Job seekers in San Joaquin County will have a chance to land a temporary position over the next several months when U.S. Census Bureau performs its “dress rehearsal.”

The bureau will host a job fair today to recruit residents who are 16 and older for jobs that pay between $12.25 and $14.50 an hour, beginning in April. The new hires will help the bureau create a mailing list and collect information.

The bureau wants to hire 2,000 people for five to 10 weeks.

Most positions require workers to walk from house to house to update address lists and make sure that households complete the census questionnaire.

San Joaquin is one of two areas nationwide chosen in January for the dress rehearsal for the 2010 census. The other site is Fayetteville, N.C., and its surrounding nine-county region, which includes two military bases.

San Joaquin County was selected because it presents a unique challenge to census takers with its urban location, language diversity, migrant labor force, rapid growth, new neighborhoods and assortment of housing options.

Local workers are vital to the rehearsal’s success, census spokewoman Briana Kaya said.

“New development sites have popped up in the last few years in Tracy, so it’s important that we update those addresses,” she said. “We want local residents that know the area and want to make sure the census gets an accurate count.”

Amor Mercado, one of 10 recruiting assistants in the county, recently papered Tracy with fliers in an effort to recruit workers.

“We really need a lot of participation in Tracy and Mountain House,” Mercado said. “I’m hoping we’ll have enough applicants.”

Brian Williams from the Employment Development Department said Tracy is always in need of more jobs, especially high-paying positions.

“The jobs that are opening in Tracy all tend to be entry-level jobs,” he said. “This one is definitely better than the average.”

The jobs will offer flexible hours and are ideal for students, retirees and others seeking part-time work, Mercado said.

Since the 2000 nationwide survey, the census process has been re-engineered with new technology, such as handheld computers equipped with Global Positioning Systems.

The 2010 census will be simpler, more accurate and easier to fill out than the previous form, according to the bureau. It also promises to be more accurate and yield faster results.

n To contact reporter Danielle MacMurchy, call 830-4280 or e-mail danielle@tracypress.com.