PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST at County of Los Angeles | USA | $87K/yr – $117K/yr

County of Los Angeles

PUBLIC INFORMATION SPECIALIST

USA

$87K/yr – $117K/yrFull time

Posted 4 weeks ago

Top 1% of applicants do these two things.

The other 99% submit and hope. You're about to do something different.

Job Description

EXAM NUMBER

C1608B

FILING PERIOD

We will be accepting online applications from Monday, July 6, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. (PT) until, Wednesday, July 15, 2026, 5:00 p.m. (PT). All applications must be received before 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to be accepted.

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

We welcome applications from anyone.

Why work for us?

With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County has the largest population of any county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California, with more than 39 diverse departments and over 2,100 different job descriptions, the County offers a lifetime of opportunities and careers. We are Los Angeles County Public Works, the largest municipal Public Works agency in the nation. With more than 4,000 employees, Public Works offers over 500 different types of career opportunities that promote professional and personal growth as well as a rewarding and exciting work environment!
For more information about the outstanding benefits offered by Los Angeles County, please visit us here: https://hr.lacounty.gov/benefits/.
If you have questions about working for LA County, including current open recruitments, tips on crafting a resume or acing an interview, career planning, or any other general information, please visit our website at: https://hr.lacounty.gov/.

OUT-OF-CLASS EXPERIENCE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS EXAMINATION. REQUIRED EXPERIENCE MUST BE FULLY MET BY THE LAST DAY OF FILING, AND CLEARLY INDICATED ON THE APPLICATION.

Essential Job Functions

Develops publications by researching and synthesizing information; preparing and editing documents.
Develops digital media content by researching and reviewing new and emerging media.
Coordinates digital media content by maintaining contact lists for various media outlets.
Develops public information and engagement programs by coordinating public information-related special projects, research, events, and programs.
Maintains regular contact with media representatives and outlets by receiving and responding to public information inquiries, general complaints, and recommendations from media and the public relative to departmental programs and activities.
Represents the department by establishing and maintaining relationships with communication staff at other public and private agencies, community partners and groups, departmental managers, and media outlets.
Performs specialized work by completing the tasks that cannot be delegated to subordinate staff members in accordance with departmental policy and/or practices.
Supervises assigned employees by providing guidance and direction.

For more information, please view the classification specification: Public Information Specialist.

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY:
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Communications, Journalism, Public Administration, Public Relations, English or a closely related field -AND-
OPTION I: Three years of experience at the level of Los Angeles County's class of Public Information Associate assisting in the development, maintenance, evaluation, implementation, and coordination of a public information program.
OR
OPTION II: Three years of professional experience as a journalist within a media organization.
One additional year of the required experience will be accepted for each year of college.

LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
PHYSICAL CLASS:
Physical Class 2 - Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT INFORMATION:

To receive credit for your education, include a legible copy of all relevant official documents, including your diploma, transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution or email it to PWExams@pw.lacounty.gov within five (5) days from the end of the filing period. The document should show the date the degree was conferred and be in English. If not in English, then translation is required. International degrees must be evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards if not listed in the International Handbook of Universities or World Higher Education Database. Documents marked as unofficial will not be accepted.

For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/070812_PPG123.pdf (Download PDF reader)

We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.
Examples of closely related degrees include: Public Policy, Political Science, Government, Marketing, Media Studies, and Multimedia.
Experience at the level of a Public Information Associate in the service of County of Los Angeles is defined as: Assists in the initiation, planning, development, maintenance, evaluation, implementation and coordination of a public information and engagement program for an organization. For a fuller description of work performed refer to County of Los Angeles Class Specifications for Public Information Associate.
You may still qualify even if your job title is not exactly the same as the ones listed. What matters is that your experience is at a similar level — meaning your job involves similar responsibilities, requires comparable skills and knowledge, and takes place within a similar organizational structure. Please provide a clear explanation of your experience to demonstrate that it is at the appropriate level.
Professional experience is defined as: Work experience that exercises specialized knowledge, skills, judgment, and responsibility as a journalist, gained through performing the essential duties in a professional role.

Additional Information

Once we have identified that you meet the requirements, an invitation regarding the following assessment processes will be sent:

EXAMINATION CONTENT:

This examination consists of two (2) parts:

PART I: A multiple choice and/or simulation assessment(s), weighted at 65%, assessing:

Management Potential
Working to High-Quality Standards
Responsibility
Achievement
Willingness to Learn
Accepting Others
Showing Courtesy
Working Relationships
Analyzing Information
Learning Quickly
Compliance With Rules and Regulations
Adapting to Change
Controlling Emotions
Working Energetically
Deductive Reasoning
Reading Comprehension

MULTIPLE CHOICE AND/OR SIMULATION ASSESSMENT(S) ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

PART II: An Evaluation of Training and Experience, weighted at 35%, assessing competencies gained in the following areas:

Experience performing public information and engagement program responsibilities
Experience delivering presentations
Experience with online public information and communication software applications
Experience preparing public information and engagement program documents

APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AND ACHIEVE 70% OR HIGHER ON THE COMBINED SCORE OF PARTS I AND II IN ORDER TO BE PLACED ON THE ELIGIBLE LIST.

TESTING ACCOMMODATION:
If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the opportunity to make a request when completing your application. Please note, you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.

TRANSFER OF TEST COMPONENTS:

If you have taken identical components recently for other exams, your responses may be automatically transferred to this examination. This exam contains test components that might be used on future exams, and your responses could be transferred to that exam.

SCORES CANNOT BE GIVEN OVER THE TELEPHONE.

TEST PREPARATION:

We provide study guides and other test preparation resources to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides may help in preparing for the test, we recommend reviewing all related materials that seem necessary.

Various information can be found on our website at https://hr.lacounty.gov/job-search-toolkit/. The section dedicated to test preparation is "Employment Test Assistance."
Online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en-us/practice-tests.

ELIGIBILITY AND VACANCY INFORMATION:
Applicants who passed the assessment(s) are placed on a list for a period of 12 months. We will use the list to fill vacancies in Public Works as they occur.

APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION:

We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.
Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.
We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.
We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.
jwoods@pw.lacounty.gov
PWExams@pw.lacounty.gov
klent@hr.lacounty.gov
info@governmentjobs.com
talentcentral@shl.com
noreply@proctoru.com
donot-reply@amcatmail.com
New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at any time by logging in to governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES: For candidates who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, applications can be completed on computers at public libraries throughout Los Angeles County.

NO SHARING USER ID, EMAIL AND PASSWORD: All applicants must file their application using their own user ID and password. Using a family member or friend’s user ID and password may erase a candidate’s original application record.

ANTI-RACISM, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION (ARDI): The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. We are committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Department Contact Name: Jaro Woods
Department Contact Phone: (626) 458-2141
Department Contact Email: PWExams@pw.lacounty.gov
ADA Coordinator Phone: (626) 458-2141
Teletype Phone: (626) 282-7829
California Relay Services: (800) 735-2922

COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES

Employment Information

Any language contained in the job posting supersedes any language contained below.

This document is intended to provide general information about the recruitment process of the County of Los Angeles. Applicants with questions about a specific job posting should contact the exam analyst listed on the posting.
Equal Employment Opportunity/Non-Discrimination Statement:
The County of Los Angeles is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to non-discrimination in the County workforce, regardless of age (40 and over); ancestry; color; ethnicity; religious creed; protected family or medical leave status; disability; marital status; medical condition; genetic information; military and veteran status; national origin; race ; sex; gender; sexual orientation; or any other characteristic protected by State or federal law. For more information, please visit: https://employee.hr.lacounty.gov/eeo-programs/.

Testing Accommodations for Applicants:
The County of Los Angeles complies with all federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application process, please contact the testing accommodation coordinator listed on the job posting. Hearing impaired applicants with telephone teletype equipment may leave messages by calling the teletype phone number on the job posting. For more information on accommodations, please visit: https://hr.lacounty.gov/accessibility/.

Fair Chance:
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except as otherwise permissible under applicable laws, you will not be asked to provide information about conviction history unless you receive a conditional offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct and adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and will also consider potential mitigating factors, which may include, but is not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with County Fair Chance Policies and the Fair Chance Act (Gov. Code Section 12952).

Employment Eligibility:
Final appointment is contingent upon verification of U.S. citizenship or the right to work in the United States.

Career PathFinder:
Resources to help current and prospective employees plan a career with Los Angeles County are available. To explore career paths to and from nearly all job titles, please visit our interactive Career PathFinder application at http://career-pathfinder.hr.lacounty.gov.

Veteran’s Credit:
Pursuant to the County Charter and County policy, in all open competitive examinations (i.e., examinations open to everyone), the County of Los Angeles will add a credit of 10 percent of the total credits specified for such examination to the final passing score of an honorably discharged veteran, as well as the spouse of a deceased or disabled veteran, who served in the Armed Forces of the United States under specific conditions.
For more information on veteran’s credit, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205102_PPG_115.pdf (Download PDF reader)

Revised September 2025