Probation Officer III

Starting salary up to $59.09/hour ($123,327.92/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The Probation Department invites you to watch their video that highlights the work they do within the community we serve:

Note: To be considered for this position you must meet the minimum qualifications in experience and education and have achieved a passing score on the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Selection Examination for the Adult Corrections Officer, Juvenile Corrections Officer, and Probation Officer Classifications for Local Corrections.

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:

• 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
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, and 12 paid holidays 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 Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $850 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee 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
• Student Loan Debt Relief – County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

About the Position

In the Sonoma County Probation Department, Probation Officer IIIs (PO IIIs) are division leaders providing consultation, guidance, role-modeling, and coaching to entry- and journey-level Probation Officers. They conduct interviews, prepare court reports and recommendations, and represent the Probation Department in Court. Using a thorough understanding of case management strategies including evidence-based practices, PO IIIs facilitate cognitive behavioral groups and conduct one-on-one meetings with clients. Additionally, PO IIIs work collaboratively with service providers, stakeholders, and families of clients; conduct field contacts, searches, and arrests; and transport clients to/from programs or facilities, as needed. Ideal PO III candidates will possess excellent communication skills, a thorough knowledge of evidence-based practices, experience writing and presenting reports before the Courts, and working knowledge of evidence-based principles and practices in Juvenile Justice, Probation, and Community Corrections. Additionally, they will have:

• Demonstrated an ability to address and problem-solve complex cases
• Experience building rapport and developing quality interpersonal relationships with probation clients and working collaboratively with families, program providers, and other stakeholder groups
• In-depth knowledge of and experience working with marginalized populations
• Strong cultural competency in working with diverse backgrounds and ethnicities
• Experience participating in department committees, initiatives, and development opportunities
• The ability to effectively utilize justice systems, assessment tools, and case management systems
• A passion for helping and serving others and the core belief that people have the ability to make positive behavioral changes

Training and/or completed coursework in the following areas is highly desired:

• Child Abuse Reporting Laws
• Commercially Sexually Exploited Children
• Determinate Sentencing Law
• Evidence-Based Practices
• Group Facilitation
• Motivational Interviewing
• Trauma Informed Care, Culturally Responsive, and Gender Specific Programming

Please note: Probation Officers work non-traditional hours which may include weekend and evening hours.

*Salary is negotiable. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Sonoma County Law Enforcement Association's Memorandum Of Understanding (SCLEA MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.  

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Probation Officer III position in the Probation Department. 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.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED. 

Experience and Education: Any combination of experience, training and education which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include possession of a bachelor's degree in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, criminology, administration of justice, or a closely related field, AND one year of full time professional probation experience equivalent to the journey-level class of Probation Officer II with the County of Sonoma.
OR 
Significant academic course work in sociology, behavioral and social psychology, social casework, social welfare, counseling and guidance, or a closely related field AND two years of full time experience in a position equivalent, or closely related, to Correctional Officer, Deputy Sheriff, Juvenile Correctional Counselor, Social Worker, Substance Abuse Treatment Provider, or Probation Assistant with the County of Sonoma PLUS one year of full time professional probation experience equivalent to the  journey-level class of Probation Officer II with the County of Sonoma.

Additional Requirements: In accordance with California Government Code, Section 1029 - 1031, and the California Corrections Standards Authority, Title 15, Section 131, Minimum Standards for Selection, each employee shall meet the following minimum standards: United States citizenship or status as a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship (if a permanent resident alien has not obtained citizenship within three years after application for employment or is denied citizenship, he/she will be disqualified for peace officer status); have no prior felony conviction nor be under current formal probation supervision; and achieved a passing score on the California Corrections Standards Authority Probation Officer written exam, or equivalent prior to appointment.

Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete an in-depth background investigation, including a psychological evaluation, finger printing, criminal history check and a medical examination, including physical agilities testing.

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.

Considerable knowledge of: sociology and psychology particularly as they relate to personality development, behavior patterns, motivation, and group and family dynamics; interviewing techniques and investigative procedures; principles of research methodology, report writing and basic statistics; written and oral communication, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition; general community resources necessary to assist in crime and delinquency control; penal, business, health, safety and related codes pertaining to probation work.

Ability to: prepare and effectively present written and oral reports before the court and before adversaries to the court; analyze investigational material and make proper deductions and recommendations; establish and maintain personal working relationships with clients, staff and community agencies and representatives; read and understand written material, including abstracts, financial, legal and medical documents; exercise initiative, perseverance and patience; understand and accept differences in human behavior, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds; apply existing laws, rules and regulations; effectively interview clients to obtain information on a variety of complex and sensitive subjects; physically restrain and/or apprehend offenders in the line of duty.

• 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 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.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

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 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 applicants.

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: the 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.

All candidates will be required to take a pre-employment medical examination. The pre-employment medical examination will include drug testing as part of the medical examination for all applicants and for all current employees who are offered employment with the Offices/Departments. Additionally, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment psychological 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.

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: JL
HR Technician: EV

Salary : $101,476 - $123,328