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County of Sonoma

Deputy District Attorney I

County of Sonoma, Santa Rosa, California, us, 95402


The Sonoma County District Attorney's Office is seeking dedicated, and passionate attorneys to join their team!Starting salary up to $76.13/hourly ($158,892/annually) and a competitive total compensation package!*At this time, there are multiple Deputy District Attorney positions that will be filled at the I, II, or III level, depending on qualifications. If you are interested in being considered for the II or III levels, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for those levels.What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:Career Advancement

- With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Deputy District Attorney II (up to $173,898/annually)Paid Time Off

- Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per yearCounty Paid Health Premium Contributions

- 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan optionsStaff Development/Wellness Pay

- Annual benefit allowances of up to $1,250 and ongoing education/training opportunitiesAnnual Professional Development Benefit

- $452Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement

- County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefitsRetirement

- A pension fully integrated with Social SecurityPaid Parental Leave

- May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employmentWorking for the District Attorney's Office

As a Deputy District Attorney I, you will work on assignments involving the preparation and presentation of criminal cases before the court. After completing an orientation and training period, you will be expected to gain experience handling all phases of misdemeanor criminal trial practice, appellate, and/or civil practice. As you develop professionally, you will apply your growing knowledge, and ability in the law, under less supervision.The ideal candidates will possess experience that demonstrates an interest in practicing criminal prosecution and will have made some court appearances, argued legal motions, have some experience with legal research and writing, and/or handled daily court calendars. They will be dedicated to ensuring equal justice and equal access to the criminal justice system for all citizens of Sonoma County regardless of race, gender, sexual identity, ethnic origin, or nationality. Ideal candidates will also possess:Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to communicate effectively in a public settingThe ability to build successful relationships with other staff, the courts, and the general publicExceptional critical thinking skills and effective negotiation skillsProficiency in basic computer programs, including Microsoft Word and PowerPointA comfort with electronic case management systems and the ability to input data on a daily basisPlease note:

As a part of the minimum qualifications for the position, current, active membership in the State Bar of California is required. To meet this qualification, you must be sworn in as a current, active member of the State Bar of California at the time of application submission.Minimum Qualifications

Professional License:

Current active membership in the State Bar of California.Experience:

Completion of a law clerk program in a District Attorney's office is highly desirable.License:

Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

the duties, powers, limitations, and authorities of the Office of the District Attorney; the principles of civil or criminal law, principles of trial procedure, and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.Ability to:

research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, the courts, law enforcement agency officials, and the general public; understand and accept differences in human behavior, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds.Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.Responses to supplemental questions will or may be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:An

Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination

(weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

It is the policy of law enforcement and legal offices and departments, in the County of Sonoma, that candidates complete a thorough background investigation process prior to employment. This policy is imperative in order to keep the department's employees and the public safe and to maintain high standards in the law enforcement community. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy.The background investigation will include a thorough assessment of a candidate's personal, employment, educational, criminal, and credit history. The investigation may include but is not necessarily limited to: use of prescription and/or other drugs, reports from former employers, friends, family members, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, credit reports, court reports, public records search, and/or other relevant sources. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment.Depending on the assignment, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment medical examination and may be required to take a polygraph examination. All candidates for law enforcement positions are required to undergo drug testing as part of the selection process. Additionally, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment psychological and physical abilities examination. The results of these examinations and the background investigation shall be confidential and shall not be available to the candidate for review. Failure to pass the background investigation will eliminate a candidate from the employment process. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.Issues that arise during the investigation process will be assessed and judgment and discretion will be used to determine the employability of the candidate. Where there is evidence of a candidate's past use of controlled substances, many factors shall be used to determine the employability of the individual such as a pattern of use, kind of drug used, circumstances of the start of the drug use, treatment, behavior and attitude since discontinuance, etc. Please note that a history of using controlled substances does not result in automatic disqualification from the selection process. Prior to disqualifying any candidate whose profile falls within the provisions of the policy, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to present any and all evidence of mitigating facts that the candidate feels should be considered by the hiring authority. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter.HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.HR Analyst: DPHR Technician: EV

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