Salary : $105,399.56 – $128,086.55 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Extra Help
Job Number: 23/07-4205-EHC
Department: District Attorney’s Office (DAO)
Division: DA – District Attorney (4210)
Opening Date: 07/11/2023
Closing Date: Continuous
Position Information
The District Attorney’s Office seeks a skilled criminal investigations professional to become an Extra-Help District Attorney Investigator I.
Starting salary negotiable up to $57.92/Hour!
Working as a District Attorney Investigator I
The District Attorney’s Office is dedicated to providing the community with a safe place to live, while seeking truth and justice in a professional and ethical manner. As an Extra-Help District Attorney Investigator I, you will investigate sensitive cases pertaining to civil and criminal complaints, consumer fraud, public corruption, and related matters. Additionally you will:
- Perform investigations for pending criminal matters, serve civil papers, and make arrests as necessary
- Investigate, locate, and ensure victims and witnesses are available for interviews and court dates
- Conduct home visits and in-the-field surveillance to obtain information pertinent to the prosecution of cases
- Investigate locations and scenes of alleged crimes for evidence and to evaluate physical, material, and environmental factors relevant to cases
- Photograph and prepare charts and diagrams of crime scenes and events
- Participate in multi-jurisdictional task forces
What You BringThe ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced environment and possesses:
- Experience with Insurance Fraud, especially Workers Compensation and Auto-Insurance Fraud investigations
- Recent experience as a full-time law enforcement officer in California (as defined by Penal Code section 830.1.)
- Bilingual English/Spanish is highly desired
EXTRA-HELP EMPLOYMENT
Extra-help employees relieve or augment permanent staff. Temporary, extra-help employees are not in the classified civil service and do not have property rights to permanently allocated positions. In addition, they do not receive most employee benefits such as: long-term disability insurance coverage; accrual of vacation; participation in the County retirement program; or eligibility to take promotional examinations. Temporary, extra-help employees are limited in their employment to a maximum of one calendar year. These employees must be off of work for three months before they can be re-employed on an extra help basis. Extra-help employees who meet the eligibility requirements may qualify for a County contribution toward medical coverage.
This employment list may also be used to fill future extra-help positions as they occur during the active status of the list.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
Experience and Education: Four years of recent, full time paid law enforcement work with a city, county, state or federal police agency. Experience in criminal or civil investigations, and academic course work or professional training in the behavioral sciences, law enforcement, and the techniques of investigations 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, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Certificate: Possession of Basic Certificate issued by the California Commission on Peace Officer’s Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.). Prior to the expiration of the probationary period, incumbents must also acquire a certificate of completion of the training required by POST for District Attorney Investigators.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Working knowledge of: investigative techniques; interviewing principles and techniques; the principles of identification and the presentation of evidence; civil and criminal law; criminal attitudes and behavioral patterns and the social factors underlying criminal behavior; the penal, evidence, probate, and civil codes, as well as the code of civil procedure; the English language, its usage, syntax and grammatical structure; the legal rights of citizens as they pertain to the judicial process; legal procedures and the rules of evidence.
Some knowledge of: financial record keeping.
Ability to: conduct effective field investigations; analyze and interpret laws relating to investigations; establish and maintain effective working relationships with the general public and staff; obtain information through interview, interrogation and observation; enforce the law firmly, impartially and with tact; prepare basic factual reports in both written and oral formats; care for and use firearms when required.
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 your employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application and should 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 to review more detailed information about the application, examination, and department selection processes.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:
An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal (pass/not pass) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant’s combination of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position to ensure satisfaction of the minimum qualifications for this position. Candidates who possess the minimum qualifications for the position will be placed on an extra-help employment list and referred to the department. The department may contact candidates from the employment list who possess the most appropriate job-related qualifications for further consideration.
A background investigation is required prior to employment. 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 applicants.
Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer are contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the to determine the requirements for this position.
HOW TO APPLYApplications are accepted online at 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. 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: JT
HR Technician: RR
IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.
COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*
These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:
Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 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: Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution towards the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit. For specific details, please refer to the applicable MOU). A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.
Cash Allowance: A cash allowance of approximately $600 per month, in addition to monthly salary.
Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit
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.
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 Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to or, contact the Human Resources’ Risk Management-Benefits Office at or
*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?
- California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
- CalJobs
- Careers in Government
- College or University
- Craigslist
- DiversityJobs
- Employee of Sonoma County
- Glassdoor
- Google Jobs
- GovernmentJobs.com
- Handshake
- Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County
- Indeed
- Job Fair
- La Voz
- Latino Service Providers
- Los Cien
- Minority Organization or Group
- POST
- Press Democrat
- sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
- Sonoma County Human Resources Office
- Sonoma County Job Line
- Start Here!
- Veterans Services Office
- Women’s Organization or Group
- Workplace Diversity
- ZipRecruiter
- Other Internet Site
- Other Publication
02
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
03
Do you possess a California Commission of Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Basic Certificate, which is required to be considered for this position?
- Yes
- No
04
For this question and all subsequent questions 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.
The minimum qualifications for this position require a combination of coursework and experience. Please describe how you meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Normally this would include:
- Education and/or training in behavioral sciences, law enforcement, investigation techniques, or a closely related field.
- Four or more years’ of recent full-time, paid law enforcement experience, including collateral and investigative positions, that qualifies you for this position.
05
Please describe your experience preparing criminal or civil cases for court. To demonstrate your ability to work within the judicial process, highlight the type(s) of testimony you have provided, victim/suspect/witness considerations, attorney contact, evidence preparation, and other relevant details.
06
Please describe a complex civil or criminal investigation that you conducted or lead. Describe the type of investigation, your role in the process, interviews, interrogations, further investigative tasks (arrest/search warrant, evidence), challenges you overcame, and the outcome.
Required Question