911 Telecommunicator

City of Springfield; Springfield (AL); On-site; USD 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid health insurance

Pension retirement

10-hour shifts

Job summary

City of Springfield is seeking dedicated 911 Telecommunicators to join our Emergency Communications team. You will serve as the calm voice for citizens and first responders, receive 911 calls, determine actions, and dispatch responders across multiple jurisdictions.

The role includes 10-hour shifts, extensive training (720-1,000 hours in year one), and competitive pay starting at $22.21/hour with $1.00 and $1.50 shift differentials for 2nd and 3rd shifts.

Qualifications

• Requires experience in high-volume customer service or call center.
• Possession of 30 semester hours from an accredited college/university.
• One year of experience in emergency communications/dispatch.
• Must obtain and maintain MULES certification.

Responsibilities

• Serve citizens and first responders on the front lines of emergency response.
• Receive and process 911 calls for Police, Fire, and EMS.
• Determine the appropriate call types and course of action.
• Enter information into computer and operate dispatch equipment for multiple jurisdictions.

Skills

Calm under pressure

Multi-tasking

Public safety dispatch

Customer service

Education

30 semester hours

Tools

CritiCall testing

Job description

Posting number: 081426

Department: Emergency Communications

Job classification: 911 Telecommunicator

Posting type: Open

Categories: Clerical & Data Entry, Telecommunications, Fire & EMS, Customer Service, EMS, 911 Telecommunications, Emergency Management, Criminology, Communications

Summary

Interviews are scheduled to take place the week of September 14th and the slated start date for this cohort will be October 19, 2026. If this plan does not work for your schedule but are interested in the position, keep an eye out for other postings in 2027!

Are you cool under pressure? Do you have a passion for helping others when they need it the most? If so, a career as a 911 Telecommunicator could be perfect for you!

Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications is looking for dedicated individuals to join our team as 911 Telecommunicators. Join our team and make a real difference in your community every day. As the first point of contact in emergencies, you’ll be the calm voice providing life‑saving guidance and dispatching emergency responders to the scene.

NEW! pay improvements starting rate of pay for new hires is $22.21/hour, and increases to $23.32/hour after successful completion of 1-year training program.

Earn $1.00/hour - 2nd Shift Differential and $1.50/hour - 3rd Shift Differential pay.

Candidates with directly related 911 Dispatch experience may be eligible for an additional step in pay.

The Springfield-Greene County 911 Emergency Communications Department is seeking to hire energetic multi-taskers 911 Telecommunicators to join our team! If you are looking for an organization that values your efforts and invests in your abilities, you are encouraged to apply to join our team of motivated professionals!

What you will do:

• Serve the citizens and first responders of Springfield and Greene County on the front lines of emergency response.
• Receive and process 911 calls, including both emergency and non-emergency calls for Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
• Determine the appropriate call types and course of action based on the nature of the calls.
• Receive incident reports, including emergency calls through 911, while you simultaneously enter information into the computer, and operate public safety dispatching equipment for multiple jurisdictions and agencies.

What you need:

• Capability to embrace high-stress scenarios and recognize the importance of our unique opportunity to provide calm, compassionate assistance to citizens in times of extreme need.
• Ability to handle any potential scenario with the same degree of compassionate efficiency, regardless of incident.

What you will love:

• Teamwork: You will work in a collaborative team environment supporting many different public safety agencies, law enforcement, fire and emergency response personnel.
• Training: Our training program includes both academic and practical components consisting of 720 - 1,000 hours of initial training in the first year.
• Environment: The Public Safety Center, established in 2012, is a state of the art facility which provides our employees with cutting edge technology and comfort.
• Benefits: You will receive generous paid leave, paid health insurance, paid pension retirement, and more!

Our employees also enjoy a unique 10-hour shift schedule

Our team is committed to efficiently and compassionately answering the public's 911 calls for emergency service response.

Examples of duties

Experience, Education, and Training

• Requires at least two years of experience in a customer-oriented atmosphere or in a high-volume customer call center;

OR

• Possession of 30 semester hours from an accredited college/university;

OR

• One year of experience in emergency communications/dispatch work;

Licensing/Certification

• Must be able to obtain and maintain certification for Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System (MULES).
• Must possess a valid driver's license.

Qualifications

Supplemental information

• Schedule: Ten hour shifts, four days per work week, with varying shift start times throughout the 24-hour period. During training, employees may be required to work any shift to complete the tasks required to complete the training process. Due to the flexible nature of the trainee's schedule during the first year, outside secondary employment or students actively enrolled in a seated class will not be approved while the candidate is in the training process. Online students will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. After completing the training process, employees will be assigned shifts according to a yearly shift bid process by seniority and staffing needs of the department.
• Testing information: The testing and selection procedure includes the following elements: a typing test, skills testing, information session, oral interview, observation, comprehensive background investigation as well as post-offer pre-employment hearing exam and pre-employment drug screen. Applicants must pass every phase of the testing selection process in order to be considered eligible for hire.
• Skills testing: This phase of the testing process will take approximately 2-3 hours. The City of Springfield uses CritiCall, a Public Safety Dispatcher/Calltaker Pre-employment Selection Test. The testing will include several phases and assesses the following skills: Typing Speed, Data Entry, Call Summarization, Character Comparison, Memory-Recall, Map Reading, Sentence Clarity, and Reading Comprehension.

Criticall Test Resources:

These links are not created or maintained by Springfield-Greene County 911. They are helpful CritiCall test resources for applicants to practice data entry.

Website: http://criticall911.com/dispatcher-testing/applicants/

Practice Test: https://thepracticetest.com/data-entry/criticall-911-dispatch-test/

Please note:

Most communication that will occur during this process will be via email. For questions or concerns, contact HR at 417-864-1607.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability and Vet

The City of Springfield promotes equal employment opportunities to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or other legally protected status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment.

Individuals with disabilities who believe they will need an accommodation to undergo any part of the interview, examination, or pre-employment process, should request a reasonable accommodation in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act prior to the testing or appointment. Requests should be requested by contacting City of Springfield Human Resources by phone, 417-864-1607, or in person at the Municipal Busch Building, 840 Boonville Ave. Springfield, MO 65802.

Proof of United States Citizenship/Authorization to Work in the United States as established by the Immigration Reform Act of 1986 is a condition of employment. We are committed to a drug-free workplace. Pre-employment drug testing is required.