Salary : $90,876.03 - $123,107.71 Annually
Location : District Attorney's Office - 832 12th Street, Modesto, CA 95354, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 5184-26
Department: District Attorney
Opening Date: 06/26/2026
Closing Date: 7/13/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The DA's Bureau of Investigation is looking for confident, innovative and experienced candidates who can work independently and collaboratively with other law enforcement agencies to drive down crime in Stanislaus County. The ideal candidate will have experience in criminal investigative work, law enforcement technology and good people skills. The ideal candidate will have strong writing skills, experience writing search warrants and arrest warrants and a sound understanding of investigative techniques. The criminal investigator conducts a considerable amount of field work and collaboration with other law enforcement agencies. Criminal Investigators generally work a modified 4/10 schedule to meet job demands, and perform on call duties on a rotational basis, including evenings and weekends and is subject to call-back, overtime and standby as needed.

The ideal candidate will have experience in trial preparation, evidence gathering and testifying in court which is vital to assist Deputy District Attorney's prosecuting criminal violations. The ideal candidate will have experience working in special assignments, and collaborating with other local, state and federal peace officers working together in a task force setting investigating gang, arson, narcotic, real estate fraud and auto theft crimes.

To learn more about the District Attorney's office visit,
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE

Application Deadline: July 13, 2026

Oral Examination: Week of July 20, 2026
THE POSITION

The District Attorney's Office Bureau of Investigation has a staff of a Chief Criminal Investigator, three Lieutenants, a Senior Criminal Investigator, sixteen Criminal Investigators, and twenty support staff. Persons appointed to Criminal Investigation positions carry full peace officer status and will work under the direction of the District Attorney.

Criminal Investigators are peace officers as defined in Penal Code Section 830.1. Typical duties will include technical investigative assignments, assisting in trial preparation, and locating and obtaining statements from subjects involved in matters submitted to the District Attorney's Office. A considerable amount of fieldwork will be involved. Investigators may be assigned "on call" duties on a rotational basis and are subject to assignments after normal hours and on weekends. Examples of case assignments include homicide, official misconduct, white collar crime, consumer fraud, auto insurance fraud, cannabis enforcement, child abduction and grand jury inquiries. Some positions could involve considerable out-of-area travel.
POST CERTIFICATION PAY
Intermediate: 6.5% of base salary
Advanced: 10.0 % of base salary

BILINGUAL PAY
An additional 2.5% of base pay will be paid to eligible certified bilingual employees.

Typical Tasks

• Conduct criminal investigations;
• Assist other law enforcement agencies as requested;
• Arrest suspects;
• Prepare and serve search warrants;
• Locate and serve victims and witnesses subpoenas;
• Provide office security and safety;
• Transport prisoners;
• Attend autopsies on homicide victims;
• Transport victims and witnesses, including children;
• Conduct Grand Jury and other specialized investigations; and
• Travel out of state to perform investigations, including child recoveries

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education/Experience)
KNOWLEDGE
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR I/II

• Law enforcement procedures and criminal investigative techniques;
• Basic accounting procedures and their application to law enforcement investigations;
• Criminal Law, evidence and court procedures;
• Interview techniques and report writing skills; and
• Communication skills, proper sentence structure and word usage.

SKILLS/ABILITIES

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR I/II

• Perform essential job functions including physical and manipulative skills;
• Communicate complex information both orally and in writing, in a manner that is understandable to others;
• Gather and analyze investigative data and perform basic mathematical calculations;
• Deal effectively with staff, citizens and public officials under conditions requiring integrity, initiative, resourcefulness, tact and good judgment;
• Remember names, faces and incidents and be thorough and observant;
• Possess essential mental and cognitive skills;
• Recall detail and interpret and apply oral or written materials and instructions; and
• Remain alert and coherent and analyze situations accurately, think and act quickly in emergencies and adopt an effective course of action.

CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Pursuant to Government Code Section 1031 applicants for peace officer positions must be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship.

We recognize your time is valuable, please only apply if you meet the following required qualifications.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR I

• Graduation from high school or successful passage of the General Educational Development Test (GED); AND
• Three (3) years of experience in law enforcement or related criminal investigative work; AND
• Possess an active California Basic POST or higher certificate.

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR II

• Graduation from high school or successful passage of the General Educational Development Test (GED); AND
• Five (5) years of experience in law enforcement or related criminal investigative work; AND
• Possess an active California Basic POST or higher certificate.

Proof of education and a copy of your California POST Certificate is required for verification purposes at the time of application. Applicants who are unable to submit proof must call 209-525-5565 to make other arrangements before 5 pm on the final filing date. Failure to submit proof or make other arrangements before the final filing deadline will result in disqualification.

LICENSE

• Applicants must possess and maintain a valid California Driver's License and remain free from repeated preventable accidents.

In addition to the minimum qualifications, applicant screening may focus on the following desirable and highly qualifications. Please list any of these qualifications you may have within the "Duties" section of the online application.
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Five (5) years of experience in law enforcement as a sworn criminal investigator, detective or an equivalent position in California; AND
• Possession of an active California P.O.S.T. Intermediate Certificate.

HIGHLY DE SIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
P.O.S.T. Intermediate and Advanced or specialty certificates. ICI Investigations certificates/training.

Application and Selection Procedures
APPLICATION PROCEDURES/FINAL FILING DATE

Applications cannot be submitted later than 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date. Make your online application as complete as possible so a full and realistic appraisal may be made of your qualifications.
Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
Attaching your resume and cover letter are an optional feature for those who wish to do so in addition to completing the required application. Information on your resume and cover letter will not substitute for the education, work experience and required fields on the County application. The online County application is the primary tool used to evaluate your job qualifications.
EXAMINATION PROCESS - Do not add or delete from this section unless posting for a safety department.

Most County recruitments consist of the steps detailed below and are governed by Merit Principles. The examination process ensures that all applicants are given the same opportunity to gain employment within Stanislaus County.

• Application Review and Screening. Applications are carefully screened based on information provided. Those who submit incomplete applications that lack relevant qualifications or do not submit all required documents will not be invited to move on.
• Written Examination. Applicants will be invited to participate in a written exam that tests knowledge for the position.
• Oral Examination. Applicants are invited to a panel interview in which they will be evaluated by County subject matter experts.
• Eligible Lists. Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification. Eligible lists are effective for six months but may be extended up to eighteen months.

GENERAL INFORMATION

CLASSIFICATION INFORMATION

Unless otherwise provided, this position is part of the Stanislaus County District Attorney Investigators' Association (S.C.D.A.I.A.) for labor relations purposes. Incumbents are also subject to overtime, standby, callback, weekend, holiday and shift assignments.

The Job Task Analysis provides information detailing the physical and functional demands of the classification. For the complete job task analysis, visit the Risk Management website at under the "Disability" tab.

Note: The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, part-time and full-time vacancies throughout Stanislaus County.

Incumbents may also be subject to overtime, standby, callback, weekend, holiday and shift assignments as identified in their MOU (Memorandum of Understanding).

RECRUITMENT ACCOMMODATIONS

Arrangements may be made to accommodate disabilities and religious convictions. Applicants requiring testing accommodations are required to complete and submit the Testing Accommodations Request Form prior to the test administration date. Special arrangements for religious convictions should be included in the "Additional Information" section of the application form.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS

• Pass County-paid pre-employment job-related background investigation.
• Perform job duties in a manner assuring a safe working environment for oneself and others.
• Maintain confidential information according to the legal standards and/or County regulations as required.
• Some positions may be required to possess and maintain a valid California Driver's License and meet County insurability requirements.

APPLICATION AND/OR EXAMINATION APPEAL RIGHTS

Application and/or examination results may be appealed by applicants presenting facts alleging irregularity, fraud and/or error in application screening or in exam scoring. Appeals must be in writing and submitted to the Chief Executive Officer within seven (7) days after the examination results are emailed.

DISCLAIMER

Stanislaus County reserves the right to revise the examination plan described in this flyer to better meet the needs of County service. The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an express or implied contract. Any provision contained in this bulletin may be modified or revoked without notice. The information contained in the bulletin is information which sets forth a general summary of benefits for this respective position. This information is not legally binding. The benefits and other information regarding this position may be found in the Stanislaus County Code, the Stanislaus County Personnel Policies manual, or in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding(s), and such information prevails over information contained in this flyer. Questions regarding this bulletin may be directed to the Stanislaus County Chief Executive Office/Human Relations.
Benefits associated with this position can be found at