Psychiatrist

Location: California

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Description

The County of Santa Barbara is hiring a Psychiatrist to provide psychiatric diagnostic and therapeutic services at outpatient clinics and inpatient psychiatric facilities. The position covers adult, child, and adolescent specialties and includes on‑call rotations, telephone availability, and scheduled weekend duty as required.

Salary

$129.96 – $148.51 Hourly
$ – $ Annually
Bilingual allowance (when applicable)
5% Special Duty Assignment allowance for regular assignments at the Psychiatric Health Facility or in North County positions (Lompoc & Santa Maria).

Benefits Overview

• Vacation: 12–25 days per year depending on length of public employment.
• Holidays: 12 days per year.
• Sick Leave: 12 days per year, unlimited accumulation; one year can be converted to service credit upon retirement.
• Health Plan:
  Choice of medical and dental plans (with vision care); county contributes toward employee premium.
• On‑Site Employee Health Clinics in Santa Barbara and Santa Maria for eligible employees and dependents over age 15.
• Specialized Duty allowance when applicable.

Additional Benefits for Public‑Sector Applicants

• Retirement reciprocity.
• Time and service credit toward advanced vacation accrual rate.

Employment Areas

The position may be assigned to Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, or Lompoc. Incumbents may need to travel to additional sites within Santa Barbara County (Carpinteria, Goleta, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez, etc.)

About the Department

Founded in 1962, the Department of Behavioral Wellness promotes prevention, recovery, and treatment for mental illness and substance use disorders. The department serves 10,000 clients annually and employs over 400 staff members, working with contracted Community‑Based Organization providers. Core values include quality services, integrity, dignity, active client involvement, diversity, prevention, teamwork, continuous quality improvement, wellness, and safety.

Position Overview

The role provides psychiatric diagnostic and therapeutic services in clinics or inpatient facilities. Responsibilities include measurement‑based care, building relationships with primary care and substance‑use disorder providers, on‑call rotations (adult services: 3–4 weeknights/month; child services: 1 week/month), and mandatory training in Management of Assaultive Behavior (MAB) or a related crisis prevention course within six months for inpatient PHF staff.

Examples of Duties

• Conduct psychiatric examinations, make diagnoses, and prescribe therapy.
• Deliver individual and group psychotherapy; administer and interpret projective tests.
• Participate in staff conferences and recommend treatment approaches.
• Assist in developing and organizing clinic treatment programs.
• Lead case conferences and consult with staff and patient relatives.
• Cooperate with public health and hospital personnel to shape psychiatric programs and policies.
• Maintain medical records, prepare psychiatric reports, and testify in Superior Court on petitions and affidavits.

Employment Standards Qualifications

• Completion of a residency training program in psychiatry and a valid California physician‑and‑surgeon license (licensure in another state acceptable temporarily; California license required prior to appointment).
• Board Certification in Psychiatry within five (5) years of employment.
• Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license may be required.

Additional Requirements for Child‑Adolescent Psychiatry Specialty

• Completion of a residency training program in child and adolescent psychiatry.

Desired Qualifications

• Fluency in English and Spanish (self‑certified on application; department will test flurncy).

Application & Selection Process

• Review of applications, supplemental questionnaire, and required documentation.
• Supplemental questionnaire scoring; minimum 70% score required for employment list placement.
• Successful candidates placed on a three‑month employment list; score, rank, and list duration communicated in writing.

Conditional Job Offer

• Live Scan and background check required (conviction history, reference checks). Live Scan instructions included in offer letter.
• One‑year probationary period.

Recruitment Process

Rec…