Jail Health Physician
Salary
$118.54 - $150.26 Hourly
Location
Multiple jail facilities in King County, WA
Job Type
Career Service (Exec)
Job Number
2026SD26204
Department
DPH - Public Health
Division
Jail Health Services
Opening Date
01/16/2026
Closing Date
Continuous
FLSA
Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit
Z3 : KC Personnel Guidelines
Full- or Part-Time
Full Time
Summary
Public Health - Seattle & King County's Jail Health Services Division is seeking a dedicated and patient-oriented Jail Health Physician to join our Physician team working within our Adult Correctional Facilities.
Position Summary
Our Jail Health Physicians provide direct care to patients detained in the King County adult jail facilities by assessing and managing a wide range of adult medical and gynecologic/pregnancy-related health conditions for a dynamic patient population. You will be a part of Public Health - Seattle & King County's community safety net by engaging with people whose health is frequently unstable at intake and by offering access to treatment for conditions like syphilis, HIV and other infectious diseases, opioid use disorder, or other chronic medical conditions. Many of the people we serve experience homelessness, stigma, mental illness, and/or racial inequity and as a result they often present to jail without continuity of care in the community. Medical providers in Jail Health Services therefore have a unique opportunity to help address community-level problems by offering compassionate, quality care to people who reside in secure detention.
This recruitment will be open until the position is filled, with first consideration given to those applicants who apply before 11:59pm PST on February 16th, 2026.
This posting will create a list of qualified candidates that may be considered for selection of additional vacancies of the same position type over the next 6 months.
Background
Jail Health Services (JHS) provides needed health and social services to the incarcerated population located in the King County jails. The primary services we provide include medical, dental, mental health, social and release planning services, treatment of substance use disorders, and pharmaceutical services. We care about the patients we serve and their health outcomes. The purpose of JHS is to assure that high-quality health and human services are available to the incarcerated population in the King County adult correctional facilities: the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) in Seattle and the Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) in Kent. The JHS vision is "Opening doors to healthier, happier lives, and the mission is to assess and stabilize serious health problems for the detained population of the King County Correctional Facility and the Maleng Regional Justice Center with a focus on transition from jail". We are staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year, providing a broad range of health care to all individuals booked into the jails. For patients with serious mental health or medical conditions, special housing units (psychiatric and infirmary) along with a higher level of services and medical monitoring are provided. Since the patient population varies both in numbers as well as in acuity of health conditions, staffing is adapted and flexed to meet the constantly changing needs of the population. JHS staff manage the complex health needs of underserved populations, many of whom come to the facility without access to care in the community and with decompensated acute and chronic health conditions. Our division includes over 250 employees and an annual budget of over $60 million.
Public Health - Seattle & King County ("PHSKC", "Public Health", or "the department") is the Public Health Department for King County, Washington which includes 39 cities, including the City of Seattle, and unincorporated areas. Public Health is one of the largest metropolitan health departments in the United States with over 1,600 employees. With a biennial budget of nearly $1 billion, the department serves approximately 2.3 million people of King County who reside in urban, rural, shoreline, foothill, and mountain communities with distinct environments and unique public health needs. We operate primary care, dental, sexual and reproductive health, parent child health, and other health care-related services throughout King County across 40 sites and mobile clinics. King County is an international port of entry, welcoming nearly 40 million visitors annually. Over 100 languages are spoken by King County residents.
Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nations history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.
The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all - in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.
We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.
To learn more, please visit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx.
Work Schedule
The typical work week is Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week. Work days and hours will vary and include participating in team coverage of weekday day and evening shifts as well as weekend and holiday day shifts. Overnight on-call shifts are assigned equally across the team. We reserve the right to adjust schedules and work sites to meet the workload demands of the practice. This position is designated as hourly/non-exempt under the regulations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which means it is overtime-eligible. You must receive prior approval from your supervisor before working any necessary overtime hours to meet your position responsibilities.
This position is a 1.0 Full-Time Equivalent (FTE), but a 0.8 FTE will be considered upon request.
Work Location
This position will have the requirement to work from both of the King County adult correctional facilities listed below:
King County Correctional Facility (KCCF) - 500 Fifth Ave., Seattle, WA 98104
Maleng Regional Justice Center (MRJC) - 620 W. James St., Kent, WA 98032
Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.
Work Conditions
JHS Employees are Mission Critical Employees. A Jail Health Physician may be required to report to the jails or alternative sites in the event of an emergency situation (including Public Health emergencies). Staff may be required to play an active role in the event of a Public Health emergency, which may include changes in responsibilities, work location, and working hours.
Job Duties
Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum Qualifications):
Graduation from an accredited medical school and residency program.
Be board certified or board eligible in Family Medicine or Emergency Medicine. If not certified, incumbents must become certified within two (2) years of hire.
A Washington State Medical License must be obtained prior to hiring.
National Provider Identification (NPI) number required prior to hiring.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration required prior to hiring.
Documentation of current BLS/CPR certification with AED training required prior to credentialing.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary care team and with a patient panel with diverse cultures and socio-economic background.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, the use of electronic health records and data entry using a keyboard.
Have a valid Washington State drivers license or have the ability to travel throughout King County in a timely manner.
The most competitive applicants will have the following experiences and qualifications (Desired):
Two (2) or more years of experience providing Adult Primary care, including Womens Health care.
Lived participatory community experience with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).
Experience managing substance use disorders, including treatment of withdrawal syndromes, and use of medications for opioid use disorder.
Proficiency in a language other than English.
Experience in a correctional health care environment.
Supplemental Information
To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
Who May Apply
We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives, life experience, and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.
Application Process
The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:
(Please note: Cover letters, resumes, and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above).
Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in your application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.
Contact
If you have questions or would like more information about the application process, please contact Sarah Dunkinson, HR Analyst at sdunkinson@kingcounty.gov.
Union Membership
This position is not represented by a labor union.
Necessary Special Requirements
Public Health - Jail Health Services follows and maintains federal and state requirement standards including, but not limited to, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards which apply to all public and private institutions that house adult or juvenile offenders. PREA standards preclude the department from hiring or promoting anyone who has engaged in, or been convicted of any conduct which would violate PREA standards related to sexual assault including:
Additionally, PREA standards require that the department consider any incidents of sexual harassment involving an inmate or detainee in determining whether or not to hire or promote anyone. The above is in compliance with PREA and its implementing regulations, 28 C.F.R. Part 115, Subpart A, Section 115.17, Hiring and Promotion Decisions.
Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington States best employers.
Together, with leadership and our employees, were changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nations best places to live, work and play.
Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:
For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.
This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.
NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.
For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
01
Please provide your medical license number and issuing state. Both pieces of information must be provided, or your application will be rejected as incomplete. If you do not possess a medical license, please type N/A.
02
Have you ever been subject to review, challenges, and/or disciplinary action, formal or informal, by an ethics committee, licensing board, medical disciplinary board or related professional association which would also include those that are pending? If yes, please explain in full detail including state.
03
Do you possess a National Provider Identification (NPI) number? Please note - an NPI is required prior to hiring.
04
Are you registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)? Please note - registration is required prior to hiring.
05
Do you possess BLS/CPR for Healthcare Providers? If yes, please attach documentation of your current BLS/CPR certification to this application. If no, please describe how you will obtain certification by the time of job offer. Please note - failure to obtain BLS/CPR certification will result in a job offer being delayed or rescinded.
06
In what specialty are you board certified or board eligible? Please list specialty and certification/eligibility date. If you are not board certified or board eligible, please type N/A.
07
Are you willing to provide pregnancy options counseling to women, including referrals for termination?
08
How recently have you provided primary medical care in a clinical setting?
09
How many years of experience do you have providing prenatal medical care in a clinical setting?
10
How recently have you provided prenatal medical care in a clinical setting?
11
How many years of experience do you have providing gynecological medical care in a clinical setting?
12
How recently have you provided gynecological medical care in a clinical setting?
13
How many years of experience do you have providing medical care in a locked correctional facility?
14
How many years of experience do you have medically managing substance use disorders and/or withdrawal syndromes?
15
In which settings have you medically managed substance use disorders and/or withdrawal syndromes?
16
Describe your proficiency with electronic health records, in your answer please list what electronic health records systems you are you proficient in using? If you do not have experience with electronic health records systems, please type N/A.
17
What is your proficiency with Microsoft Office programs? - Word, Outlook, and Teams?
18
Are you multilingual? If so, what language(s) are you proficient in reading, writing and speaking?
19
For this position, we asked you to attach a letter of interest. Did you attach a letter of interest to your application? Please note - Not attaching a letter of interest will disqualify your application from being considered further. For your letter of interest please speak to why you are interested in working with vulnerable and marginalized populations related to this body of work.
20
Are you applying to this position as an eligible current or previous King County Employee Priority Placement Program Participant? AND Is this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff? AND Do you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?
21
If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided: 1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice 2. The department you worked in 3. The effective date of your layoff
Required Question
Employer King County
Address King Street Center
201 South Jackson Street
Seattle, Washington, 98104
Phone 206-477-3404
Website http://www.kingcounty.gov/