San Francisco AIDS Foundation Hiring for Drug Checking Program Technician Job at San Francisco, CA Full Time

San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) envisions a future where health justice is achieved for all people living with or at risk for HIV. Ultimately, we strive for a day when race is not a barrier to health and wellness, substance use is not stigmatized, HIV status does not determine quality of life, and HIV transmission is eliminated.

Our mission is to promote health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and partnership.

Our strategic plan includes an articulation of its five key values, which are the foundation for its work and its employees: Justice, Dignity, Courage, Leadership and Excellence.: We need passionate agents of social change, vanguards of public health, and practitioners of racial justice to join our fight.

Position Overview:::

SFAF’s Syringe Access Services (SAS) provides syringe access & disposal services, overdose prevention education, naloxone distribution, drug checking, health education, counseling, medical care, street outreach, linkage to care, and other community and health improvement-focused services. Drug checking employs technology used to identify the chemicals present in a substance to analyze the contents of drugs originating in the unregulated drug supply, and is the newest addition to SAS’s suite of low-threshold services. SAS’s drug checking services are free, fast, and anonymous, and enable community members to understand the contents of their drugs and make the best-informed decisions they can around their drug use.

The Drug Checking Program Technician provides on-site drug checking services, communicates results, and provides relevant safer drug use and health education and referrals to other services to program participants as needed. The position works alongside other SFAF and partner agency staff and volunteers to ensure service safety, accessibility, and continuity in a variety of settings.

This position is an exciting opportunity for someone experienced in other realms of harm reduction work to gain experience in drug checking. While knowledge of chemical analysis and/or drug checking is a plus, it is not required. Candidates will be evaluated based on the breadth of their relevant lived and professional experiences. Education and training specific to drug checking will be provided.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities::

• Analyze drug samples utilizing FTIR spectroscopy and substance-specific immunoassay strips, communicate results of sample analysis to participants at point-of-care.
• Provide relevant information on safer drug use to program participants (e.g. substance-specific information on safer injection techniques, use of smoking equipment, assessing overdose risk, avoiding and responding to overdose, preventing transmission of bloodborne pathogens, etc.).
• Setup, calibration, breakdown of delicate lab instruments at drug checking sites, ensuring safe transport and storage of instruments while not in use.
• Timely and accurate data entry for every sample analyzed.
• Weighing and other preparation of samples for supplementary testing. Delivery or shipping of samples to forensic lab partners.
• Engage and discuss educational materials relevant to the position (e.g. academic literature, webinars, virtual trainings) for up to several hours per week.
• Assist with training of new staff as needed.
• Community-based outreach for drug checking service.
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Qualifications:::

• Non-judgement:: Demonstrated ability to engage people around and discuss sensitive topics (e.g. drugs and drug use, sexual practices, physical and mental health, homelessness, domestic violence, etc.) in a non-judgemental and respectful manner when providing services to people who use drugs and other marginalized populations.
• Client-centered Approach:: Commitment to respecting and supporting participants’ bodily autonomy and expressed goals when providing services and referrals.
• Privacy and Confidentiality:: Understanding of and strict adherence to confidentiality practices used in healthcare settings. Strong commitment to maintaining confidentiality with regards to identities of people who use the service.
• Scientific Interpretation:: Ability to communicate complex physical science and health education concepts in an accessible and implementable manner for participants with a broad range of health literacies.
• Organization:: Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Interpersonal Skills:: Ability to work alongside and communicate effectively with coworkers and clients with a range of different identities and experiences. Ability to approach communication challenges and interpersonal conflict in a respectful, nonviolent, solution-oriented manner.
• Continued Education:: Ability and willingness to read, watch, or otherwise engage educational materials and trainings for up to several hours a week.

Supervision::: N/A

Physical Requirements and Work Environments:::

Ability to perform routine bending, stooping, twisting, and reaching. Ability to lift up to 50lbs. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Education and Experience:: :

• Two years’ experience working in a harm reduction or harm reduction-oriented healthcare or public health setting with people who use drugs, highly marginalized populations, and/or people experiencing homelessness required.
• Experience-based knowledge of drug use, issues affecting people who use drugs, and San Francisco’s unregulated drug supply highly valued.
• Knowledge of local programs and services relevant to the needs of people who use drugs desired.
• Understanding of and experience using a Fourier Transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) for chemical analysis, familiarity with the Bruker Alpha II FTIR and Opus software desired. Will provide required onsite training on equipment use.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Suite, Google Forms, Google Sheets, and other Google Suite applications desired.
• Valid CA driver’s license desired.

This position will have access to protected health information (PHI) and may only access, use or disclose the minimum information necessary to perform their designated role on behalf of San Francisco AIDS Foundation, regardless of the extent of access provided.

Work Environment:::

This position is located in the field, 117 6th Street, and 1035 Market Street in San Francisco, CA. Job responsibilities may occasionally require working outdoors during inclement weather. The position may have exposure to blood borne pathogens and other infectious agents.

Availability Requirements::

Eight hours per day, five days per week, within 8am-10pm, Monday-Saturday. Work hours and schedule may change from day-to-day and week-to-week. Currently services are offered only Monday-Friday, though this may change in the future.

All SAS Team Member schedules may include providing shift coverage for direct services and logistics/inventory activities to cover vacations, sick days, and special events.: While we have scheduled hours and assigned tasks and roles in our department- sometimes duty calls when volunteer power is short, a co-worker calls in sick or is on vacation, a SAS staff member needs a hand with an aspect of their job, or a participant is in crisis. All department positions require staff to offer flexibility to meet the needs of the team and handle unexpected changes in their workday or workweek.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for personnel so classified.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS::

SFAF is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package for our full-time employees. These include:

Vacation + Leave:
20 days of combined Paid Time Off/Sick Time Off for the first two years of employment
25 days of Paid Time Off/Sick Time Off after two years of employment
Pro-Rated Health & Wellness Hours (subject to change yearly)

14 paid holidays per year

Retirement:
403(b) Plan – SFAF matches employee contributions (1 to 1) up to 3% of salary

Health Coverage:
Flexible Spending Account to set aside employee pre-tax dollars for unreimbursed medical and dependent expenses.
Medical insurance – premium fully/partially paid by SFAF for employee (Kaiser Permanente HMO, Sutter Health Plus HMO)
Vision insurance – premium fully paid by SFAF for employee (MetLife)
Dental insurance – premiums fully/partially paid by SFAF for the employee (MetLife Insurance)

Employee Sponsored Care:
Plume – Gender Affirming Care
Care.com – Family care benefits
Maven – Family Forming benefits

Life Insurance + Disability + Family Leave:
Life Insurance and AD&D insurance – Employer Paid: 100% of salary, up to $100K (MetLife)
Long term disability insurance (MetLife)
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA), Pregnancy-Related Disability Leave (PDL), as applicable

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:::

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is an Equal Opportunity employer. We actively seek applications from people living with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities, women, LGBTQ individuals and people of color.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Application Process:::

Please visit our careers page at:

http://www.sfaf.org/about-us/careers/

POSITION OPEN UNTIL FILLED:
NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE: