Child Support Specialist I / II (MSS)

Salary : $1,682.20 - $2,162.35 Biweekly

Location : Crescent City

Job Type : Full-Time

Job Number : MSS05589

Department : Del Norte County Department of Child Support Services

Opening Date : 10 / 29 / 2025

Closing Date : 11 / 12 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific

Position Information

Performs a wide variety of child support duties consisting of maintaining a caseload, locating and interviewing custodial and non-custodial parents and others to elicit factual information for the purpose of establishing child support obligations and enforcing child support laws; arranges for support payments when possible; prepares cases for court hearings as necessary; and performs related work as required.

Working under close supervision, Child Support Specialist I is the entry / trainee level in the Child Support Specialist series. Employees in this class receive in-service training, and are given detailed instructions in the performance of duties related to child support laws, regulations, and a broad range of child support casework activities. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, greater independence and the full scope of responsibility are exercised. Employees are expected to promote to Child Support Specialist II after one year of satisfactory performance at the entry / trainee level.

Working under general supervision, Child Support Specialist II is the journey level in the Child Support Specialist series. Employees at this level are expected to perform a broad range of child support casework from intake to establishment, enforcement, and case closure. Within legal requirements and departmental policies and procedures, incumbents operate with considerable independence and must exercise discretion and judgment in evaluating cases and determining the level of support and the methods of enforcement. Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the lower level of Child Support Specialist I, or if filled from the outside, require prior related experience.

Child Support Specialist II differs from the higher class of Child Support Specialist III in that the latter is the advanced journey level, and incumbents act as lead worker or exercise detailed subject knowledge of a specific program area or specialized department system.

Examples of Duties

Duties for the Child Support Specialist I may include, but are not limited to the following :

• Manages a general caseload consisting of child support legal actions and the establishment, enforcement and collection of child support payment obligations based on established guidelines.
• Coordinates appointments for personal interviews with custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys.
• Develops and analyzes information for the establishment of paternity.
• Uses a variety of methods, systems and procedures for locating information on custodial and non-custodial parents' assets, income, and liabilities.
• Evaluates income and expense data of custodial and non-custodial parents to determine and recommend child support payment obligations based on established guidelines.
• Responds to general inquiries and explains general child support laws, court orders, rules, regulations, and policies to public and staff.
• Participates in interviews to secure support agreements and to persuade responsible parties to make payments without recourse to legal action.
• Prepares and processes legal documents necessary for the establishment, collection, and enforcement of child support obligations.
• Documents and updates customer information, contact information, case actions / history logs, and records using a state-wide automated system.
• Provides case status information, explains the complaint resolution process, and answers case specific questions for all involved parties ensuring the verbiage used cannot be interpreted as legal advice.
• Applies federal, state, and local codes, procedures, and rules in establishing and processing child support cases.
• Coordinates and / or conducts genetic tests when needed.
• 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 :

Skill / Ability to :

Minimum Qualifications

Child Support Specialist I

OR

OR

OR

Completion of 60 semester or 90 quarter units of college.

Qualifying experience or education may be combined in order to meet the above requirements. When combining education and experience; fifteen (15) semester units or twenty-two (22) quarter units equals six months of experience.

Child Support Specialist II

One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties of a Child Support Specialist I in a state or local government agency.

Supplemental Information

Examination Information

Training & 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 Del Norte. 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 Testing 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 or 916-909-3701 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.

Additional Information

About Del Norte County

Del Norte County, where the redwoods meet the sea, is located in the northwest corner of California along the Pacific Ocean and adjacent to the Oregon border. The substantially rural county is notable for forests containing coast redwoods, some over 350 feet tall. These redwoods are the tallest living things on Earth, dating back over 2,000 years. Notably, the County is located in one of the few rain forests in the temperate region. The County is home to a multitude of unique plants and flowers, coastal bird and fish species, rocky primitive beaches and sea stacks, pristine rivers, and historic lighthouses. Del Norte County is home to several fun rivers and ocean activities, a variety of food festivals, including local seafood, a sanctioned BBQ cook-off, raft races on the beautiful and wild Smith River, and the very popular ocean stand-up paddleboard race. There are numerous hiking trails located within the national and state parks, as well as sponsored park events throughout the year. Star Wars enthusiasts will also recognize the County as being the location of some of the forest scenes used in Return of the Jedi.

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.