Deputy District Attorney I

Deputy District Attorney I

Salary

$140,024.88 - $170,183.76 Annually

Location

Santa Rosa, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

26/07-4005-OC

Department

District Attorneys Office (DAO)

Opening Date

07/31/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

Bargaining Unit

45

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Position Information

Are you scheduled to take the California (CA) Bar exam or awaiting your California Bar results? We encourage you to apply!

The Sonoma County District Attorneys Office is seeking experienced and passionate attorneys to join their team!

Starting salary up to $81.54/hourly ($170,183/annually) and a competitive total compensation package!

The District Attorneys Office is currently recruiting to fill two Deputy District Attorney positions at either the Deputy District Attorney I, II, III, or IV levels depending on qualifications. If you are interested in being considered at the different levels of this opportunity, you must apply to the separate concurrent recruitments being conducted for those levels.

The Positions

As a Deputy District Attorney I, you will be responsible for all phases of criminal prosecution as a member of the Misdemeanor Team. This position will review police reports to determine whether the District Attorney's Office should file criminal charges, will prosecute criminal cases from initial arraignment through completion, including jury trials. and will be responsible for a high volume of cases and must actively engage with other attorneys on the Misdemeanor Team.

This position will also be expected to routinely make independent decisions while exercising sound discretion. Due to the high volume of work, an attorney in this position cannot possibly consult with others before making every decision. However, the attorney in this position should consult with colleagues to ensure that all attorneys are consistently achieving uniform and just outcomes. For more serious cases involving vulnerable victims, this position is expected to consult with a Chief Deputy District Attorney.

The Ideal Candidates

In addition to holding a Juris Doctorate degree and being admitted to the California Bar, the ideal candidates will also possess experience that demonstrates an interest in practicing criminal prosecution. They will have some experience with court appearances, arguing legal motions, conducting legal research and writing, and handling daily court calendars. They will be selflessly committed to handling challenging work for the betterment of the community and 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. The ideal candidate will also possess many of the following:

• Training in trial advocacy or other aspects of California criminal law
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to communicate effectively in a public setting
• Effective negotiation skills when interacting with opposing attorneys
• Some experience using an electronic case management system
• The ability to empathetically communicate with victims of crimes and other members of the public
• A team player mindset to actively engage with all members of the office
• The ability to thrive in a high demand, difficult decision-making environment

Please note: A current, active member of the State Bar of California is required by date of hire, please see Questions 4 and 5.

The District Attorneys Office

Under the leadership of the District Attorney, Carla Rodriguez, the Sonoma County District Attorneys Office is the largest legal office in the County and has a staff of 138 employees including attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and clerical support. Our mission is to pursue justice for the people of Sonoma County through innovative prosecution, strategic legislative advocacy, and strong community partnerships, holding those who harm our community accountable while delivering victim-centered justice with integrity and professionalism. With a population in excess of 475,000, the office handles a wide variety of serious and complex criminal cases, as well as civil consumer protection and environmental crimes. Our core values are:

• Integrity - We uphold the highest ethical standards and do what's right, even when it's difficult
• Courage - We have the determination to fearlessly pursue justice, advocating relentlessly for victims and holding offenders accountable regardless of challenges or opposition.
• Results Focused - We pursue creative, evidence-based solutions that address harm, enhance public safety, and deliver meaningful justice for victims and our community.
• Professionalism - We conduct ourselves with competency, respect, and accountability while maintaining the highest standards of legal practice and public service.
• Victim Centered - We treat every victim with dignity, respect, and compassion while ensuring their voice is heard and their healing is supported throughout the justice process.

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 youre working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework- A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement- A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Career Advancement- With time and good performance, the opportunity for advancement to Deputy District Attorney II ($153,236 - $186,254/annually)
• Paid Time Off- Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness- Annual benefit allowances of up to $1,250 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Annual Professional Development Benefit - $452
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave- May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits: Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief- County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

The District Attorney's Office is currently recruiting to fill two Deputy District Attorney positions at either the I, II, III, or IV levels. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

• Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Sonoma County Prosecutors Association Memorandum of Understanding, (SCPA MOU) and our Employee Benefits directory.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Completion of a law clerk program in a District Attorneys office is highly desirable.

Professional License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California.

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. The positions advertised on this announcement do not require possession of a valid California Driver's License.

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 be used in assessing minimum qualifications. 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.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.

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. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

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 announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. 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: DP

HR Technician: KK

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits:*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired.

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution. For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

• Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

01

How did you first learn about this opportunity?

• Careers in Government
• College or University
• County of Sonoma Human Resources Office
• DiversityJobs
• Employee of Sonoma County
• Facebook
• Glassdoor
• GovernmentJobs.com
• Handshake
• Indeed
• Instagram
• Job Fair
• La Voz
• Latino Service Providers
• LinkedIn
• Los Cien
• Press Democrat
• sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
• Start Here!
• X (Twitter)
• Veterans Services Office
• Womens Organization or Group
• Other Internet Site
• Other Publication

02

Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Check all that apply.

• I would also like to be considered for future part-time positions
• I would also like to be considered for future extra-help positions
• I am only interested in full-time positions

03

This eligible list may be used for future bilingual (English/Spanish) positions. Please indicate if you are interested in bilingual positions and your level of proficiency.

• Yes, I have basic (conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
• Yes, I have fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) English/Spanish bilingual skills
• No, I do not have English/Spanish bilingual skills, and/or I do not wish to be considered for a bilingual position

04

California Bar Examination Status. (To meet minimum qualifications and be hired into a position, you must be an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California. Applicants who are registered to take the California Bar Examination or who are awaiting California Bar results, may be further considered in the next step of the selection process.) Please select one of the following options to reflect your status upon submitting your application:

• I am an active member in good standing with the State Bar of California
• I am eligible to transfer my inactive California Bar Membership to active status (active status is required in order to be eligible to receive a final offer of employment)
• I am currently registered to take the next California Bar Examination
• I have taken and am awaiting results of the California Bar Examination
• I have successfully passed the California Bar Examination and am pending licensure and swearing in
• I am not registered for the California Bar exam, nor am I awaiting results from the California Bar exam
• I am not an active attorney licensed by the State Bar of California and do not plan to become an active member with the State Bar of California in the future

05

If you have registered for, are awaiting results, or have successfully passed the California Bar Examination, please list the date of the Bar exam you registered for or took below; otherwise please write, "Not Applicable."

06

For this question and all subsequent questions, please provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.

Please list the applicable courses, clinics, and/or training programs you have successfully completed that are relevant to criminal justice, consumer protection, environmental law, evidence, criminal and/or civil litigation, etc.

07

Please describe your experience as an attorney, law clerk, or other professional legal position in a District Attorneys Office, or other prosecutorial agency. Include your level of responsibility, job title(s), dates of employment (mm/yy to mm/yy), and the name of the employer(s) where you gained this experience.

08

Please detail your experience with misdemeanor, felony criminal or civil trials, motions, preliminary hearings, and/or other hearings and appearances. Provide details regarding the types of cases and/or specific litigation issues addressed.

Required Question

Employer County of Sonoma (CA)

Address 575 Administration Drive, Suite 116B

Santa Rosa, California, 95403

Phone (707) 565-1701

Website http://www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org