Telecommunicator I - Entry Level

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

Job summary

City of Champaign seeks a Telecommunicator I to answer emergency and non-emergency lines and dispatch police, fire, and EMS for Champaign County. This on-site, full-time role requires handling high-stress situations with calm under pressure and precise communication.

The position involves a 12-hour shift schedule with overtime and mandatory information sessions. Successful candidates will complete NTN exams and a multi-step hiring process, including background checks and a sit-along.

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 LEADS, Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), National Incident Management Systems (NIMS) during the training phase.

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Provides timely response to information received via radio, telephone, and computer in a dynamic, state-of-the-art environment.

Skills

Calm under pressure

Education

High School diploma

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.

Process Steps

Candidates are required to complete the steps listed below to be considered for this position. Steps must be completed by Wednesday, October 21, 2026, for consideration for current openings.

1. Attend a mandatory in-person Information Session on September 29 from 5:30 – 7:00 pm at ILEAS (1701 E Main St, Urbana, IL).
2. Session attendees will receive a code to register, schedule, and complete the E-Comm National Exam via National Testing Network (NTN) with passing scores of: Call Taker/53, Notes/64, Dispatch/43.
3. Complete the Typing Test via NTN, typing at least 35 words per minute, with at least 90% accuracy. NOTE: Pass/fail determinations are made based on the Adjusted Words Per Minute score.
4. Complete the E-Comm National Computer Simulations via NTN.
5. Complete the full application via NTN.
6. Sign and upload the Attestation form via NTN.

Candidates successfully passing the steps above, will then be invited to move through the remainder of the hiring process which may include:

1. Interview
2. Reference checks
3. Background check and fingerprint-based criminal history record check
4. Two-hour sit-along/job shadow with a current Telecommunicator
5. Conditional offer of employment
6. Post-offer psychological evaluation, drug screening, and hearing test
7. Confirmed offer of employment

• 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.