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Job Description
CAREER DESCRIPTION
INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANT I/II
(Public Defender)
SALARY HOURLY:
Investigative Assistant I $23.46 - $31.62
Investigative Assistant II $26.87 - $36.19
THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Online applications will be accepted from Thursday, May 29, 2025 through Monday, June 09, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (PST). Qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to apply immediately. This recruitment is being held to establish an open eligible list to fill current and future vacancies in the Public Defender's Office.
In addition to performance-based merit increases, this position is scheduled to receive a salary range increase on the following date:
Effective June 27, 2025 - 4.00%
Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.
BILINGUAL COMPENSATION
An additional $0.70 per hour is paid for this position requiring bilingual skills (speak, read, and write) in Spanish and/or Vietnamese only. Candidates must pass the bilingual exam to be eligible for supplemental pay.
THE OFFICES OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER
Orange County Public Defender's Office is a law firm of highly dedicated and skilled attorneys, investigators, paralegals, and support staff who work to advance a more humane and compassionate justice system by protecting the constitutional rights and freedoms of the diverse communities of Orange County through inspired, client-centered advocacy in the courtroom and the community. In addition to clients in criminal cases, counsel is appointed to represent children in Juvenile Court Delinquency cases, parents in Dependency cases, and a variety of persons in Mental Health cases.
Please click HERE for more information about the Offices of Public Defender.
THE POSITIONS
The Investigative Assistant I and Investigative Assistant II positions are responsible for assisting criminal defense attorneys by performing a variety of non-sworn office and field investigative support work. The assignment may be at any of our various locations or units and will include criminal, mental health, and dependency cases and unit rotations may occur based upon the business needs of the Department . This is an in-person assignment, and the duties cannot be performed remotely/virtually.
Investigative Assistants have the opportunity to:- Interview clients and witnesses, in and out of custody, regarding the circumstances and events of alleged crime. This may include photographing in-custody clients.
- Interview clients in designated Mental Health facilities.
- Conduct research to locate witnesses through a variety of sources, public and
subpoenaed records, legal databases, and other related search methods. - Gather records as needed to support investigations and the discovery process for attorney use.
- Prepare and serve personal subpoenas to non-hostile witnesses, expert witnesses, and to public institutions for staff or records; drives vehicle to various field and office locations.
- Act as liaison between clients, witnesses, and county staff. Duties could include delivering clothing to the jail facilities.
- Prepare reports of interviewees.
- May be called to testify in Court regarding the "due diligence" attempts to locate/serve
witnesses, and compliance with the discovery process. - Assist with the coordination of the department's intern program.
Investigative Assistant II is the journey-level classification in the occupational series. Positions allocated to this class perform routine, low hazard, field and office assignments and are characterized by their independence and the requirement for immediate office and field decisions.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS AND CORE COMPETENCIES
The Offices of the Public Defender is seeking an individual who i s self-motivated, capable of multi-tasking with frequent interruptions, and within definitive timelines, in a fast-paced office environment, jail facilities and/or courtroom holding tanks . The ideal candidate will possess professional work experience and/or knowledge in the following core competencies :
Specialized Knowledge/Expertise- Methods, techniques and regulations applicable to service of civil and criminal process.
- Criminal and Civil procedures.
- Principles of identification, search and seizure, and related legal information.
- Rules of evidence.
- Interviewing techniques.
- Basic Human behavior and motivation sufficient to overcome hostility and reticence in the interviewees.
- Understand and apply laws, rules and regulations applicable to the activities in the Public Defender's Office.
- Use proper judgment in matters requiring immediate decisions.
- Technologically savvy with electronic media.
- Languages:
- Bilingual communication (speak, read, and write) in Spanish or Vietnamese is not required but is preferred.
Relationship Building- Establish rapport with and gain cooperation of people from widely varying backgrounds.
- Evaluate credibility of persons interviewed; persuade and obtain cooperation from reluctant witnesses.
- Work effectively with a variety of law enforcement and county agencies.
Oral/Written Communication Knowledge/Expertise- Prepare clear and concise reports, spell correctly, and use proper English grammar.
- Listens effectively to others.
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here to review the policy.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Click here for detailed information on the minimum qualifications for the Investigative Assistant I classification, including education substitution* and special requirements. Education/Experience*: College-level education in law, law enforcement, criminology or a closely related field (sociology and/or psychology) may be substituted for up to six months of the required experience at the rate of three semester units for one month of experience.
Click here for detailed information on the minimum qualifications for the Investigative Assistant II classification, including education substitution** and special requirements. Education/Experience**: College-level education in law, law enforcement, criminology or a closely related field (sociology and/or psychology) may be substituted for up to one year of the required experience at the rate of three semester units for one month of experience.
Education Substitution : If you are using the directly related college level education courses or training towards the minimum qualifications, you must attach your unofficial transcripts to the application at the time you submit the application, while the recruitment is still open. Emailed or faxed copies are not acceptable. Original sealed official transcripts will be required by the date of appointment.
Note: Foreign degrees require an evaluation of U.S. equivalency by an agency that is a member of the National Association of Credential Services (N.A.C.E.S.) .
Please note: Years of experience are calculated based upon the work rate of 40 hours per week. In addition, the program does not allow you to revise your application and/or add attachments after submitting.
To ensure case confidentiality, please do not provide specific identifying case names and/or case numbers within the application, all supplemental responses and in all attachments to the application.
Special Requirements
Must pass a background investigation, including a jail security clearance.
License Required
License Required - Possession of a valid California Driver's License, Class C or higher, by date of appointment.
PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
The County of Orange is committed to providing a means for applicants who may have a disability to identify areas in which they may request a reasonable accommodation. The following is a description of the physical and mental abilities which are customarily required to perform the essential job functions of this position. Applicants are encouraged to contact the recruiter listed below for any questions or to request an accommodation during the testing/selection process.
Physical Characteristics: Independent body mobility, agility and stamina sufficient for frequent walking, standing, sitting, kneeling, squatting, and twisting and bending at the waist routinely for prolonged periods to perform daily tasks; speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably and take direction in person, over the telephone, in jail facilities and in court with a variety of people, including subordinates, supervisory staff, technical and management staff and the public; possess vision sufficient to read standard text, fine print, various handwritings, view a computer monitor and to drive; ability to sit for prolonged periods of time; conduct interviews in a nonstandard field environment; ability to access a standard office environment as well as courtroom equipment; manual dexterity to use hands, arms, and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard, to write, to use a computer keyboard, and to use other office equipment such as a stapler, telephone and photocopy machine, often simultaneously; ability to drive an automobile Ability to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard. Ability to work under stressful conditions, deadlines, multiple assignments concurrently, and competing priorities. Ability to work with other individuals successfully and collaboratively. Body strength sufficient to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds.
Environmental Conditions: Will be required to interact with persons of diverse backgrounds and educational levels including witnesses and persons having interest in criminal cases and varying levels of other governmental organizations which include jail facilities and/or courtroom holding tanks; interact with the public in emotional and occasionally hostile situations; work with changing deadlines and competing priorities. May be required to drive a County vehicle or use County-approved means of transportation for job-related travel.
BACKGROUND VERIFICATION/SANCTION SCREENING
All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of a background check consisting of employment history, professional references, conviction history, criminal check, jail security clearance and education verification (i.e., degree, license, and official transcript).
Candidates will be required to pass the background check to the satisfaction of the hiring Department, including a fingerprint check though Live Scan and jail security clearance. Applicants will also be required to answer a conviction questionnaire as part of the recruitment process. A clean driving record may be required while employed in this classification (see minimum qualifications and classification description for required license).
RECRUITMENT PROCESS/SELECTION PROCEDURES
Application Screening (Refer/Non-Refer)
Public Defender Human Resources screens all application materials to identify the qualified candidates who meet minimum qualifications. Minimum qualifications are screened at the time the application is submitted. After the initial screening, those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job bulletin will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. D uring the application screening step, you will need to demonstrate your qualifications on your application. All candidates will be notified via email of their status and of further procedures applicable to their status in the recruitment competition.
Application Appraisal Panel | Supplemental Questions Rating (Weighted 100%):
A panel of job knowledge experts will only evaluate the responses to the supplemental questions for job knowledge, competencies, and related experience described above.
Each candidate's rating is solely based on the candidate's responses to the supplemental questions; therefore, candidates should be thorough, detailed, and complete in their responses to the supplemental questions. The information you provide will be rated, so please be descriptive and thorough in your response."See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be evaluated in lieu of the required information. Clarity of expression, grammar, spelling and your ability to follow instructions may also be considered in the evaluation process.
This is a competitive process. Please note that the panel will also be evaluating written communication skills. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.
Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedure.
ELIGIBLE LIST
After the competitive procedures listed above have been completed, an eligible list of qualified candidates will be established. Candidates will be notified of their standing. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.
INTERESTED?- Apply online as only online applications will be accepted.
- Your application should highlight all of the areas in which you have developed expertise, matching your professional experience with the specific qualifications listed above.
- In the job experience section of the application, it is imperative that you include the company name and address, position held, employment dates, full-time or part-time, duties and reason for leaving. All this information must be included for each job listed.
- Applicants are required to answer supplemental questions in addition to completing the online application. Note: We suggest you prepare the supplemental answers offline so you do not lose your Internet connection. Once you have completed the answers offline, copy and paste your answers in the appropriate boxes.
QUESTIONS
For specific information pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Sandy Zirtzman at (657) 258-7507 orChristine Reese at (657) 251-8838.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYEES
The County of Orange provides a comprehensive, balanced, and competitive benefits package as part of the employee total compensation.
The County offers a competitive benefits package which includes a choice of several health plans, annual leave (includes paid vacation) and paid holidays. Additionally, the County provides a retirement plan. Participation in a deferred compensation plan is available.
For detailed information on benefits click here.
RETIREMENT RECIPROCITY
Current employed members of accepted reciprocal systems who have not retired from those systems, may be eligible for reciprocity.
For detailed information on OCERS retirement click here .
ORANGE COUNTY AMENITIES:- 24 Parks and Trails: OC Parks & Trails
- 17 Beaches/Harbors: OC Beaches
- 7 Historical Sites: OC Historic Sites
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
EMAIL NOTIFICATION: Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct email address is included in our application and use only one email account. NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply. Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via email through the GovernmentJobs.com site. Please check your email folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept emails ending with "governmentjobs.com" and "ocgov.com." If your email address should change, please update your profile at www.governmentjobs.com .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Click here for additional Frequently Asked Questions. For additional information regarding employment with the County of Orange, please visit OC Human Resource Services .
EEO INFORMATION
Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS).
Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
http://www.ocers.org/active-member-information
Click here for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.
Closing Date/Time: 6/9/2025 11:59 PM Pacific -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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County of Orange
Show moreDiscover a Fulfilling Career at the County of Orange
With a population of over 3 million residents and 34 cities, Orange County is a thriving community known for its beautiful beaches, diverse culture, and strong economy. As the third-largest employer in the county, the County of Orange offers over 18,000 employees the opportunity to make a difference in their community and build a fulfilling career in public service.
As a County of Orange employee, you will have the chance to work in a variety of departments, each providing vital services to our community. From law enforcement and healthcare to public works and environmental protection, there is a wide range of career paths to explore. And with opportunities for advancement and professional growth, you can build a long and rewarding career with us.
As a top employer in the region, the County of Orange is committed to providing our employees with excellent benefits, including a competitive salary, flexible work schedules, and outstanding healthcare coverage. We also offer opportunities for career development and training, ensuring that our employees have the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
Whether you're just starting your career or looking for a new challenge, the County of Orange is a great place to work. With a supportive and collaborative work environment, a commitment to excellence, and opportunities for growth and advancement, we invite you to join our team and make a difference in your community.
Community Impact:
Working for the County of Orange means you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in your community. Whether you're providing critical services to residents, protecting the environment, or maintaining public safety, your work will make a difference in the lives of those around you.
Employee Wellness:
At the County of Orange, we prioritize our employees' well-being. We offer telecommuting options, generous health benefits, and wellness programs to promote work-life balance. We believe that by taking care of our employee’s health and well-being, we can help them excel in their careers while still enjoying their personal lives and taking care of their families.
Innovation:
The County of Orange is committed to embracing new technologies and innovative approaches to service delivery. We encourage our employees to think creatively and find ways to improve our processes and systems. If you're someone who loves to problem-solve and think outside the box, you'll find a supportive and dynamic environment here.
Collaboration:
Collaboration is key to our success at the County of Orange. We value teamwork, communication, and mutual support, and we work together across departments and functions to achieve our goals. If you're someone who enjoys collaborating with others and building strong relationships, you'll find a welcoming and inclusive community here.
Equality:
At the County of Orange, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and respected. Our Equity Policy reflects this commitment and guides our efforts to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do.
Career Advancement:
The County of Orange is dedicated to helping our employees grow and advance in their careers. We offer a variety of training and development opportunities to help our employees reach their full potential. If you're looking for a place to build a long and fulfilling career, the County of Orange is an excellent choice.
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