Telecommunicator I

City of Champaign; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 66,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Champaign, in partnership with METCAD 9-1-1, is hiring a Telecommunicator I to answer calls and dispatch police, fire and EMS for Champaign County. This full-time, on-site role requires handling high-stress situations with calm communication across radio, phone and computer systems on a rotating 12-hour shift.

The position offers overtime opportunities and requires certifications such as LEADS, EMD and NIMS during training; starting salary is $73,051 per year with a competitive

Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older by date of hire.
• U.S. Citizen, or legally authorized to work in the United States (I-9).
• High School diploma, or equivalent, by date of hire.
• Ability to work assigned shifts and overtime, including weekends, holidays, and nights.
• Ability to acquire mandated certifications (LEADS, EMD, NIMS) during training.

Responsibilities

• Answers emergency and non-emergency phone calls and provides routine and emergency dispatch for local police, fire and ambulance services.
• Responds to information received via radio, telephone, and computer in a dynamic environment.
• Maintains calm, accurate situational awareness and communication during high-pressure situations.

Skills

Calm under pressure

Shift work

Education

High School diploma or equivalent

Tools

LEADS

EMD

NIMS

Job description

Hourly Salary Range: $29.8905 - $36.3961

Starting Salary: $29.8905 per hour or $73,051 per year.

Schedule: 12-hour shift scheduled with shift changes at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Schedule includes scheduled overtime hours with 60 hours one week and 24 hours the following week with alternating weekends off. Schedule details will be provided at the mandatory information session noted below.

METCAD 9-1-1 is opening an active recruitment for the position of Telecommunicator I(Emergency Dispatcher) at METCAD 9-1-1. This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to provide critical and often lifesaving community service to the residents and visitors of Champaign County. The position of Telecommunicator requires the special ability to work in an agile, constantly evolving, high-stress environment while providing calm and caring response to calls for assistance. Experience the daily satisfaction of assisting people that call 911 for help.

In 2025, METCAD answered 249,173 calls including 97,82 emergency and 151,352 non-emergency calls and dispatched 139,346 of those calls to 24 police and/or fire departments in Champaign County.

Responsibilities of Position

This position answers emergency and non-emergency phone calls and provides routine and emergency dispatch for local police, fire and ambulance services for the Champaign County area. This full-time, on-site position gives timely response to information received via radio, telephone, and computer in a dynamic, state-of-the-art environment. The position requires individuals who have the ability to effectively respond to immediate problems (including emergencies) and high-pressure situations.

Required Qualifications

• Must be 18 years or older by date of hire.
• U.S. Citizen, or legally authorized to work in the United States (must meet I-9 requirements at time of hire).
• High School diploma, or equivalent, by date of hire.
• Ability to work assigned shifts and mandatory and/or voluntary overtime, including weekends, holidays, and nights.
• Ability to acquire mandated certifications, including, but not limited to Law Enforcement Agency Data Systems (LEADS), Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) during the training phase.