Salary : $213,554.12 - $259,575.11 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 26/08-4025-DP
Department: District Attorney's Office (DAO)
Opening Date: 08/06/2026
Closing Date: 8/17/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: 50

Position Information
This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The District Attorney's (DA's) Office has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Chief Deputy District Attorney position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary District Attorney's Office employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.
As a Chief Deputy District Attorney, you will assist in the overall management of the DA's office, supervising staff and helping to oversee the operational functions of a large organization unit, including developing office policies and procedures. The Chief Deputy District Attorney may also be tasked with maintaining a caseload as needed. For high-profile, complex, or controversial cases, the Chief Deputy District Attorney may need to consult with the District Attorney or the Assistant District Attorney within the office. This is particularly true for decisions that could attract public attention or have significant legal implications.

Typical duties of the Chief Deputy District Attorney also include:

• Overseeing the work of Deputy District Attorneys
• Assigning cases and workload among prosecutors, ensuring efficient and equitable distribution
• Conducting performance evaluations, providing mentorship, and facilitating professional development for legal staff
• Reviewing and approving case filings, plea agreements, and prosecution strategies
• Guiding attorneys on complex legal issues, evidentiary matters, and trial preparation
• Ensuring compliance with legal standards, ethical guidelines, and office policies in all cases
• Assisting in developing and implementing office policies, procedures, and strategic plans

What You Bring

As the ideal candidate for this position, you will bring your belief in inclusive collaboration, where every team member's input is valued and respected. You understand that diverse perspectives strengthen the decision-making process and encourage open dialogue among colleagues. You will foster trust through honest and open dialogue, recognize the importance of celebrating team achievements, and provide consistent mentorship to nurture the development of staff. In addition to sound judgment and discretion, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following:

• Significant experience in prosecuting criminal cases, including misdemeanors and felonies
• Experience in developing policies and procedures within a legal framework
• Creative problem-solving skills with the ability to address legal and administrative challenges
• An ability to set strategic goals and lead the office toward achieving its mission and objectives
• Dependability and follow-through coupled with a keen attention to detail
• The aptitude to effectively manage work priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• A commitment to being a champion of victims' rights
• Demonstrated dedication to upholding the highest ethical standards
• Superb oral and written communication skills

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Significant legal experience subsequent to membership in the State Bar of California, which directly relates to the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, five years of legal experience practicing criminal law as a licensed attorney with emphasis on the preparation and trial of felony cases, including the equivalent of two years of experience at the level of Deputy District Attorney IV with Sonoma County, would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed.

Professional License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California.

License: Possession of a valid California driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Extensive knowledge of: the duties, powers, limitations, and authorities of the Office of the District Attorney; the principles of law relevant to the area of assignment, principles of trial procedure, and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; the statutory and constitutional laws of the State of California.

Considerable knowledge of: effective supervisory techniques; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.

Ability to: analyze and present legal considerations related to the policies, programs and operations of the District Attorney's Office; research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems; plan, assign, coordinate and review the work of subordinate professional, specialized and supportive personnel; effectively orient, train, supervise and evaluate subordinate departmental personnel; consistently prepare and present statements of law, fact, and argument clearly, logically and persuasively in written and oral form, including the most complex legal matters; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, the courts, law enforcement agency officials, and the general public.
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 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 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 to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions may 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 and 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. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

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 and 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.

Additional Information

A background investigation may be 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 candidates.

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 is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications 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 announcement 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.

HR Analyst: DP

HR Technician: KK
Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: Management*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 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: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

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.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education.

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 (707) 565-2331. 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 (707) 565-2900.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.
01

Do you have a current active membership in the State Bar of California?

• Yes
• No

02

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 position-specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.
Please describe how you meet the minimum qualifications for this position, which normally includes: five years