Family Court Mediator; Bilingual Chinese​/English

family court mediator

bilingual chinese / english

the superior court of california, county of san francisco (the court), invites applications from qualified individuals interested in the family court mediator position to conduct mediations in family law and juvenile matters; investigate factual issues related to child custody and visitation disputes; prepare written reports; and perform other job-related duties as required. Many of the families seen are monolingual speakers of chinese or mandarin.

Chinese speaking in addition to english is required (mandarin preferred).

this selection process is being conducted in accordance with san francisco superior court personnel rule 4. An eligibility list will not be established.

final filing date: open until filled.

compensation: $4,203.12 to $5,108.09 biweekly ($109,281 to $132,810 annually)*

* plus, bilingual premium of $100 to $150 as paid biweekly.

the court offers a generous benefits package including a variety of health and dental insurance plans, life insurance, a contributory retirement plan, a deferred compensation savings program, paid vacation, sick leave, floating holidays, and holiday pay.

position overview:

• mediates a variety of juvenile, child custody, and visitation disputes, which includes conducting mediation sessions in english and chinese and writing stipulations or dispositions indicating the outcome of mediated cases.
• conducts fact finding investigations related to parenting plans and writes reports for the court on the facts gathered.
• coordinates referrals to private evaluators.
• prepares and organizes data.
• conducts group/parent orientations which include information about court procedures pertaining to child custody, the mediation process, and child development issues related to making parenting plans and the impact of domestic violence on children.
• makes referrals to community resources.
• consults with other court staff, supervisors, judicial staff, and community resource personnel regarding case issues and problems.
• answers a variety of questions from parents, attorneys, court staff, and the general public regarding the mediation process.
• performs other job-related duties as assigned.

work is performed in an office and courtroom environment; continuous contact with other staff and the public.

physical requirements: sit for extended periods; frequently stand and walk; normal manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination; lift and move objects weighing up to 25 lbs.; corrected hearing and vision to normal range; verbal communication; use of office equipment, including computer, telephone, calculator, copiers, and fax.

required qualifications:

• chinese speaking in addition to english is required (mandarin preferred).
• any combination of training and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:
• education equivalent to a master of arts degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, social work, marriage, family and child counseling or other behavioral science substantially related to marriage and family interpersonal relationships, and
• substantial experience in mediation and custody investigations, family counseling, child protective services, or family conciliation.
• possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid california driver's license.

desirable qualifications:

• verbal and written skills in mandarin/cantonese in addition to english.
• possession of a california license in clinical social work, marriage, and family therapy, or psychology or eligible for licensure.

knowledge of:

• principles, practices and theories of adult and child psychology.
• functions and operations of the superior court of california, county of san francisco.
• laws, rules, regulations, policies, and legislation related to court operations and functions, particularly those related to family law, probate, and court mediation.
• principles, techniques, and practices of crisis intervention and court mediation.
• investigation methods and counseling techniques.
• legal terminology, legal documents, and court procedures.
• principles of effective public and community relations.
• conflict…