Two health systems, Kaiser Permanente and John Muir Health, are on the county’s own list of its largest employers. Nursing gets the attention, but both also hire medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, referral and front-office staff, and more, often without a four-year degree. Here is where to look and what their postings ask for.
Where they are
- John Muir Health runs medical centers in Walnut Creek and Concord, a behavioral health center in Concord, and clinics around the county, including Brentwood.
- Kaiser Permanente runs medical centers in Antioch, Richmond and Walnut Creek, plus medical offices such as the Martinez Hacienda offices.
Both post every opening on their own career sites: careers.johnmuirhealth.com and kaiserpermanentejobs.org. Apply there, not through a job aggregator. Both show the pay range on each posting.
What the entry roles ask for and pay
A few postings open on October 2, 2026:
- Medical Assistant, Kaiser (Martinez): $36.34 to $38.23 an hour. Asks for a high school diploma or GED, a medical assistant course that meets the Medical Board of California’s requirements, Basic Life Support certification, and six months of experience or completion of a Kaiser externship.
- Medical Assistant, John Muir (Brentwood, temporary): $32.87 to $44.38 an hour. Asks for completion of an accredited medical assistant program and Basic Life Support certification. A year of clinic experience and a CCMA or CMA certification are preferred.
- Pharmacy Technician, John Muir (Walnut Creek): $36.23 to $48.90 an hour. Asks for a high school diploma, at least a year as a pharmacy technician, state registration and national certification (CPhT).
- Referral Specialist, John Muir (Walnut Creek, per diem): $27.03 to $36.50 an hour. Asks for experience with HMO referrals and medical coding knowledge, and you must pass Epic training within 90 days.
The pattern: most of these jobs need a short certificate rather than a degree. A medical assistant program, a pharmacy technician certificate or Basic Life Support is the ticket in.
Things that help
- Get the certificate first. Many community colleges and adult schools offer medical assistant and pharmacy technician programs. Basic Life Support is a short class.
- Know the system you will use. Postings name Epic and other electronic medical records. Mention any experience with them.
- Speak a second language? John Muir lists bilingual skills as preferred for medical assistants.
- Know the union jobs. Kaiser’s medical assistant job is a union position (SEIU-UHW), and its posting notes that current employees in its labor coalition can have the experience requirement waived. Getting in the door in any Kaiser role can help you move up later.
- Search often. Both sites list new openings often, and per diem and temporary roles are a common first step.
More options
The county runs its own hospital, Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, which hires certified nursing assistants, technicians and nurses. See how the county hospital hires. For pay, compare postings with our guide to checking whether your pay is fair, or browse healthcare jobs on ContraCostaJobs and set up a job alert.