Career Opportunity

Bilingual (English-Chinese) Public Service Clerk – San Francisco Department of Elections (1404 Clerk)

Recruitment: REF60002F

Published: January 30, 2026

Accepting applications until: February 12, 2026

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

Department Background

The mission of the Department of Elections (Department) is to provide equitable access to voting and election-related services and to conduct free, fair, and functional elections for the City and County of San Francisco. Department staff work year-round to ensure that every eligible San Franciscan has easy access to safe, barrier-free registration and voting options. The Department also works continuously to improve its elections programs with the goal of making them ever more efficient and responsive to the needs of San Francisco voters.

The Department strives to cultivate a workplace environment in which employees of all racial and ethnic backgrounds feel respected, valued, and supported in providing the fairest and most effective services possible to San Francisco residents. The Department is committed to maintaining an inclusive workplace and to providing the training and resources necessary for all employees to succeed in delivering equitable services to city residents.

The Department is committed to reaching job seekers of all backgrounds. Everyone, including job seekers from underrepresented communities, is strongly encouraged to apply.

Role description

Position Description

In preparation for the June 2, 2026, Statewide Direct Primary Election, the Department is seeking applications for one seasonal 1404 Bilingual (English-Chinese) Public Service Clerk to assist with providing election information to candidates, campaigns, voters, and the general public in person, over the phone, and by email. When performing these duties, this position will use the Department’s voter registration database, online tools, website, and other resources to provide information. This position involves working directly with the public. This position will also be assisting in Outreach activities which may occur off-site.

In addition to the range of duties assigned to the 1404 job code, https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/?classCode=1404&setId=COMMN, this position will have the following essential duties and responsibilities:

1. Providing election information in English and in Chinese, in a courteous and professional manner that is free of personal opinion, to customers visiting the Department’s office in City Hall, Room 48, through e-mail, and over the phone, while using several applications simultaneously.
2. Assisting customers in English and in Chinese with navigating the Department’s website and online tools and filing paperwork.
3. Reviewing and assessing candidate and ballot measure filing paperwork for completion and accuracy.
4. Responding to campaign and voter inquiries and/or redirecting inquiries to the appropriate personnel when needed. 
5. Informing voters of their options to participate in the upcoming election and any relevant legal requirements.
6. Facilitating observation tours.
7. Assisting with various clerical tasks such as filing and scanning. 
8. Driving to and conducting presentations and resource tables at community events throughout San Francisco.
9. Assisting in the Election Center on Election Day as needed.
10. Assisting with post-election tasks as needed.

Position Schedule, Requirements, and Work Location

This is a seasonal with a start date of March 5, 2026, and end date of approximately June 5, 2026; actual start and end dates depend on the Department’s operational needs. This position requires sitting and standing for prolonged periods, being able to multitask between a phone and a computer, lifting and moving up to 25 pounds, driving a city vehicle as needed, and going out on the field for outreach activities. This position requires bilingual skills in English and Chinese.

Additional Requirement: These positions require a valid California driver’s license and a clean DMV record. Successful candidates will be required to show their valid CA driver’s license and provide a copy of their latest DMV record before an offer can be made.

Work will primarily be on site at the Department of Elections Office at City Hall, San Francisco, California. Driving and field work may be required as needed. Work hours will vary in accordance with the demands of the election cycle and will range between 20 and 40 hours per week. Although most work is expected to be completed during normal workday hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday, employees must be available to work overtime both during the week and weekends as necessary. Overtime hours will be paid at 1.5 the hourly rate.

This is a temporary exempt as-needed position. Temporary exempt as-needed employees who have worked more than 1040 hours in any consecutive 12-month period, and whose normal work week at the time of inclusion in the system is not less than 20 hours are eligible for health coverage and retirement benefits. For more information on the City and County of San Francisco benefit policies, refer to the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/benefits/.

Position Salary: $31.5375 to $38.3375 hourly

$65,598 to $79,742 annually

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications:

One (1) year of clerical experience including preparing and maintaining a variety of records and/or documents, filing, use of office equipment, public contact and processing of incoming and outgoing mail.

Substitution:  Completion of an approved City and County of San Francisco Clerical Administrative Training program, or completion of a clerical training program (240 hours), or 15 semester units (or equivalent quarter units) of coursework from an accredited college or university may substitute for up to 6 months of required experience.
Desired Qualifications:

• A demonstrated strong work ethic and high level of integrity

• Experience providing excellent customer service
• Experience accurately entering data and using computer software
• Flexibility and tolerance for occasional long hours
• Ability to maintain enthusiasm, patience, and a positive demeanor

To be considered for this position, applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. February 12, 2026.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Elections Hiring Team at elections.careers@sfgov.org.

What else should I know?

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Carol Isen - Human Resources Director

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.