Research Program Assistant Jobs in Nevada (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $54,100.80 - $76,044.80 Annually
Location : City of Reno, NV
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: 153226P&R
Department: Parks and Recreation
Opening Date: 08/14/2026
Closing Date: 8/30/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Description
Join the City of Reno and become part of an amazing team that strives every day to make our community a place we are all proud to call home.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment and brings strong clerical and administrative skills, sound judgment, and a commitment to providing excellent customer service.
The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver who can effectively manage multiple priorities, research and interpret policies and procedures, coordinate projects and services with other City departments and outside agencies, and identify opportunities to improve processes and service delivery.
We currently have one vacancy in the Parks and Recreation Department, with hiring expected to begin immediately following the close of this recruitment. This recruitment will also establish a list for future vacancies, which will be filled as they occur.
This is both an internal and external recruitment to provide a promotional opportunity for all qualified current classified City of Reno employees and an open competitive opportunity for all other qualified applicants.
The City of Reno is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to everyone. This commitment is an integral part of our efforts to ensure that we have a diverse and representative workforce that serves the community of Reno.
Examples of Essential Functions

• Perform a variety of advanced clerical and routine technical, programmatic, and administrative duties requiring the application of specific program knowledge and administrative, secretarial, and clerical skills in support of a City department, division, or program; assume responsibility for specific program area duties; provide assistance in administrative and operating programs as assigned.
• Serve as primary contact and liaison for assigned functions and programs with other City staff, the general public, and outside agencies and organizations; screen office calls, visitors, and mail; provide information and assistance including responding to requests for information and assistance; assist the public and other City staff in interpreting and applying City policies, procedures, codes, and ordinances; research information related to City regulations and departmental policies; explain, justify, and defend programs, policies, and activities.
• Conduct a variety of studies and research for assigned area; collect, compile, and review information from various sources on a variety of specialized topics related to program area of assignment; participate in the preparation of reports that present data, identify alternatives, and make and justify recommendations.
• Perform a variety of special projects and assignments in assigned area including the implementation and coordination of assigned program and project components; assist with the development of policies and procedures; implement and monitor program activities.
• Verify and review materials, applications, records, and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; apply applicable policies and procedures in determining completeness of applications, records, and reports; provide information and forms to the public; collect and process appropriate information.
• Assist in coordinating and monitoring the assigned budget and contracts; compile annual budget requests; prepare revenue projections; recommend expenditure requests for designated accounts; monitor approved budget accounts; process progress payments and monitor contractual expenses
• Process invoices, contracts, work orders, change orders, purchase order numbers, check requests, and requisitions for assigned area; coordinate the resolution of contract and invoice issues with accounts payable and contracts functions; ensure vendor invoices and change order files are accurate and up-to-date, including having correct account codes and appropriate approvals; ensure new vendors have completed the required new vendor information form.
• Type and proofread a wide variety of reports, letters, memoranda, correspondence, contracts, agreements, Requests for Proposals, agenda items, statistical charts, and other documents and material; type from rough draft, verbal instruction, or transcribing machine; independently compose documents related to assigned area of responsibility.
• Maintain calendar of activities, meetings, and various events for assigned projects, programs, and staff; coordinate activities with other City departments, the public, and outside agencies.
• Arrange and coordinate meetings, workshops, and training sessions for various groups and committees; prepare agendas and correspondence; attend meetings and take, transcribe, and assure proper distribution of minutes.
• Establish and maintain various filing systems, schedules and records; file correspondence, reports, bulletins and cards; log reports, applications, and/or telephone calls; maintain records related to specific area of assignment.
• Perform a variety of general bookkeeping and clerical accounting duties and responsibilities involved in financial record keeping and reporting for assigned area; maintain a variety of accounting records, logs, and files; verify, balance, and adjust accounting records.
• Recommend improvements in workflow, procedure, and use of equipment and forms; implement improvements as approved; develop and revise office forms and report formats as required.
• Ensure that all required supplies are available as needed and that the facility and equipment are in proper working order.
• Operate a variety of office equipment including copiers, facsimile machine and computer; utilize various computer applications and software packages; enter data, maintain and generate reports from a database or network system; input, maintain, and utilize data to develop reports using spreadsheet software; create, format, and revise charts, graphs, flowcharts, worksheets, booklets, brochures, and forms using word processing, desktop publishing, and other computer applications; organize and maintain disk storage and filing.
• As assigned, arrange and coordinate meetings; prepare agendas and correspondence; attend meetings and take, transcribe, and assure proper distribution of minutes.
• May lead, oversee, and review the work of lower-level clerical staff; review work for accuracy and completeness.
• Perform related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications
The following minimum qualifications are required to be met at the time of application.
Education:
High School Diploma or equivalent supplemented by specialized office support training.
Specialized training may include on-the-job training obtained through relevant work experience.
Experience:
Three years of increasingly responsible clerical, programmatic, and administrative support experience, including some experience directly related to the assigned area.
At least 60 semester or 90 quarter-hour credits with coursework in Business Administration, Public Administration, Recreation, or a closely related field will substitute for two years of this required experience.
OR
Two years of experience as an Office Assistant II with the City of Reno in a programmatic area that is substantially similar to the program being recruited.
At least 60 semester or 90 quarter-hour credits with coursework in Business Administration, Public Administration, Recreation, or a closely related field will substitute for one year of the Office Assistant II experience.
Note:
To be considered qualifying, your experience must include increasingly responsible responsibilities in each of the following areas:

• Clerical: Performing advanced office support such as reviewing and processing documents, maintaining records, preparing correspondence or reports, and responding to inquiries.
• Programmatic: Supporting an ongoing program or service by applying established procedures, processing or tracking information, providing program-related assistance, and coordinating activities.
• Administrative support: Supporting day-to-day office or program operations by coordinating activities, preparing documents and reports, maintaining administrative records, and assisting with processes such as purchasing, budgets, or contracts.

Supplemental Information
To Apply:
Submit your completed application and all additional information/documentation requested through our job board at by August 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PT. If a computer or mobile device is not available to you, suggested locations to submit an online application include: Reno City Hall 2nd floor computer kiosk or Civil Service Office, any Nevada Job Connect location, local libraries, or educational facilities.
If you are having difficulty logging into your governmentjobs.com profile, please call the applicant support line at 855-524-5627.
Application Preparation:
A complete application is required, including detailed work experience and education. Résumés may be submitted as supplemental information but will not be reviewed when determining minimum qualifications.
Examination Process:
Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications and pass the examination for this position to be eligible for hire. The examination will consist of online assessments which include an Online Clerical Test, a Cognitive Abilities Test, and an Employee Personality Profile, along with a Training and Experience evaluation (T&E) weighted as follows:
Training & Experience Evaluation (T&E) = 40%
Online Clerical Test = 40%
Cognitive Abilities Test = 20%
Employee Personality Profile = For informational purposes only
Online Assessment Details:
Qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the online assessments once the recruitment has closed. These tests will be self-administered with no proctor, which means candidates will be able to complete them online at their convenience during the designated testing window.
The instructions and guidelines will be emailed to qualified applicants after the recruitment closes on August 30, 2026. Please make sure to check for emails around this time, including your spam folder, so that you do not miss this testing opportunity. All assessments must be completed within the designated testing window to move forward in the hiring process.
Subject areas that may be included on the online clerical skills test include:

• Attention to detail
• Numeric filing
• Reading comprehension

Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) Details:
The T&E examination consists of a Supplemental Questionnaire. The questions may be viewed online under the tab marked "QUESTIONS" on the job announcement page. The T&E must be submitted online at the time of application.

• Responses to your T&E questions should be consistent with the information given in your application details. Answers are subject to verification.
• Failure to complete all of the questions or incomplete responses will result in a lower score; therefore, it is advantageous for you to provide a full and complete response to each supplemental question.
• In order to receive credit for education or training, you must attach copies of your transcripts, diploma, or relevant certificates to your online application.
• Resumes or questionnaires uploaded as attachments to the application will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question online.
• "See Resume" or "See above," etc., are not qualifying responses and will not be considered.
• Changes or corrections to your responses cannot be made once your application packet has been submitted.
• TIP: It may be more efficient to develop your responses in a word processing document and then paste them into the online questionnaire to be submitted.

Notification:
Applicants are notified by email of their examination results. Applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications will also be notified within two weeks of the job posting closing.
We highly recommend opting in to receive text message notifications. Follow-up text messages may include updates about your application, next steps, and interviews. If you haven't opted in before, the option will appear before you submit your application. If you've previously opted in or out, you can update your choice anytime in account settings in your governmentjobs.com profile.
Testing Accommodation:
We strive to ensure equal access for all individuals. If you require an accommodation due to a disability, you must inform the Chief Examiner by completing the by the closing date of this announcement. All requests will be handled with confidentiality and respect.
Contact Information:
Reports (Rule XV, Section 2)
Applicants are responsible for keeping the Reno Civil Service Commission informed of their current contact information, including phone number, email, and mailing address.
Employee/Veteran Preference in the Event of Tie Scores:
Open Competitive Examination (Rule VII, Section 7):
In the event of tie scores, candidates will be provided a rank preference in the following order:

1. City of Reno classified employees who are veterans
2. City of Reno classified employees who are not veterans
3. City of Reno non-classified employees and external candidates who are veterans

This preference is only used to break ties. Proof of honorable discharge must be submitted with the application.
Promotional Examinations (Rule VIII, Section 7):
If two or more employees earn the same final score (including seniority points), veterans' preference will be applied if any of the tied employees have submitted pr