Job Description

Posting number: 3819 OP 2026/09/18 C

Department: Transportation

Job classification: SIGNAL SYSTEMS ELECTRICIAN

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Transportation

Summary

ANNUAL SALARY

$121,438 (flat rated)

A Signal Systems Electrician performs skilled technical work and may act as a lead for and work with a signal construction or signal systems crew installing, repairing, maintaining, and modifying electric and microprocessor based traffic signal control devices and video and computer communications systems.

Examples of duties

1. Completion of a recognized apprenticeship as an electrician, which provides experience or training in electrical or electronic control work; or
2. Two years of full-time paid experience as an Assistant Signal Systems Electrician with the City of Los Angeles or two years of full-time paid experience performing electrical or electronics control work. Both require 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in electrical or electronic technology, such as Basic Electrical and Electronics Theory, Solid State Devices and Circuitry, Digital Electronics, and Microprocessors and Microcomputers from an accredited college or trade school; or
3. Four years of full-time paid experience as an Electrical Craft Helper with the City of Los Angeles and completion of the educational requirement specified in Requirement #2.
4. Completion of the Electrical Training Institute (administered by IBEW) – Intelligent Transportation Systems Program and one year of journey level experience in Traffic Signal Systems; or
5. Possession of a valid State of California Electrician Certification; or
6. Successful completion of the International Municipal Signal Association (IMSA) Traffic Signal Technician Level III.

Successful completion of a military electrician or electronics course of 24 weeks or longer may be substituted for the educational requirement specified in Requirement #2.

PROCESS NOTES

1. Applicants filing under Requirement #1 must attach a copy of their Apprenticeship Certificate at the time of filing. A copy of the Apprenticeship Certificate must be attached to the on-line application BEFORE the application is submitted. If a copy of the Apprenticeship Certificate is attached AFTER the on-line application has been submitted, applicants WILL NOT be credited with having submitted it, and WILL NOT be considered further in this examination.
2. Applicants filing under Requirement #2 or Requirement #3 must list the school name and location, course titles, number of semester or quarter units, and completion dates in the Supplemental Questions Section of the on-line application. Applicants who fail to provide this information on their application will not be considered further in this examination and their applications will not be processed.
3. As a condition of employment, a valid Class C driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is required at the time of appointment. Applicants will be deemed ineligible for hire if their DMV record reflects three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents, or a conviction of a major moving violation within the last 36 months in any state or jurisdiction. The City of Los Angeles reserves the right to issue a notice of ineligibility at any time before a final job offer is extended.
4. As a condition of employment, a valid Class B driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and a valid medical certificate approved by the DMV is required at the time of appointment. Applicants will be deemed ineligible for hire if their DMV record reflects three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents, or a conviction of a major moving violation within the last 36 months in any state or jurisdiction. Candidates will be asked to submit a commercial driving history in accordance with the California Department of Motor Vehicles CVS Section 1808.1, in addition to their valid Class B driver’s license, at the time of appointment. The City of Los Angeles reserves the right to issue a notice of ineligibility at any time before a final job offer is extended.
5. A Rubber Tired Tractor B Operator’s license and a Hydrocrane Operator’s license may be required for some positions. Prior to appointment to these positions, candidates must submit the appropriate licenses and a commercial driving history in accordance with the California Department of Motor Vehicles CVS Section 1808.1.
6. Please note that qualifying education must be from a college or university accredited by a City of Los Angeles recognized agency. A list of approved accrediting agencies can be found at https://personnel.lacity.gov/Accredited%20Institutions%2008-21-08.pdf.
7. Candidates completing the examination process may be contacted by the Personnel Department to provide required proof of qualifying coursework. Applicants who wish to expedite this process may attach a copy of their transcripts annotated with the qualifying coursework to their on-line application at the time of filing in the Attachments section.

SELECTIVE CERTIFICATION

In accordance with Charter Section 1010 (b) and Civil Service Rule 5.31, selective certification will be used for some positions that require special skills and/or training in the following area. Only persons possessing the following at the time of filing may be considered for appointment to fill such positions.

A valid state certified Crane Operator Certification.

NOTE:

The copy of the certification must be attached to the on-line application BEFORE the application is submitted. If the copy of the certification is attached AFTER the on-line application has been submitted, applicants WILL NOT be credited with having submitted it, and WILL NOT be considered further for positions requiring the certification.

Qualifications

Applications will only be accepted on-line on the dates listed in the “Application Deadline” section of this bulletin. When you are viewing the on-line job bulletin of your choice, simply scroll to the top of the page and select the “Apply” icon. On-line job bulletins are also available at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/lacity.

NOTE:

Applicants are urged to apply early to ensure you have time to resolve any technical issues you may encounter

Applications will only be accepted on-line on the dates listed below:

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 to THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2026

The examination may close without prior notice at any time after a sufficient number of applications have been received. Filing periods may change without prior notice or additional dates may be added, as needed, at a later date. For administrative purposes, filing will close periodically and reopen on the dates noted in the “Application Deadline” section of this bulletin.

In accordance with Civil Service Rule 4.2, all applicants who apply may not be tested in this examination. To meet anticipated hiring needs, only a limited number of qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the weighted multiple-choice test in the following order: 1) Los Angeles City promotional applicants who meet the minimum requirements. You must have received a regular appointment to a City position or be on a reserve list to apply for this examination as a promotional candidate; 2) Applicants currently employed by the City of Los Angeles on a part-time or exempt basis who meet the minimum requirements; 3) Remaining applicants who meet the minimum requirements in sufficient numbers to meet hiring needs based on a random sampling of those qualified candidates. Applicants not selected to be tested may re-apply in a subsequent filing period in order to be considered for that period’s selection process.

Supplemental information

Examination Weight:

Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100%

The examination score will be based entirely on the interview. In the interview, the following competencies may be evaluated: Reading Comprehension; Judgment and Decision Making; Equipment Operation; Mechanical Aptitude; Interpersonal Skills; Electrical Understanding, including knowledge of: electrical principles and concepts such as Ohm’s Law and Kirchhoff’s Law; Safety Focus, including knowledge of: traffic control and safety standards for pedestrian and vehicular traffic as required by the Work Area Traffic Control Handbook (WATCH); safety procedures and equipment required when working with or around medium and high voltage electrical equipment; ladder safety requirements as required by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration; Job Knowledge, including knowledge of: specifications and standards related to wiring, grounding, loop installation, pole use, and mounting of signal heads as required by the Standard Specification for Public Works Construction Manual and Special Provisions and Standard Drawings for Installation and Modification of Traffic Signals; the standards and requirements of the National Electric Code (NEC) including wiring color codes, wire sizes, and types of connectors, cables, and conductors used in signal work; hand, power, and pneumatic tools, measuring devices, and boom accessories used to install, construct, maintain, and repair traffic signal equipment; tools and methods used for splicing wires; the functions and proper installation of peripheral devices such as loop sensors, AC/DC isolators, and railroad and bus preemption modules; digital data interconnect systems including the Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control (ATSAC) system and the operation, design, and function of modems, data scopes, conditioned data lines, transmission impairment measurement sets, and bit error rate test sets; types, uses, and functions of electrical test equipment; the Institute of Traffic Engineers (ITE) symbols, standards, and terminology for traffic signal devices; and other necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Additional job analysis information can be obtained by going to https://personnel.lacity.gov/jobs/job-analyses.cfm and clicking on Competencies under Signal Systems Electrician.

Candidates will be notified later by e-mail of the date, time and location of the interviews, which may be held in Los Angeles or on-line.

For candidates who apply between FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 and THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2026, it is anticipated that the interviews will begin during the period of MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2026 and FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2026.

NOTES:

1. This examination is based on a validation study.
2. As a covered entity under the Fair Employment and Housing Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and upon request, will provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. To request a disability accommodation, please complete the Disability Accommodation Form within 14 calendar days of the submittal of the City application. The Disability Accommodation Form can be obtained at https://personnel.lacity.gov/exams/verify_disability.pdf.
3. Applications are accepted subject to review to ensure that minimum qualifications are met. Candidates may be disqualified at any time if it is determined that they do not possess the minimum qualifications stated on this bulletin.
4. Based on City Policy, you may be required to undergo mandatory drug and alcohol testing prior to and during employment in this class.
5. In conjunction with Civil Service Rules, applicants who are current eligible City employees or are on a reserve list will be considered Promotional candidates while all other applicants will be considered Open candidates.
6. The promotional list will ordinarily be used ahead of the open competitive list. However, if open competitive candidates receive a higher score, without military credits, than the highest available promotional candidate, after adding 0.25 of a point seniority credit for each year of continuous classified City service, the Civil Service Commission, upon request of the appointing authority, may approve certification of such open competitive candidates ahead of the promotional candidates.
7. A final average score of 70% or higher is required to be placed on the eligible list.
8. You may take the Signal Systems Electrician examination only once every 24 months under this bulletin. If you have taken the Signal Systems Electrician examination during an open filing period in the Personnel Department within the last 24 months, you may not file for this examination at this time.
9. Your rank on the employment list may change as scores of candidates from other administrations of this examination are merged onto one list.
10. In accordance with Civil Service Rule, Sec. 4.24, review periods may be combined. Candidates in the examination process may file protests as provided in Sec. 4.20, 4.22, and 4.23 as applicable and within the required time frame; however, the Personnel Department may respond to and resolve protests prior to the establishment of the eligible list.

Notice:

If you receive and accept an offer of employment to a regular position with the City of Los Angeles, your employee benefit coverage (including health and dental coverage as well as life insurance) will commence approximately six weeks after your original regular appointment. Not all positions in the City receive benefit coverage; you should inquire regarding the availability of employee benefits prior to accepting a position. All City employees are required to be Disaster Service Workers.

THIS EXAMINATION IS TO BE GIVEN BOTH ON AN

INTERDEPARTMENTAL PROMOTIONAL AND OPEN COMPETITIVE BASIS

The City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, creed, color, ancestry, medical condition (cancer), or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

For additional information and FAQs regarding the City's hiring process, please go to: https://personnel.lacity.gov/faqs/employment-testing-process.html