Highway Patrol Telecommunicator in Training; Catawba

Job Title

Highway Patrol Telecommunicator (S)

Join the North Carolina State Highway Patrol as a Telecommunicator – where every call you take supports troopers, protects communities, and helps save lives across our state. This fast‑paced, high‑responsibility role coordinates emergency and non‑emergency response efforts, serving as the critical link between the public and first responders.

• Assess and coordinate emergency and non‑emergency response activities by evaluating reported situations and deploying appropriate resources.
• Support critical operations involving officer safety, aviation emergencies, severe weather, rescue operations, transportation of nuclear fuel, fixed nuclear facility incidents, terrorist threats, and homeland security–related situations.
• Receive, solicit, process, and prioritize information from multiple sources – the public, law‑enforcement, and state and federal agencies – to manage communications.
• Identify and evaluate potential risks to responding units using listening skills and public safety systems such as the Criminal Intelligence Information System.
• Operate a variety of communication and technology systems, including Computer‑Aided Dispatch, TTY/TTD, Land Mobile Radio, Microsoft Office, internet and intranet, Omnixx, and mapping programs.
• Communicate effectively using law‑enforcement radio codes to ensure the secure and accurate exchange of sensitive information.
• Handle specialized communication systems, such as dedicated circuits for nuclear power plants and telephone systems for AMBER Alerts, SILVER Alerts, and the Center for Missing Children.
• Access and disseminate law‑enforcement data through CIIS, supporting information exchange at state, national, and international levels.
• Serve as a key liaison between the public, the agency, and allied government agencies, providing professional and effective customer service that impacts public perception and trust.
• Maintain cooperative and effective communication with local, state, and federal partners to support coordinated emergency response and public‑safety operations.

High school diploma or General Educational Development diploma, and ability to type and work efficiently under pressure, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Department of Criminal Information operator – must be DCI certified or become certified within 120 days of employment.
• NC Sheriff’s Education & Training Standards Commission Telecommunicator certification.

• Knowledge of FCC and DCI rules and regulations related to radio communications.
• Sound decision‑making in high‑pressure, time‑sensitive situations.
• Experience using communication equipment in an emergency response environment.
• Experience receiving, prioritizing, processing, and transmitting large volumes of critical information.
• Experience using mapping systems or geographic navigation tools.

• Criminal background investigation.
• Drug screening test.
• Psychological evaluation.

• Typical work schedule: rotating and permanent day/night shifts, weekends, and holidays.

Salary Range: $33,902 – $59,327. Salary Grade: NC05.

Selected candidates will be hired as a Highway Patrol Telecommunicator Trainee at a starting salary of $40,343
. After completing a 640‑hour Basic Telecommunicator Training Program, required certification courses, and obtaining NC Sheriff’s Education & Training Standards Commission certification, employees may progress to Highway Patrol Telecommunicator with a salary of $42,615.

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.