Communications Installer

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov .

About the Department

The City of San José is one of the nation's best-managed cities and one of the top ten cities in which to live, work, and do business. The employees of the City have embraced the following values: Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect, and Celebration. The City's Public Works Department (PWD) is seeking an individual whose values align with the values of the City's employees.

The Department of Public Works is responsible for delivering capital improvement projects for a wide variety of City facilities and infrastructure, maintaining City facilities and fleet assets, facilitating, and regulating development activities, and providing animal care and services. The Department is committed to high-quality service, partnering with the community, and providing an excellent environment in which to work.

Position Duties

The Department of Public Works is currently seeking to fill one (1) full-time, Communication Installer vacancy.

Salary range for this classification is: $86,508.24- $105,115.92

This range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

Under general supervision of the Buildup Equipment Maintenance Supervisor, the Communications Installer performs duties related to the installation, fabrication, and servicing of automotive electrical systems and devices. This role places special emphasis on emergency lighting and communication systems across a wide range of vehicles, including police vehicles and motorcycles, fire apparatus, and other municipal fleet vehicles.

Installations must meet or exceed OEM manufacturer quality standards and follow industry best practices. This includes proper wire sizing based and circuit protection on electrical loads, strategic equipment placement with an emphasis on serviceability, correct wire routing, effective power distribution, appropriate antenna placement, and proper grounding and power return.

The Communications Installer is also responsible for installing intercom systems, emergency and warning lighting, vehicle electronics, computer equipment and terminals, antennas, and custom non-standard equipment. They must be able to integrate after market components into OEM systems. These systems are commonly utilized in emergency response vehicles and other specialized municipal equipment.

This position requires the following knowledge and abilities in order to be successful in the position:

• Knowledge and ability to install and diagnose the systems and equipment utilized by the City’s Fleet including sirens, light bars, accessory lighting, FLIR devices, Tracking systems, timers, and the knowledge to interface with those systems when necessary.
• Disassembly and reassembly of vehicles interior panels with emphasis on not damaging the components.
• Ability to follow verbal/written direction, read/ interpret schematics, schematic symbols, and wire diagrams.
• Ability to accurately document all non-standard installations, complete necessary paperwork, installation forms, and data entry in a timely manner.
• Ability to work effectively and communicate with internal and external stake holders on interconnection and installation. May be required to diagnose issues when necessary.
• Ability to work in a team environment on large projects working within established labor standards to meet project completion goals.
• Data entry and labor hour tracking within in a fleet database

The Communication Installer maybe required to work on weekends and/or holidays when necessary.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent (General Educational Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate)

Experience

One (1) year of experience in electronics, electrical or mechanical work, or related duties.

Licenses/Certifications

Possession of a valid driver's license authorizing the operation of a motor vehicle in the State of California.

Background Investigation Process: Eligible candidates will complete a Class C Background packet. Upon successful completion and review of the background investigation, the hiring board will make their employment selections. Those selected will move forward in the hiring process.

Physical Requirement

The nature of this position requires the ability to bend, kneel, crawl, and reach within the confined spaces of various makes and models of vehicles. The position also requires sitting, standing, reaching, pushing, pulling, carrying, and lifting a minimum of 50 pounds from ground level.

Other Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for this position include:

Communication Skills- Communicates and listens effectively and responds in an timely, effective, positive and respectful manner; written reports and correspondence are accurate, complete, current; well-organized, legible, concise, neat, and in proper grammatical form responds to statements and comments of others in a way that reflects understanding of the content and the accompanying emotion; asks clarifying questions to assure understanding of what the speaker intended, ensures consistent communication takes place within area of responsibility.

Computer Skills- Experience with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, and MS Excel

Flexibility- Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes, performance expectations, organizational culture, or work environment.

Job Expertise-Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.

Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills- Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills. Ability and willingness to learn and follow City established procedures and directions from tenured Communications Installers.

Technology Use- Uses efficient and cost-effective approaches to integrate technology into the workplace and improve program effectiveness.

Selection Process

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews, one of which will include a practical exercise.

The practical exercise will be tentatively held on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Maritza Garcia at maritza.garcia@sanjoseca.gov.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: 4/10/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• City of San Jose

• 408-535-1285

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