District Attorney Investigator I/II
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District Attorney Investigator I/II
Salary
$101,887.46 - $172,158.33 Annually
Location
or out-of state, CA
Job Type
Full-Time Regular
Job Number
0645DAO-26AA(TLA)
Department
District Attorney
Opening Date
01/19/2026
Closing Date
2/20/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Description
Benefits
Questions
Description
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office is the public prosecutor for the county's 850,000 residents. Our office employs approximately 320 employees, including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect crime victims' rights.
The Bureau of Investigation (BOI) employs 60 investigators who provide professional investigative support in criminal and civil matters to prosecutors handling cases in those areas and play a critical role in preparing cases for prosecution. The Bureau is staffed with a chief investigator, a deputy chief investigator, 3 commanders, 8 supervising district attorney investigators, district attorney investigators, and investigative assistants.
Investigators serving within the Bureau are highly experienced and trained sworn peace officers who have been recruited from law enforcement agencies throughout California. Bureau investigators are available 24 hours a day and utilize the most advanced equipment to complete their assignments. Investigators within the Bureau may be called upon by their colleagues throughout the state and have been recognized as experts in a wide range of investigations from homicide to complex white-collar fraud schemes.
The Bureau of Investigation has three divisions: the Major Crimes Division, the Major Fraud Division, and the Administrative Division. The Major Crimes Division includes units that investigate major crimes, homicides, sexual assaults, officer-involved shootings, and domestic violence. The Major Fraud Division investigates financial crimes, child abduction, real estate fraud, consumer and environmental protection cases, workers' compensation fraud, and automobile insurance fraud. The Administrative Division includes the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Unit, Cyber Forensics Unit, and Government Fraud Unit, and handles various responsibilities, including training, background investigations, internal investigations, recruitment, and policies and procedures.
The Ventura County District Attorney's Office recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion in the office's culture and climate, hiring, training, opportunities for advancement, and its relationship with the communities it serves.
BENEFITS/INCENTIVES
Ventura County offers an excellent compensation and benefits package that helps support healthy peace officers and an effective work-life balance. The salary range for this position is $101,887.46 to $172,158.33 annually, DOQ.
General Salary increases (GSI) - 3.5% effective December 20, 2026, and December 19, 2027.
Market-Based Adjustments (MBA) - 1.00% effective January 3, 2027, and 1.50% January 2, 2028.
Educational Incentive - 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on the completion of an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree or, if qualified, for POST certification; plus other premium/incentive/bonus payments
Annual Leave - A candidate selected for this position will earn up to 160 hours of annual leave per year, increasing to 200 hours after 5 years of service.
Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 2.5% match on your 401(k) contributions.
Health Plans - Biweekly contribution towards a flexible benefits program (including medical, dental, and vision insurance options)
Wellness Program - Virtual fitness classes, wellness profile, health coaching, health club discounts and online health education with opportunities earn Wellthy Rewards.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - provides professional and confidential mental health counseling support for employees and their immediate family, if needed.
Flexible Spending Accounts - Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
Pension Plan - Participation in the County's defined benefit pension plan. If eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems such as CalPERS.
Bilingual Incentive - Proficiency levels by exam are $1.38 per hour (Basic) and $2.81 per hour (Advanced).
Holidays - 12 paid days per year and a scheduled floating holiday.
Uniform Clothing Allowance - An allowance of $1,106 on November 1st of each year.
Textbook and Tuition - Up to a maximum of $2,000 per fiscal year in accordance with the memorandum of agreement.
For more details regarding the benefits offered by Ventura County, click here:https://hr.venturacounty.gov/benefits (https://hr.ventura.org/benefits)
The Position
Under immediate to general supervision, depending on the level in the series, assists in obtaining, preserving, and reporting admissible evidence for presentation in cases prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office; performs difficult criminal and civil investigations for the District Attorney's Office, Sheriff's Office, Municipal Police Agencies, and the Grand Jury; and performs related work as required.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
District Attorney Investigator I incumbents are given assignments which allow them to train for the more difficult assignments performed by the District Attorney Investigator II incumbents.
District Attorney Investigator II differs from District Attorney Investigator III in that incumbents in the latter classification perform more difficult investigations and act as lead persons.
NOTE: If appointed at the lower level, an incumbent may be promoted to the higher level without further exam upon meeting the minimum requirements, demonstrating satisfactory performance, and in accordance with the business needs of the department.
APPROXIMATE SALARIES
District Attorney Investigator I: $101,887.46 - $151,215.31 annually
District Attorney Investigator II: $122,797.76 - $172,158.33 annually
The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent, and Extra Help vacancies within the District Attorney's Office. There are currently three (3) Regular, full-time vacancies.
District Attorney Investigators are represented by the Ventura County Deputy Sheriffs' Association (VCDSA) and are eligible for overtime compensation. VCDSA MOA 2024 - 2028 (https://vcportal.ventura.org/CEO/HR/MOA/docs/VCDSA-MOA\2024-2028\v20250102.pdf)
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:
OPENING DATE: January 19, 2026
CLOSING DATE: February 20, 2026
APPLICATION REVIEW: First review of application week of February 23, 2026
Examples Of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
District Attorney Investigator I
Conducts criminal, civil, and special investigations of average difficulty for the District Attorney's Office, Sheriff's Office, Municipal Police Agencies, and the Grand Jury; gathers, preserves, and analyzes evidence and prepares reports.
Conducts field investigations, surveillances; searches crime scenes; interviews and interrogates complainants, suspects, witnesses, and other persons to obtain statements, documents, and related factual evidence.
Assists attorneys in the preparation and presentation of cases during court or Grand Jury proceedings. Serves subpoenas; coordinates the appearance of witnesses at trial and explains court procedures.
Testifies in court and other legal proceedings regarding evidence and investigative findings.
Investigates the personal background of complainants, suspects, witnesses, and employee applicants.
Arrests suspected criminals; writes and serves search/arrest warrants, and other court processes.
Operates technical investigative equipment such as audio recorders, cameras, and electronic sound equipment.
Acts as a liaison and coordinates investigative activities with law enforcement officers from various agencies.
Performs other related duties as assigned.
District-Attorney Investigator II
This level in the series may be assigned tasks performed by the District Attorney Investigator I in addition to the following:
May plan and conduct more difficult and complex criminal, civil and special investigations for the District Attorney's Office, Sheriff's Department, Municipal Police Agencies the Grand Jury; gathers, preserves, and analyzes evidence and prepares reports.
Typical Qualifications
These are minimum entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:
District Attorney Investigator I
Some experience in criminal investigation which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. The required knowledge, skills and abilities also can be obtained by completion of a Bachelor's degree in criminal justice or a related field and at least one (1) year of criminal investigation experience in a government law enforcement agency. Additional investigative experience in a government law enforcement agency may be substituted for the college education on a year-for-year basis up to a maximum of four (4) years.
District Attorney Investigator II
Considerable experience in criminal investigation which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. The required knowledge, skills and abilities also can be obtained by completion of a Bachelor's degree in criminal justice or a related field; formal training in the California Rules of Evidence and in evidence accumulation and presentation at trial and at least two (2) years of criminal investigation experience in a government law enforcement agency. Additional experience may be substituted for the college requirement on a year-for-year basis, up to a maximum of four (4) years.
Necessary Special Requirements:
Must possess a valid California driver's license.
Must possess a current California P.O.S.T. Basic Certificate as described in the regulations of the Commission on Peace Officer's Standards and Training.
Must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
Must have completed the training requirements specified in California Penal Code Section 832(a) or be exempt from such training by virtue of California Penal Code Sections 832(d) (such training deals with the exercise of power to arrest, and the use and care of firearms).
REQUIRED:
Attach a legible copy of your Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, and/or Supervisory California P.O.S.T. certificate.
Highly Desired:
Bilingual fluency in English and Spanish
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Some (I) to considerable (II) knowledge of the: substantive and procedural California Criminal, Civil, and Juvenile laws, and the modern techniques and practices of criminal investigation; laws of arrest, search and seizure, warrant and subpoena service, rules of evidence, and the admissibility of confessions and witnesses' statements; functions and extent of authority of the District Attorney's Office; resources and techniques available in public and private criminal scientific laboratories and the latest medical-legal techniques in criminal investigation.
Some (I) to considerable (II) knowledge of: community-based policing and collaborative problem solving between community residents and law enforcement.
Skill and ability to: gather, analyze, correlate and evaluate observed facts and evidence; work effectively with co-workers, members of the public and members of other law enforcement and government agencies; to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
Ability to: have accurate recall of investigated witnesses and situations; use good judgment and maintain a high level of mental alertness in the course of completing assigned work; establish and maintain effective relations with members of the Office, other agencies, the law enforcement community, and the public, including community policing, collaborative problem solving, and identifying/avoiding bias.
Knowledge and ability to: read and comprehend various written materials including legal documents.
Knowledge, skill and ability to: operate vehicles and electronic equipment.
Knowledge, skill and ability in the use and care of firearms.
Thorough knowledge of: the unique and various functions of the District Attorney's Office.
Supplemental Information:
May be required to work on call and be available evenings, weekends, and nights. May be exposed to hostile witnesses and hazardous or stressful situations during the course of completing assignments.
Recruitment Process
FINAL FILING DATE: Applications must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 11:59 p.m. on February 20, 2026.
To apply online, please refer to our website at www.hr.venturacounty.gov/hr. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.
NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (http://vcportal.ventura.org/CEO/HR/docs/Lateral_Transfer.pdf) for additional information.
Sufficient information must be provided under the Education/Work Experience portion of the application and supplemental questionnaire, if applicable, to thoroughly and accurately demonstrate your qualifications in order to determine eligibility. A resume may be attached to supplement your responses in the above sections; however, it may not be substituted in lieu of the application.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in removal of the application from further consideration.
APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the examination process.
TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank-ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.
NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence. Responses such as "See Resume" or "Refer to Resume" are not acceptable and may disqualify an applicant from further evaluation.
ORAL EXAMINATION/ EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating applicants' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Applicants must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.
A verification email/letter will be sent confirming the test schedule and location details. All exams and interviews will be conducted in person at the District Attorney's Office, Ventura, CA. There will be no telephonic/virtual exams.
NOTE: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an oral examination may not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.
SELECTION INTERVIEWS: Once the eligible list is established, applicants will be invited to a selection interview for further continuation in the process.
Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of six (6) months.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: PRIOR TO ACTUAL APPOINTMENT FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST, THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO PASS A THOROUGH BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION FINDINGS MAY BE A BASIS FOR REMOVAL FROM THE ELIGIBLE LIST. TO SPEAK TO A BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION REPRESENTATIVE CONCERNING THE BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION PROCESS, CALL (805) 477-1654.
MEDICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS: In accordance with Government Code Section 1031, candidates who receive a conditional job offer will have their physical, emotional, and mental health evaluated and must be free from any condition which might adversely affect the exercise of the powers of a peace officer or performance of the duties of this position.
For further information about this recruitment, please contact Terri Anderson by email at terri.anderson@venturacounty.gov or phone at (805) 477-1680.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE
VENTURA COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFFS' ASSOCIATION
(VCDSA)
To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.
Benefits website (https://hr.ventura.org/benefits) or you may call (805) 654-2570.
Retirement FAQ's (https://vcportal.ventura.org/CEO/benefits/docs/RETIREMENT%20-%20FAQs.pdf)
Memorandum of Agreement
Union Codes: DSD, DSE, DGS, DSS
01
Are you at least twenty-one years of age?
Yes
No
02
Do you possess a valid California driver's license?
Yes
No
03
Do you possess a current active California P.O.S.T. Basic Certificate as described in the regulations of the Commission on Peace Officer's Standards and Training?
If yes, is a legible copy of your certificate included with your application, as required?
Yes
No
04
Check the California law enforcement organization in which your POST Certificate was received in Question 3.
District Attorney's Bureau of Investigation
Sheriff's Office
Police Department
California State Law Enforcement
05
Are you fluent in a language, other than English, in both written and spoken words?
Yes
No
06
If you answered yes to the previous question, list the language(s) you are fluent in, and state your comfortability and/or experience conducting investigations in languages other than English.
If you are not bilingual, @type "none."
07
Explain in detail your experience within investigative units. In your response, include the following:
The agency you gained the experience.
The investigative units worked in.
The dates you started within the assignment, and if applicable,
The dates the assignments ended.
If you have not worked in any investigative units, please @type "none."
08
Describe in detail your experience writing search warrants. Include in your answer:
The @types of search warrants you have authored.
The date your most recent search warrant was offered.
If you have not written any search warrants, please @type "none."
09
Describe your experience in collecting, analyzing, and correlating evidence, interrogating witnesses/suspects, and preparing investigative reports. If you do not have this experience, @type "none."
10
Explain your philosophy on your role within the community as a peace officer in terms of community interaction and collaborative problem-solving.
11
List any training you have participated in identifying implicit or explicit bias toward race or ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.
If you have not had any such training, please @type "none."
12
Where did you first hear about this recruitment?
Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC)
LinkedIn
Social Media (Instagram, Facebook)
Government Jobs Website
Ventura County Website
A county employee
A friend or relative
Other
Required Question
Employer
Ventura County
Address
800 S. Victoria Avenue LOC. #1970 Ventura, California, 93009
Phone
(805) 654-5129
Website
http://hr.venturacounty.gov
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