergency response unit is headquartered, and its laboratory provides testing services for Shasta and numerous other Northern California counties.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Under general direction of the HHSA Public Health Branch Lab Director the Public Health Assistant Laboratory Director assists with planning, organizing, directing and carrying out the activities of the Public Health Laboratory, a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) accredited laboratory performing high complexity testing in compliance with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA ’88); and related duties as assigned. This position is an unclassified, at will position.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Public Health Assistant Laboratory Director is distinguished from the Public Health Microbiologist class series as the position is responsible for assisting with the overall operation of the laboratory, including assisting with the oversight and supervision of assigned staff by planning, organizing, directing and delegating work duties; performs and interprets the most difficult and least well-defined laboratory tests; may develop, evaluate, implement and improves existing laboratory procedures; ensures prompt and accurate laboratory reporting; maintains all appropriate certifications to be current at all times (e.g., CLIA, Public Health Lab, ELAP); assures compliance with applicable regulations; assists with the preparation and administration of performance evaluations; assists in preparation of and monitoring of budgets and contracts.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

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

Assists with the planning, development, implementation, and oversight of public health laboratory programs, services, and activities; reviews, recommends, and implements policy and procedural changes; analyzes statistical and fiscal data and operational problems to develop operating procedures for laboratory programs and functions; ensures that testing systems developed and used for each of the tests performed in the laboratory provide quality laboratory services for all aspects of test performance, which includes the pre-analytic, analytic, and post-analytic phases of testing; ensures that the physical plant and environmental conditions of the laboratory are appropriate for the testing performed; provides a safe environment in which employees are protected from physical, chemical, and biological hazards; ensures that test methodologies selected have the capability of providing the quality of results required for patient care; ensures that verification procedures used are adequate to determine the accuracy, precision, and other pertinent performance characteristics of the method; ensures that laboratory personnel are performing the test methods as required for accurate and reliable results; ensures that the laboratory is enrolled in approved proficiency testing programs for the testing performed, that the proficiency testing samples are tested as required, that the results are returned within the time frames established by the proficiency testing program, and that all proficiency testing reports are reviewed by the appropriate staff to evaluate the laboratory's performance and to identify any problems that require corrective action; ensures an approved corrective action plan is promptly developed and followed when any proficiency testing result is found to be unacceptable or unsatisfactory, or when a deficiency is noted by the staff of the California Department of Health Services, with notification of such plan to the Public Health Lab Branch Director; ensures that the quality control and quality assurance programs are established and maintained to assure the quality of laboratory services provided and to identify failures in quality as they occur; ensures the establishment and maintenance of acceptable levels of analytical performance for each test system; ensures that all necessary remedial actions are taken and documented whenever significant deviations from the laboratory's established performance characteristics are identified and that patient test results are reported only when the system is functioning properly; ensures that reports of test results include pertinent information required for interpretation; ensures that consultation is available to the laboratory's clients on matters relating to the quality of the test results reported and their interpretation concerning specific patient conditions; consults with and acts as a reference for physicians, clinical laboratories, other divisions of the Public Health Branch, other Health and Human Services Branches, and other County departments; interprets Federal, State, local and internal rules and regulations; supervises, motivates and assists subordinate staff in resolving complex and/or technical problems; performs laboratory analysis of drinking water and other specimens; identifies potential funding sources and prepares proposals for contracts, and grants; oversees selection of laboratory services and recommends laboratory fees in consultation with the Public Health Branch Lab Director; assist with administration of laboratory contracts and laboratory budgets; oversees inventory control and preventive maintenance; provides leadership in actively promoting the Branch's mission and aligning the Public Health Laboratory's activities with the mission and direction of the Health and Human Services Agency and Public Health Branch; works to integrate the Public Health Laboratory's activities with those of all other divisions of the Public Health Branch; assists the Branch in seeking and maintaining Public Health Accreditation; assists the Branch in seeking to increase access to public health services to hard-to-reach populations, and in increasing the cultural competency level of the Branch as an organization; may serve on or chair Public Health Branch or Health and Human Services ad hoc committees or team meetings and/or represent the Branch before community groups and governmental agencies as designated by the Public Health Branch Lab Director; and performs other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of education and experience sufficient to directly demonstrate possession and application of the following:

Knowledge of: Bacteriological, serological, mycological, parasitological, virological, and other microbiological principles; laws, regulations, and standards pertaining to public health laboratories; techniques, equipment, and terminology used in the examination of body fluids and tissues, foods and water; proper laboratory safety precautions and procedures; current trends and concepts in public health microbiology and the general field of public health; causes and modes of transmission of communicable disease; basic principles of administration and supervision.

Ability to: Organize a public health laboratory program; perform complex laboratory tests and examinations; maintain proper laboratory safety precautions, procedures, and quality assurance; prepare clear and concise programmatic and fiscal records and reports; set up and operate laboratory equipment; detect equipment malfunctions and substitute alternative testing methods; interpret laws, regulations, and standards pertaining to health and chemical laboratories and related facilities; analyze and implement policies and procedures; supervise and provide performance evaluations for laboratory personnel (hire; train, motivate, evaluate, and assist in any disciplinary process as appropriate); actively promote the Public Health Branch's mission and population-based health outcomes orientation; establish and maintain excellent interpersonal relations with a diverse range of people and agencies; establish and maintain a strong customer service perspective and teamwork approach; identify and solve laboratory technical and administrative problems efficiently; and provide innovative and strategic leadership on behalf of Public Health Lab services.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

EITHER

A doctoral degree from an accredited university in a chemical, physical, biological, or clinical laboratory science with a letter of approval to train as a Public Health Microbiologist from the California Department of Public Health Laboratory Field Services

OR

Certification as a Public Health Microbiologist from the state of California Laboratory Field Services AND three (3) years of experience in a public health lab.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

Responses to the following must be submitted with a completed application.

1. Do you possess a Doctoral degree from an accredited university in a chemical, physical, biological or clinical laboratory science? Yes / No If “Yes,” please indicate the type of degree you received and the college you received it from. If “No,” type N/A.
2. Do you possess a letter of approval to train as a Public Health Microbiologist from the California Department of Public Health Laboratory Field Services? Yes / No If “Yes,” Please attach your letter to your application. If “No,” type N/A.
3. Do you have three years of laboratory experience directing or supervising high complexity testing? Yes / No If “Yes,” please provide details including, but not limited to, employers, dates of employment, and job duties. If “No,” type N/A.
4. Do you possess certification by the American Board of Medical Microbiology, American Board of Clinical Chemistry, American Board of Immunology, American Board of Bioanalysis, or other National accrediting board approved by the Federal Division of Health and Human Services Agency? Yes / No If “Yes,” please provide your certificate number. If “No,” type N/A.
5. Are you certified as a Public Health Microbiologist by the California Laboratory Field Services? Yes / No If “Yes,” please provide your certificate number. If “No,” type N/A.
6. I acknowledge this position requires a valid California driver's license. Yes / No

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• All new employees are required to have their paycheck directly deposited to a bank account.
• Some positions may require a valid California driver's license and acceptable driving record according to County policy.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made for those persons who are disabled under the Americans with Disabilities Act to perform the essential functions of the position.
• As part of the selection process, all individuals provided with a preliminary offer of employment with Shasta County will be subject to a background investigation, including a criminal history check (primarily completed through the taking of fingerprints). An image of your fingerprints will be captured and sent to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The resulting report of your conviction history, (if any), will be evaluated along with the other information received in connection with your application. Except as otherwise required by law, a criminal conviction will not necessarily disqualify you from the position. The nature of the offense, the date of the offense, the surrounding circumstances, and the relevance of the offense to the position applied for may, however, be considered.
• Based on the results of the background investigation and criminal history check, applicants may then be provided with an offer of employment conditioned on the results of a medical examination, which includes drug/alcohol testing.
• Shasta County participates in E-Verify. For more information visit DOJ Right to Work Poster (Download PDF reader). If you do not have internet access, contact Personnel at (530) 225-5515 to request a flier.
• In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, County employees, in the event of a disaster are considered disaster workers and may be asked to respond accordingly.
• Employees in this classification are covered under the CalPERS retirement program. Depending on the provisions of the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) and other applicable laws, an employee in this classification will be covered under one of the following CalPERS retirement formulas: (1) 2% at 55, (2) 2% at 60, or (3) 2% at 62. An employee in this classification will also contribute up to 9.5% of their pay to this plan or will contribute such other amount to the plan as authorized by PEPRA and other applicable laws. Please visit our employees benefit page at Shasta County Employee Benefits for additional information regarding benefits and CalPERS coverage information. The provisions in this flyer and on the County’s website are for information purposes only. To the extent the provisions of the flyer or the County’s website are inconsistent with PEPRA and other applicable laws, PEPRA and other applicable laws shall govern.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURES

Shasta County Personnel will accept applications and responses to the supplemental questions until 5:00 p.m., on April 27, 2026. A Resume and/or Cover Letter will be accepted in addition to the application form but will not serve as a substitute for a completed application. It is not acceptable to complete the application with statements such as, “Refer to Resume and/or Cover Letter,” or “See Attached Resume and/or Cover Letter” the employment application must be completed in its entirety prior to submission. Incomplete applications will not be processed. Closing date postmarks or faxes will not be accepted. This recruitment will establish a list that may or may not be used by other departments. Prior applicants must reapply to be considered.

Applicants will be screened and those considered best qualified will be invited to appear for an oral and/or written examination. Meeting the announced requirements does not guarantee inclusion in the selection process. Depending upon the number of applications received, the selection process may consist of additional application screening, written and/or practical exam(s), oral interview, or any combination thereof. Applicants are encouraged to apply on-line at www.ShastaCountyCareers.comor submit an application to the Shasta County Personnel Office.

Arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants with disabilities. Requests for accommodations may be made to the Shasta County Personnel Office by the filing deadline posted on this bulletin. Shasta County does not discriminate on the basis of disability. If you feel you are being denied service based on a disability, our ADA Coordinator may be reached at (530) 225-5515; relay service (800) 735-2922; fax (530) 225-5345.

Shasta County will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Shasta County is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting Fair Chance Act | CRD.

SHASTA COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Shasta County Personnel

1450 Court Street, Suite 348; Redding, CA 96001; (530) 225-5515

Benefits:

NOTE: Various bargaining units may have benefits that alter from this general summary. This summary of benefits is not a binding document and is provided as a courtesy. Refer to labor agreements (MOUs) for specific benefit information.

THESE BENEFITS DO NOT APPLY TO EXTRA HELP EMPLOYEES

Holidays:

• 12 paid holidays (96 hours) per year.
• 1 Floating holiday annually.
  

Vacation:

• 10 working days a year during the first three years of service.
• 15 working days a year - 4 through 9 years of service.
• 17 working days a year - 10 through 15 years of service.
• 20 working days a year - 16 or more years of service.

Note - accrued vacation leave may not be used until after three months of employment. For purposes of vacation accrual, a working day is no more than 8 hours.

Sick Leave:

• 96 hours of sick leave are earned each year with no maximum accrual.
  • Employees terminating in good standing after completion of 5 years of continuous service will receive a pro-rata payoff of accumulated sick leave.
  • Unused sick leave may be converted to PERS service credit upon retirement.

Note - sick leave may be used immediately as accrued. Accrued paid leave benefits are used in conjunction with FMLA/CFRA as appropriate.

*Vacation and Sick Leave accruals are based on regularly scheduled working hours. Additional time will not be accrued on hours worked over 80 hours within a one pay period.

Bereavement:

• 24 hours for each non-concurrent death in the immediate family.
  

Administrative Leave:

• Each full-time unit employee shall be entitled to eighty (80) hours of administrative leave per calendar year.
• Newly eligible employees will receive a portion of the time, in advance, on a prorated basis consistent with their dates of appointment or designation.

Employees may elect to receive a payment for Administrative or Vacation hours (in lieu of use) for up to one hundred and twenty hours – in five whole hour increments – of unused Administrative Leave, Vacation Leave, or a combination of the leaves. *Subject to criteria as outlined in Section 15.8 of the Personnel Rules.

Health Plan:
Shasta County contracts with PERS for medical insurance.
Depending on the plan selected, the County pays most of the employee premium, and contributes a portion of the dependent premium.
Contributions are made for a portion of a retiree's insurance premium.

Dental Plan:
The County pays a portion of the employee's and dependents' premium for dental insurance. The employee pays the full premium during the first six months of coverage.

Vision Plan:
The County pays the employee premium and employees may enroll dependents at their own expense.

Life Insurance:
The County pays the premium for life insurance for most employees. The amount of coverage varies by bargaining unit. For Unrepresented Management employees the current coverage amount is reflective of 1 year of salary at their current wage, however it will not be less than $50,000, or more than$80,000..

Additional Life insurance is available to purchase through Aflac and The Standard.

Long-Term Disability Program:

The County provides a long-term disability program for management employees, which will include a 120 day elimination period, a 66.67% of earnings benefit, and a monthly maximum of $2,500.00.

Retirement:
The County is in the Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) coordinated with Social Security.

• Members hired prior to May 8, 2011 are covered under the retirement formula of 2% @ 55 benefit.
• Members hired after May 8, 2011 but before January 1, 2013 are covered under the retirement formula of 2% @ 60 benefit.
• Members hired after January 1, 2013 are covered under the California Public Employees Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) with a benefit formula of 2% @ 62.

Please review the Personnel Rules (Management Benefits) for stipulated retirement formulas.

Employees pay 9.5% of his or her salary, on a pre-tax basis for a period of time as specified in his or her labor contract, or Personnel Rules as appropriate. Members hired prior to 2013 may have a different contribution percentage.

Miscellaneous:

• Deferred Compensation plans available through specified companies with employer match up to 3%
• IRC Section 125 plan available for pre-tax payroll deductions for contributions towards un-reimbursed medical expenses and dependent care.
• Optional additional insurance products are available through Aflac.
• Longevity Pay eligibility review with at least ten years of continuous service with Shasta County. Payment of total dues for the California Bar Association if bar membership is a requirement of the position.
• Employee Assistance Program through ACI Specialty Benefits.
• Golden State Finance Authority – Down payment Assistance
• ScholarShare 529 – College Savings Plan
  

SHASTA COUNTY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Any information on this page or links is subject to change without notice.

Shasta County Personnel
1450 Court Street, Room 348
Redding, CA 96001-1676
(530) 225-5515

Comments, please email: schr@shastacounty.gov

Questions:

Required Question

Employer: County of Shasta
Address: 1450 Court Street, Suite 348 Redding, California, 96001
Phone: (530) 225-5515
Website: https://www.shastacounty.gov/personnel