While most government jobs in Hawaii are at the state level (73,700 jobs in 2009), there are still over 18,000 jobs in Hawaii’s local city and county government agencies. And like the state government, they offer enticing benefits packages. Nonresidents of Hawaii are welcome to apply for county and city jobs — just be aware that most positions require you to become a Hawaii state resident within 30 days of employment.
Honolulu City and County Jobs
The City and County of Honolulu (which includes all of Oahu) lists job opportunities and accepts applications online. If you don’t see any open positions in the job categories that interest you, you can submit an online interest form to receive email notifications whenever a job opens up in the categories you select.
The benefits package for employees of the City and County of Honolulu is similar to that of state employees: 21 vacation days per year, 21 sick days per year, 13-14 paid holidays, health insurance, and a retirement plan.
If you are interested in joining the Honolulu Police Department, visit HPD’s employment page. There you will find FAQs and info on requirements, selection, salary, and benefits for police officers (starting salary: $51,240/year) and dispatchers (starting salary: $2,598/month). Honolulu Fire Department conducts its firefighter recruit examination every two to three years.
Maui County Jobs
The County of Maui — which includes the islands of Maui, Lanai, and Molokai — also has job listings online. You can also sign up to receive new job notifications (scroll down to “Job Postings”) via email or text message: Specify which job categories you’re interested in, or you can choose to receive notifications only for Lanai- or Molokai-based jobs. Maui County employee benefits are similar to those of state employees.
If you’re interested in becoming a firefighter, the Maui County Fire Department has more detailed info on its application and training process. Maui Police Department also lists its specific requirements for becoming a police officer.
Kauai County Jobs
The County of Kauai, which includes the entire island of Kauai, uses the same online job listing system as the counties listed above. Like in those other counties, you can request notifications of new job openings by category. Benefits info can be found within each full job description (click the “Benefits” tab), as it can vary from position to position.
Kauai County continuously accepts applications to become a police officer. More info on the position and screening process can be found on the Kauai Police Department recruitment page. Kauai Fire Department outlines its hiring requirements for firefighters on its departmental page, although any openings are listed on the general county job listings page.
Hawaii County Jobs
The County of Hawaii, which encompasses the Big Island, lists its job openings online but does not accept applications online. Instead, you must download and print the application (and any supplemental forms) listed next to the job you’re interested in and submit them via fax, snail mail, or in-person.
If you’d like to be notified when a specific type of job opens up, call the Department of Human Resources at (808) 961-8361 and let them know what job title you’re interested in. If that job opens up within the next 12 months, they will mail you an application.
The Department of Human Resources page also features two videos: One on public safety jobs (including firefighters, beach lifeguards, pool lifeguards, and swimming instructors) and the other on police recruitment. More information on becoming a police officer or firefighter can be found on the official Hawaii County Police Department and Fire Department pages.
