Court Mediator/Investigator I

COURT MEDIATOR/INVESTIGATOR I

*Deadline to apply for this recruitment: This recruitment will remain open on a continuous basis until the needs of the Court have been met and may close at any time. However, the deadline to apply for first round of consideration is Thursday, October 17, 2024.

This recruitment is open to external candidates, internal OCSC employees and internal OCSC promotions. This recruitment will be used to fill current vacancies and an eligible list may be established to fill future vacancies.

ANNUAL SALARY

Court Mediator/Investigator I: $90,438.40 - $103,688.00

(Upon advancement to Court Mediator/Investigator II: Up to $115,689.60*)

BENEFITS HIGHLIGHTS

Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (2.50% at 67 formula)

Choice of five medical plans

Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)

Vacation and sick leave packages

14 paid holidays per year

Educational & professional reimbursement

Optional deferred compensation program (457 plan)

TELEWORK/ON-SITE OPPORTUNITY

The Court Mediator/Investigator job classification is eligible for a combination of telework and on-site work assignments after 6 months of employment for employees who are in good standing.   Telework must be completed from a pre-designated home-based location within the State of California and employees may be required to report on-site to address business needs.  

Telework is at the sole discretion of the Court and may be rescinded with 48 hours' notice, based on needs of the Orange County Superior Court.

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

The Orange County Superior Court is the third largest court of general jurisdiction in California. We have courthouses throughout the county, including locations in Orange, Westminster, Fullerton, Newport Beach, and Santa Ana. We have a staff of about 1,500 and an operating budget of nearly $250 million. The Court's Judges, Commissioners and employees are recognized for their high standards of achievement, integrity, and diversity. The Court is committed to ensuring equal access to court services and enhancing public confidence in the court system.

To learn more about the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, visit our homepage at www.occourts.org.

ABOUT THE POSITION

Under general supervision, the Court Mediator/Investigator assists parties in resolving child custody and visitation disputes by using conflict resolution skills and techniques; conduct mediations, child custody investigations, emergency investigations, minor interviews, second-parent adoptions and termination of parental rights investigations, minor marriage investigations, and prepare written reports with recommendations to the court and/or provide expert testimony to the court; and perform related duties within area of assignment.

Court Mediator/Investigator I is the entry level classification into this professional series. This classification typically reports to the Family Court Services Supervisor and works under close supervision. Incumbents are expected to gain proficiency to promote to Court Mediator/Investigator II journey level classification within the one (1) year probation period. As incumbents gain experience, they are expected to work with increasing independence and proficiency and to perform the full scope of journey level classification duties.

*A Court Mediator/Investigator I is expected to qualify for advancement to Court Mediator/Investigator II by the end of a one (1) year probationary period. There is no permanent status in this classification. Upon advancement to Court Mediator/Investigator II, incumbents are placed on a six (6) month promotional probation period.

Court Mediator/Investigator II is the journey level classification of the professional series. The classification typically reports to the Family Court Services Supervisor. Incumbents are expected to rotate and perform mediation and investigation functions while performing the full range duties including being assigned complex and conflicted cases. Incumbents may also function as a clinical consultant and mentor to junior level staff, and develop and present training to fellow colleagues.

Duties may include but are not limited to the following: 

• Conducts mediation sessions on child custody and visitation disputes; uses clinical skills and techniques, crisis intervention and conflict resolution skills to assist parties in conflict to reach agreement on a parenting plan that is in the best interest of the child(ren).
• Conducts court-ordered investigations on matters related to child custody, including domestic violence, substance abuse, criminal history, and child abuse/neglect. Other investigation types involve emergency referrals which require expedited assessment of the above safety issues; obtains pertinent information and prepares either a written or oral report with expert testimony.
• Mediates disputes involving Family Law Litigation, Juvenile Dependency Court, Probate Court and/or other parties, including parents, social workers, grandparents, and attorneys, to assist in resolving parenting plan disputes and other issues concerning the welfare of minor children in Family Law, Dependency, or Probate Court.

  To view the full job description, please click on the following link:

COURT MEDIATOR/INVESTIGATOR I

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE (Note: The following education and experience requirements must both be met.)

Education Requirement: Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, social welfare, social work, marriage, family and child counseling or other behavioral science substantially related to marriage and family counseling. *Note: A copy of your college diploma or official transcripts must be included with your application.  

-AND-

Experience Requirement: Three (3) years of recent full-time (or equivalent) post master's degree experience in the field of family counseling and assessments in a variety of settings.

EXPERIENCE SUBSTITUTION

Licensure by the State of California as a Clinical Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist, Clinical Psychologist, or Professional Clinical Counselor may substitute for one (1) year of the required non-California Superior Court mediation experience. Note: To receive substitution credit, a copy of your licensure must be included with your application.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

A licensed mental health professional

APPLICATION PROCESS

All applicants are required to submit a completed online application and supplemental questionnaire. To learn more about how to create an application, click HERE. Résumés will not be accepted in lieu of the required application and supplemental questionnaire. For tips on completing/updating your application, refer to our "Helpful Application Tips" guide by clicking HERE.

SELECTION PROCESS

STEP 1: Applications will be reviewed by Human Resources to identify candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and/or desirables. It is to your benefit to include all current and previous related work experience. When listing Court experience, please include dates and classification of each position held, if more than one. Only those who meet the minimum qualifications and desirables (if applicable) will proceed to the next step in the recruitment process.

STEP 2: Candidates' supplemental question responses may be evaluated and ranked. Depending on the number of applications, additional assessments and/or screening interviews may be conducted.

STEP 3: Those candidates who are successful in the assessment/review may be placed on the eligible list. Placement on the eligible list is not a guarantee of interview or employment.

All candidates will be notified via email of their status at each step of the process. Additional steps in the selection process will include a local background check and a reference check.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

Orange County Superior Court provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities, upon request. Please contact the Human Resources Department at HRStaffing@occourts.org if you feel that you will need a reasonable accommodation for any aspect of the selection process.

ELIGIBLE LIST

This recruitment will be used to establish an eligible list for current and future vacancies. The eligible list will remain active until the list is exhausted, or a new recruitment opens.

STATUS NOTIFICATIONS

You will be notified by email during the process of this recruitment through GovernmentJobs.com. Please check your email spam/junk folders and accept emails ending with GovernmentJobs.com and occourts.org. If your information changes, please update your profile at http://www.governmentjobs.com/.

E-VERIFY

The Superior Court of California, County of Orange participates in the E-Verify program which confirms employment eligibility of new hires.

QUESTIONS?

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Adriana Cortez at acortez@occourts.org. For general employment information, please click HERE.

Orange County Superior Court is an Equal Opportunity EmployerFollow us on social media!

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Salary : $7,537 - $8,641