Deputy District Attorney 2 (Underfill Option)

The Benton County District Attorney's Office is seeking a Deputy District Attorney 2 to join our team.

If you wake up every morning with a desire to do the right thing for the right reason, the Benton County District Attorney’s Office is where you should be.   As a DDA 2, you will protect victims’ rights, promote community safety, hold offenders accountable, and work to protect the constitutional rights of all in the system.  You will have the chance to make a real difference in the lives of others.  As a DDA 2, your case load will be based upon your demonstrated experience and skill set, but as you progress, you can expect to be assigned an increasingly complex and challenging case load.

Pay:

• Annual salary range 
  • Deputy District Attorney 2: $107,278.08 - $146,288.90 
  • Deputy District Attorney 1: $96,194.59 - $131,175.20
• You will be eligible to receive a salary raise at 6 months, then again at 12 months, as long as your performance is in good standing!  If, for example, your starting pay is $117,030.78, your first raise will be to $121,907.14 and your second to $126,783.49).  See DDA 2 Salary Schedules - Benton County Human Resources, Oregon) (click on Management and Non-Represented tab)  

Part of a Team:

Our DDA team is composed of up to 12 prosecutors, with a range of experience from 2 to 24 years.  Maintaining a high level of skill and professionalism is essential.  However, equally important to us is having a team who supports one another, meshes well, and believes in the hard work we do. We emphasize an open-door policy, where each DDA as well as our elected will be available to assist and support you at all times; whether it is learning the practices of a new jurisdiction or providing feedback as you prepare for motions or trials in major cases, we will help you succeed.

How We will Support You:

You will be supported by some of the best, brightest and most seasoned prosecutors in the State of Oregon. You will have true and trusted mentors who will help you to be your best; you will have the opportunity to mentor and support DDAs with less or different experience than yourself.  Every year we send most of our DDAs to the ODAA summer conference as a team.  We will also provide opportunities for additional training in line with your areas of interest.  We plan each year to send a few of our DDAs to trainings at the National District Attorneys Association.  

Our Prosecution Approach:

We use a vertical prosecution model, where each DDA handles their cases from review and charging through trial and sentencing. You will be encouraged to take on more challenging cases as you advance in skill and experience.  We provide our DDAs with a broad range of case assignments, but we will encourage you to develop an expertise in your particular areas of interest.  As a DDA 2, we will expect you to exercise a fair amount of autonomy regarding your cases, including making charging decisions, or in resolving or trying cases by “seeking justice through the truth” (our motto).  

To that end, in addition to the traditional prosecution model, we are open to the use of alternative resolutions as appropriate, such as deflection, diversion, drug treatment court or restorative justice.

All are Welcome

The strength of our organization lies in the diversity of our workforce and the varying perspectives our employees bring. We encourage all to apply, including members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and LGBTQIA community members. 

Why the Benton County DA’s Office?

In the words of one of our DDAs:

“The Benton County DA’s Office is a tight-knit community committed to justice and lifting each other up. The work we do is fulfilling but difficult. We are a team of kind, friendly, caring, and supportive individuals, committed to supporting each other as we strive to improve the wonderful and beautiful region that we serve. The Benton County DA’s office is the perfect place to work if you want to make the world a better place and enjoy yourself doing it.”

Click Here for a complete list of the duties, responsibilities and physical requirements of the District Attorney 2 position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
The following minimum qualifications are required for this position: 

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law; AND
• Active member in good standing of the Oregon State Bar by time of hire, or within 6 months for transfers from other states; AND
• A minimum three (3) years of relevant legal experience, with one (1) of those years in felony criminal litigation, or equivalent relevant experience in complex litigation. 

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law; AND
  • Active member in good standing of the Oregon State Bar by time of hire, or within 6 months for transfers from other states; OR
  • Ability to qualify for and complete the Oregon State Bar Supervised Practice Portfolio Examination in a timely manner, upon being hired.

• Must have or obtain a valid Oregon Driver’s License within the first 30 days of hire (travel required).  Must maintain a good driving record, and the use of a personal vehicle. 
• Benton County residency is not required. However, due to the nature of the work, must live within a commute of 60 minutes from the Benton County Courthouse (a reasonable transition period will be allowed).
• Successful completion of a criminal background investigation.
• Ongoing compliance with all Federal, State and Local statutes.

The Ideal Candidate

Salary Placement
Your application will be used to determine salary placement based on a pay equity assessment. Please ensure you have provided a thorough and updated application as it pertains to the position for which you are applying. For further information, please click on the link Oregon Pay Equity Law for more details.
 
BENEFITS

• 11 Paid Holidays 64 Personal Leave Hours 2 Floating Holidays 8 hours of vacation accrual every month sick leave! Vacation accrual increases with years of service.

• Medical, Dental and Vision - cover your whole family without paying a dime.
• The county currently pays up to $10.28 per hour to cover your health benefits ($1,781 a month for a family plan, $21,372 a year).
• In addition, the county contributes up to $1,400 per year to your Health Savings or Retirement account!
  • Apart from your deductible you can use this money for things that aren’t traditionally paid by insurance – i.e. Ibuprofen, Tylenol and other preventative type medications.
  • You never lose your Health Savings Account funds as it rolls over from year to year.
• Dependents up to age 26 are covered!

• After 6 months of employment:
  • The County makes a retirement contribution of 6% of your salary towards Oregon Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)!
    • Deputy District Attorneys fall under the enhanced PERS designation of Police and Fire.
  • The County makes a deferred compensation 457b plan contribution of 3% of your salary! You can add more if you wish.

• Loan Forgiveness eligibility
• The office covers your bar dues and continuing legal education expenses.  We provide opportunities for specialized trainings that fit with the areas of prosecution in which you demonstrate an interest.

• Interactive and personalized approach focused on your whole health 
• Onsite and virtual seminars, wellness challenges and fun activities 
• Monetary incentives and cool prizes to engage everyone and meet your individual needs

• Supplemental plans are available at reasonable rates!

• Reach out to us anytime: recruiting@bentoncountyor.gov

The first review of applications will be on March 5, 2025.

Applications that are submitted after this date may or may not be considered for interviews. The posting may close without notice after the first review date when a sufficient number of qualified candidates are received.  

Questions regarding this position can be directed to

Kim McDermid, Executive Assistant

Benton County District Attorney Department

Telephone: (541) 766-6190

kim.mcdermid@bentoncountyor.gov

Working and Living in Benton County

Being a part of Benton County means you will be surrounded by highly educated neighbors and colleagues, with college-town amenities and resources.  Our jury pools are often comprised of professors, engineers, and even rocket scientists.  The Willamette Valley offers beautiful scenery, and is an outdoors person’s dream. The mountains, coast or larger cities are just a short drive away.

Living and working in the heart of the Wilmette Valley offers unparalleled access to the great outdoors. The courthouse is located less than a mile from the Willamette River with excellent fishing and recreational activities. The beautiful Oregon coast is just over an hour away and has plenty of options for fantastic day trips to the beach, surfing, and hiking. You will also have easy access to the Coastal and Cascade mountain ranges for hiking, backpacking, and famous mountain biking trails. In the winter, several ski resorts are available to enjoy your weekends year round.

• To apply for this position, click on the "Apply" button to fill out all information in the online application and complete the questionnaire. Failure to do so may result in your application being removed from consideration.
• Only complete applications received by the posted application deadline date, or the first review date will be considered. 
• Answer all supplemental questions.

• You will get an email stating your application has been submitted. Log in to your NeoGov account before the job announcement closes to see if you have any pending tasks or notifications, and make sure to complete these tasks before the job announcement closes. These can be found under the “My Applications” section.
• Be sure to check both your email and NeoGov account for updates regarding this recruitment. 

• This is a FLSA exempt position.
• This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions.
• This position requires driving and may require use of a personal vehicle. 
• Hiring is contingent on the successful completion of a criminal background investigation.
• Please save a copy of this job announcement for your reference, as it may not be available for you to view after the job closes.
• Eligible veterans who meet the qualifications will be given veterans' preference. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources. NOTE: If claiming veterans’ preference please be sure to attach your DD214 or Disability letter from the VA.
• Benton County does not offer VISA sponsorships. Within three days of hire, you will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's I-9 form confirming authorization to work in the United States. Benton County will review these documents to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.
• If you wish to identify yourself as an individual with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and will be requesting accommodation, please contact the Benton County Human Resources Department by calling 541-766-6081.

Salary : $107,278 - $146,289