Medical Assistant III

County of Ventura; Ventura (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Educational Incentive

Bilingual Incentive

Pension Plan

Health Plans

Holidays

Job summary

County of Ventura seeks a Medical Assistant III to provide clinical support in Ambulatory Care settings. Under direct supervision, the MA III performs a range of patient-care duties, including immunizations, POCT, venipuncture, and practice setup.

The role requires bilingual English/Spanish communication and strong EHR skills. Education includes a Medical Assistant Certificate; experience in primary care or urgent care is preferred.

Qualifications

• Must be bilingual in English and Spanish.
• Medical Assistant Certificate from an accredited program.
• Five years of clinical support experience in primary, urgent, or specialty care preferred.
• Experience using Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical support across multiple specialties (Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Urgent Care, etc.).
• Administer vaccines to adults and children following current guidelines.
• Perform venipuncture, injections, and POCT.
• Coordinate referrals and assist with patient care documentation in the EMR.
• Assist with patient intake, vital signs, and exam room preparation.

Skills

Bilingual English/Spanish

EHR proficiency

Vaccinations administration

POCT (point-of-care testing)

Venipuncture & injections

Patient care support

Education

Medical Assistant Certificate

Tools

Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems

Job description

THE DEPARTMENT:

Ambulatory Care is a system of primary care and specialty care medical clinics conveniently located throughout the County of Ventura. These clinics provide care on an outpatient basis at all levels. Our dedicated team of healthcare professionals offer a range of services tailored to meet the specific needs of our community members experiencing homelessness- from basic medical care and preventative screenings to mental health support, addiction services, social services, shelter, and basic needs. Through partnerships with local agencies, we aim to provide medical treatment and support in navigating the complex challenge of homelessness. We foster a safe and welcoming environment where every patient feels valued, respected, and is treated with dignity and compassion.

The Position

Under direct supervision of a Physician or Advance Practice Provider, the Medical Assistant III performs a variety of clinical support functions and patient care duties.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a Certified Medical Assistant with proven experience in primary care, urgent care, and a variety of specialty settings. They will have strong proficiency with EHR systems and demonstrate expertise in administering vaccines for both adults and pediatric patients, ensuring adherence to the most current immunization guidelines. The candidate will be skilled in performing point-of-care testing (POCT), assisting with procedure set-up, and managing referrals efficiently.

Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish is required, as is the ability to communicate effectively with diverse patient populations. The ideal candidate must also be flexible and committed, with availability to work holidays, evenings, and Saturdays as needed to support patient care.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This classification differs from the Medical Office Assistant classification series in that the primary responsibilities are clinically oriented rather than clerical.

What We Offer

The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. Aside from our base salary range, an employee in this position may also be eligible for the following:

• Educational Incentive -Some positions may be eligible for educational incentive. This incentive may be 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% for incumbents in eligible positions based on completion of an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree that is not required for the classification.
• Bilingual Incentive -Some positions may be eligible for bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department. In order to qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency exam with a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher. Proficiency levels by exam are $0.69/hour (Level I), $1.00/hour (Level II), or $1.32/hour (Level III).
• Merit Increases -New employees serving their initial County service probationary period are eligible for an initial 5% merit increase upon completion of at least 1,040 hours (approximately six months) assuming work meets satisfactory standards. Subsequent merit increases will be upon completion of each additional 2,080 hours (approximately one year) from the initial merit increase.
• Deferred Compensation -Eligible to participate in the County's 401(K) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. If you participate in the County sponsored 401(K) plan, the County will match a part of your contribution up to 3% of your salary, on a per pay period basis.
• Health Plans -You are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical plan under the County’s Flexible Benefits Program. County now pays 100% of dental and vision premiums.
• Flexible Spending Accounts -Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
• Pension Plan -Participate in the County's defined benefit pension plan that provides lifetime payments to retirees. Members are "vested" after attaining five years of retirement service credit. If eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems such as CalPERS.
• Holidays - 13 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Additional Benefits -Tuition Reimbursement, Disability Plans, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Wellness Program.
• To learn more about the benefits, please follow the link below:

https://vcportal.venturacounty.gov/CEO/HR/MOA/docs/SEIU_MOA_2025-2029.pdf

AGENCY/DEPARTMENT:

Health Care Agency – Ambulatory Care

Medical Assistant III is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and is eligible for overtime.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed term), vacancies. There is currently one (1) Regular, full-time vacancy.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

OPENING DATE:

9/21/2026

CLOSING DATE:

9/28/2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Examples Of Duties

• Actively participates in patient care team activities, including pre-visit planning, identifying gaps in care, health maintenance needs, and team huddles, and schedule management procedures to support patient access and productivity goals; may lead care team huddles;
• Delivers quality customer service to patients and customers;
• Uses a minimum of two patient identifiers throughout the patient care process and monitors clinical areas to minimize patient wait time and to address any potential acute situation;
• Provides age-appropriate care to patients served (infants, pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics), including performing intake, conducting developmental/behavioral health screenings, obtaining vitals/patient measurements, such as height weight, blood pressure, temperature, head circumference, body length, pulse, and oxygen saturation; and preparing patient and exam room for exam, treatment, and/or procedures and serves as chaperone as needed;
• Under the direction of a physician or advanced practice provider, administers medication orally, sublingually, topically, vaginally or rectally, or by intramuscular, subcutaneous and intradermal injection. A physician, advanced practice provider, or registered nurse must verify medication and dosage before being administered;
• Collects, prepares, and processes specimens, including blood, urine, stool, sputum, cultures and pap smears; performs non-invasive and routine clinical procedures, such as venipuncture, finger sticks, electrocardiogram, hearing and vision tests (Snellen and Ishihara), nasal smears, and throat swab, dipstick urinalysis, midstream clean catch, sterile urine dip and spin, and dressing changes;
• Performs CLIA waived laboratory tests. Follows manufacturer instructions and ensures quality controls have been performed as required;
• Enters appropriate documentation in the electronic medical record; maintains and adheres to HIPAA;
• Coordinates patient care by following up on orders, including referrals to ancillary and specialty services; finalizes visit by providing information on orders, referrals and schedules follow-up visit(s);
• Educates and communicates with patients regarding disease prevention, health maintenance, self-management, community resources, and physician instructions;
• Maintains clean and safe patient areas. Demonstrates adherence to and observes all safety policies and procedures, inclusive of infection control rules and regulations; reports patient safety incidents to supervisor and via the patient safety reporting software;
• Reports incidents of domestic violence when appropriate, using child and dependent abuse protocols;
• Administers first aid or performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an emergency;
• Performs duties within the scope of medical assistants under California’s Code of Regulations;
• Performs clerical and administrative support duties, including answering and routing telephone calls and portal messages to ensure patient needs are addressed, scheduling appointments as needed, completing assigned tasks, setting up and stocking clinic, cleaning up supplies, and back-up for front office as required;
• Attends meetings and trainings as required;
• Provides clinical support duties in multiple specialties, such as Women’s Health, Pediatrics, Urgent Care, etc.;
• If certified, may act as an interpreter, using proper and formal grammar, when necessary between patient and provider;
• Provides training to various staff on workflows and duties;
• Provides oversight of assigned clinical work area;
• Coordinates clinical support staff coverage with management staff;
• May assist in interviewing and onboarding clinical support staff;
• Implements workflows that support quality improvement efforts; and
• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and ensure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, And EXPERIENCE

• Medical Assistant Certificate from an accredited school in medical assisting (such as is offered by a private or non-profit vocational training program, adult education or community college program, etc.).
• Five (5) years of experience providing clinical support in primary care, specialty care, or urgent care performing the duties described above, that leads to the ability to perform required tasks preferred, including experience in multiple specialties.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be bilingual (English/Spanish)
• Must possess and maintain a current, valid Basic Life Support (BLS/CPR) certification at time of hire
• Experience using Electronic Health Record (EHR)
• Skills performing venipuncture and injections
• Skills administering vaccines to adult and pediatric patients using current vaccine protocols
• Experience in performing point-of-care testing (POCT) and familiarity with procedures set-up and referral
• Availability to work Holidays, evenings, and Saturdays

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, And ABILITIES

Working knowledge of:

• age-appropriate care;
• domestic violence mandatory reporting;
• cultural competence;
• clinic duties; and
• standard physical screening.

General Knowledge Of

• medical office and safety procedures

Ability To

• work with a high volume of patients and internal/external customers
• appropriately manage frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events
• effectively communicate with patients, other employees, and the public
• lead, assign, and review staff work effectively;
• communicate fluently in English and Spanish;
• use electronic health record (EHR) systems;
• perform venipuncture and injections;
• administer vaccines to adult/pediatric patients using correct vaccine protocols; and
• perform point-of-care testing (POCT) and follow established procedures for test set-up and referral.

Supplemental Information

Work is performed in an indoor health care delivery environment requiring constant contact with patients and the public. At times, work may be performed at community events or outdoors.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE:

Applications must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, CA no later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 28, 2026.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – qualifying:

All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION – qualifying:

All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

Training & Experience Evaluation

A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

NOTE:

The selection process may consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence.

ORAL EXAM – 100%:

A job-related oral exam may be conducted to evaluate and compare participating applicants' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

Note: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an oral exam will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

Applicants successfully completing the exam process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION:

A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Vivian Merida at [e-mail] or by telephone at [phone].

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to 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.