Salary : $74,692.80 - $90,812.80 Annually
Location : Woodland, CA
Job Type: Regular / Full Time
Job Number:
Department: Public Defender
Opening Date: 08/24/2026
Closing Date: 8/31/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Bargaining Unit: G

DESCRIPTION
The County of Yolo is recruiting to fill one regular, full-time position in the class of Public Defender Investigative Assistant at the Public Defender's Office.
The Position

Incumbents in this position may be required to work non-traditional work hours to successfully serve a subpoena.
Under close supervision, learns to perform routine investigative work on felony, misdemeanor, juvenile, and Conservatorship cases referred to the Public Defender's Office.
This class is the trainee level in the Public Defender Investigator series. Incumbents are given detailed instructions in the performance of more routine, less complex defense investigations. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, incumbents are expected to perform increasingly responsible and difficult assignments.
Interested Applicants

Interested applicants should submit an online County of Yolo Employment Application and verification of education (if applicable)by the closing date. For important and detailed information regarding the application process for this recruitment, please see the APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS section of this job announcement below.

Definition
Under close supervision, learns to perform routine investigative work on felony, misdemeanor, juvenile, and Conservatorship cases referred to the Public Defender's Office.

Distinguishing Characteristics
This class is the trainee level in the Public Defender Investigator series. Incumbents are given detailed instructions in the performance of more routine, less complex defense investigations. As requisite skills and knowledge are developed, incumbents are expected to perform increasingly responsible and difficult assignments.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Duties my include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Interviews and prepares initial statements from clients and witnesses concerning crimes.
• Locates and interviews clients and witnesses and other persons who may provide pertinent information.
• Serves subpoenas and other legal documents
• Meets and reviews applicable records and files with LPS clients; reports back any concerns to the appropriate staff.
• Confers with attorneys and investigators regarding evidence and facts; may participate in investigations.
• Learns to analyze and evaluate police, court, and other records and collect and verify documents, statements, evidence and testimony.
• Arranges for and transports clients and/or witnesses.
• Takes photographs or creates diagrams of scenes, people, and/or evidence.
• Testifies in court relating to facts established by investigations.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Some combination of education and experience that provides for two years of applicable education and experience as outlined below:

Education: Completion of sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter units from an accredited college or university; OR
Experience: Two (2) years of experience in investigative or law enforcement work, as a process server, and/or using various search procedures including skip tracing in locating, observing, and interviewing individuals.

License
Positions in this classification require incumbents to possess and maintain a valid California driver's license, Class C or higher, to carry out job-related duties. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a physical or mental disability may request a reasonable accommodation.

Knowledge of:

• Basic interviewing and interrogation techniques
• Sources of information used in locating persons
• General legal procedures and terminology relating to criminal and civil investigations
• Report writing and record keeping techniques

Ability to:

• Gather and evaluate acts and evidence
• Draw logical conclusions and take appropriate action
• Obtain information through interrogations and interviews, and maintain the confidentiality of that information
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contact in the course of work
• Operate photographic recording and graphic equipment
• Testify in legal proceedings

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS
It is highly recommended that you print this job bulletin for future reference.

Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the closing date. Application information must be current, concise, and related to the requirements in this job announcement. A resume should be included with your application; however, it will not substitute for the information requested on the application. In addition to a completed application and resume, applicants are required to submit a completed supplemental questionnaire and verification of education for this position. Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the closing date. Application information must be current, concise, and related to the requirements in this job announcement. A resume may be included with your application; however, it will not substitute for the information requested on the application. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.

Selection Procedure
The following is a tentative schedule of events that will occur as part of the selection process. The selection process steps may change with or without notice.

• Screen for Minimum Qualifications
• Screening for Best Qualified
• Department Selection Interviews
• Reference Checks
• Conditional Job Offer, pending:
  1. Pre-Employment Exams
     • Drug & Alcohol Screen
     • Department of Justice LiveScan
• Confirmed Job Offer
• Estimated Start Date: 10/5/2026

Verification of Education Acceptable forms of educational documentation are official or unofficial transcripts that list the student's name, institution name, field of study and date the degree was awarded.
For recent graduates who have not received proof of their degree yet, a letter from the registrar's office stating that all requirements for graduation have been met and listing the field of study will be sufficient proof of graduation.
Please do not send originals; copies of the required documents are acceptable. Any submitted documents will not be returned.
All foreign transcripts or diplomas must be in English. If the institution does not provide these documents in English, the applicant will need to provide a translation which has been done by a professional agency. The County of Yolo will accept education as equivalent to U.S. accreditation from Institutions that are listed as members of the International Association of Universities. You may check for your school by visiting the IAU web site (http://www.iau-aiu.net/content/institutions).

Applicants who possess a degree or completed coursework that is not from an accredited college or university, must submit one of the following:
1. A written statement from a U.S. accredited university or college that states that the applicant is qualified for entrance to a program of graduate studies for which a degree in a related field is required.
2. An evaluation of the applicant's degree and coursework equivalency by a private organization that provides foreign credential evaluation services. The evaluation must include a comparison of comparable U.S. courses for content, credit and grade.
Note: Foreign language documents must include a precise word-for-word English translation of all foreign language documents. It is the responsibility of each applicant to prove to the satisfaction of the County that the applicant meets the specific requirements listed on the job announcement for each specific examination. The following is a list of private organizations that provide foreign credential evaluation services. Fees range from $50 to $400 per document; processing times vary from 5-20 business days. For further information, please contact the organization(s). The County of Yolo does not endorse these business entities; this list has been developed for informational purposes only.

EDUCATIONAL RECORDS EVALUATION SERVICE

601 University Ave., Suite 127

Sacramento, CA 95825

(916) 921-0790

www.eres.com
FOREIGN EDUCATION DOCUMENT SERVICE

P.O. Box 151739

San Diego, CA 92175

(619) 265-5810

www.documentservice.org
CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH, EVALUATION & EDUCATION, INC.

P.O. Box 18358 Anaheim, CA 92817

(714) 237-9272

www.iescaree.com
GLOBAL SERVICES ASSOCIATES, INC.

409 North Pacific Coast Highway, # 393

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

(310) 828-5709

www.globaleval.org
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION CREDENTIALS EVALUATION SERVICE

P.O. Box 3665

Culver City, CA 90231-3665

(310) 258-9451

www.ierf.org

Screening for Best Qualified

The supplemental questions are designed to elicit specific information regarding a candidate's experience, education, and training. Responses should be consistent with the information on your application and are subject to verification. If a job included responsibilities applicable to several questions, separate the different functions of the job to answer all the questions completely. Resumes or referral to the application or other questionnaire responses will not be accepted in lieu of completing each question. If you have no experience, write "no experience" for the appropriate question. Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant's education, training, and experience will be evaluated to determine those applicants who are best qualified.
Contact Information
For questions about the position or about employment with the County, please contact Human Resources by e-mail at or by phone at (530) 666-8055.

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The work of an Assistant Public Defender Investigator is demanding, often gritty, and not always comfortable. It involves direct contact with people experiencing poverty, trauma, addiction, mental illness, and incarceration; exposure to difficult facts, charged emotions, and high-stakes consequences; and work that may occur in jails, encampments, neighborhoods, or court settings. This position also requires reliability, discretion, sound judgment, and the ability to work collaboratively under pressure. At the same time, this role is intended to be a foundational position within our office. We hope that individuals hired into this role