Probation Officer I

Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university, preferably with a degree in administration of justice, corrections, psychology, sociology, counseling or a related social or behavioral science.  Applicants enrolled in their last semester/quarter will be accepted to the examination process but must provide evidence of graduation prior to being certified from the eligibility list.

License:   Possession of a valid California driver’s license.

Training Requirements: Employees in this class are peace officers as defined by section 830.5 of the Penal Code and must satisfy the State of California criteria for peace officer status.  Appointees will be required to meet state-mandated CORE training requirements as defined by Standards and Training in Corrections (STC). As part of this requirement, employees must successfully complete probation officer CORE training during the first year of appointment.

Special Requirements:   (1) must be at least 21 years of age upon appointment; (2) must meet minimum standards required for Peace Officers as set forth in Section 1029 and 1031 of the Government Code; (3) must pass a background investigation; (4) must meet physical standards established for County Safety employees, including a psychological examination; and (5) must qualify for use of a firearm when assigned to a field position. 

Principles of written and oral communication including a thorough knowledge of language mechanics, syntax, and composition; principles and methods of logic and data organization; mathematics, basic statistics and research methods; principles and theories of sociology and psychology, particularly those related to assessment and adjustment of adult and juvenile personality development, behavior patterns and motivation; group and family dynamics; basic interviewing and investigation techniques; basic social casework practice, educational norms, treatment modalities and crisis intervention; basic concepts of law enforcement as well as probation and court practices; basic knowledge of socio-economic, psychosocial, and cultural influences on individual behavior.

Learn to make recommendations based upon investigative results; learn to manage a probation caseload; learn to prepare, review and edit comprehensive court reports and case files; learn to interpret, explain and apply applicable laws, codes and regulations; learn to make sound decisions in emergency or crisis situations; learn to work with and obtain the cooperation of juvenile and adult probationers, their families and concerned government and private agencies; read and comprehend complex written material involving difficult concepts and issues; gather and analyze data; communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; pay attention to detail; operate a computer; use a firearm; work a variety of shifts, as assigned; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other probation staff, law enforcement officials, the public, and others.

Mobility-Frequent standing, walking, stooping, bending, climbing stairs, driving; constant use of a computer; occasional use of a firearm; Lifting-Able to lift 50 pounds;  Visual-Constant overall vision; constant color perception, constant eye-hand coordination; constant depth perception; frequent reading/close-up work; constant field of vision/peripheral; Dexterity-Frequent repetitive motion and reaching; Hearing/Talking-Constant requirement to hear normal speech; constant hearing on telephone and radio; ability to hear faint sounds; constant talking on telephone/radio; Emotional/Psychological-Potential contact with hostile individuals; exposure to emergency situations; may be exposed to trauma, grief and death; frequent public contact; decision-making and concentration; Special Requirements-Some assignments may require working weekends, nights, and/or occasional overtime; Environmental-Occasional exposure to varied weather conditions.

San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.  For more information go to Equal Employment Opportunity Division (sjgov.org).

Accommodations for those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

San Joaquin County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and, upon request, will consider reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Health Insurance:  San Joaquin County provides employees with a choice of three health plans:  a Kaiser Plan, a Select Plan, and a Premier Plan. Employees pay a portion of the cost of the premium. Dependent coverage is available for all plans.

Dental Insurance:  The County provides employees with a choice of two dental plans:  Delta Dental and United Health Care-Select Managed Care Direct Compensation Plan.  There is no cost for employee only coverage in either plan; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.

Vision Insurance:  The County provides vision coverage through Vision Service Plan (VSP).  There is no cost for employee only coverage; dependent coverage is available at the employee’s expense.

For more detailed information on the County’s benefits program, visit our website at www.sjgov.org under Human Resources/Benefits. 

Life Insurance:  The County provides eligible employees with life insurance coverage as follows: 

 1 but less than 3 years of continuous service:                   $1,000
3 but less than 5 years of continuous service:                   $3,000
5 but less than 10 years of continuous service:                 $5,000
10 years of continuous service or more:                           $10,000 

Employees may purchase additional term life insurance to a maximum of $200,000 at the group rate. 

125 Flexible Benefits Plan:  This is a voluntary program that allows employees to use pre-tax dollars to pay for health-related expenses that are not paid by a medical, dental or vision plan (Health Flexible Spending Account $2550 annual limit with a $500 carry over); and dependent care costs (Dependent Care Assistance Plan $5000 annual limit). 

Retirement Plan:  Employees of the County are covered by the County Retirement Act of 1937.  Please visit the San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA) at www.sjcera.org for more information.  NOTE:  If you are receiving a retirement allowance from another California county covered by the County Employees’ Retirement Act of 1937 or from any governmental agency covered by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS), you are advised to contact the Retirement Officer of the Retirement Plan from which you retired to determine what effect employment in San Joaquin County would have on your retirement allowance.  Employees hired into the following classifications on or after 12/31/90 are considered Safety Members:  Probation Officer I, II, III, and Probation Unit Supervisor. 

Deferred Compensation:  The County maintains a deferred compensation plan under Section 457 of the IRS code. You may annually contribute $18,000 or 100% of your includible compensation, whichever is less.  Individuals age 50 or older may contribute to their plan, up to $24,000. The Roth IRA (after tax) is also now available.

Vacation:  Maximum earned vacation is 10 days each year up to 3 years; 15 days after 3 years; 20 days after 10 years; and 23 days after 20 years. 

Holiday:  Depending on date of hire into the unit, employees earn either 10 or 14 holidays per year.

Sick Leave:  12 working days of sick leave annually with unlimited accumulation.  Sick leave incentive: An employee is eligible to receive eight hours administrative leave if the leave balance equals at least one-half of the cumulative amount that the employee is eligible to accrue.  The employee must also be on payroll during the entire calendar year. 

Bereavement Leave:  3 days of paid leave for the death of an immediate family member, 2 additional days of accrued leave for death of employee’s spouse, domestic partner, parent or child. 

Merit Salary Increase:  New employees will receive the starting salary, which is the first step of the salary range.  After employees serve 52 weeks (2080 hours) on each step of the range, they are eligible for a merit increase to the next step. 

Bilingual Pay:  Each employee who is designated by the appointing authority and approved by the County Administrator and who has passed a bilingual proficiency examination administered by the Human Resources Division shall receive a bi-weekly supplement of $50. 

Pre-Employment Physical Exam:  If required, will be conducted at Dameron Hospital at no cost to the employee. 

Educational Reimbursement Program:  Eligible employees may be reimbursed for career-related course work up to a maximum of $850 per fiscal year.  Eligible employees enrolled in an approved four (4) year College or University academic program may be reimbursed up to $800 per semester for a maximum of $1600 per fiscal year. 

Probation Officer Training:  Probation Officers shall be allowed to attend seminars, workshops, out-of-town conferences, and have educational leave on County time consistent with the County’s educational conference and seminar policy. 

Parking Supplemental Downtown Stockton:  The County contributes up to $17 per pay period for employees who pay for parking and are assigned to work in the Downtown Core Area. 

School Activities:  Employees may take up to 40 hours per year, but not more than eight (8) hours per month, to participate in their children’s school activities.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will go through the following examination process:

• Written Exam: The civil service written exam is a multiple choice format.  If the written exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list.
  
• Oral Exam:   The oral exam is a structured interview process that will assess the candidate’s education, training, and experience and may include a practical exercise.   The oral exam selection process is not a hiring interview.   A panel of up to four people will determine the candidate’s score and rank for placement on the eligible list.  Top candidates from the eligible list are referred for hiring interviews.  If the oral exam is administered alone, it will be 100% of the overall score.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% in order to be placed on the eligible list. 
  
• Written & Oral Exam:  If both a written exam and an oral exam is administered, the written exam is weighted at 60% and the oral exam is weighted at 40% unless otherwise indicated on the announcement.  Candidates must achieve a minimum rating of 70% on each examination in order to be placed on the eligible list.
  
• Rate-out:  A rate-out is an examination that involves a paper rating of the candidate’s application using the following criteria: education, training, and experience. Candidates will not be scheduled for the rate-out process. 

 Note:  The rating of 70 referred to may be the same or other than an arithmetic 70% of the total possible points.

Testing Accommodation:  Candidates who require testing accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) must call Human Resources Division at (209) 468-3370 prior to the examination date.   

Veteran’s Points:  Eligible veterans, unmarried widows and widowers of veterans of the United States Armed Forces who have been honorably discharged and who have served during wartime shall be given veteran’s points in initial appointment to County service.  Eligible veterans receive 5 points and eligible disabled veterans receive 10 points. Disabled veterans must submit a recent award letter stating a 10% service connected disability issued by the United States Veterans Administration.  Note:  A copy of your DD214 showing the discharge type must be received in the Human Resources by the date of the examination.

Acceptable wartime service dates:

• September 16, 1940 to December 31, 1946

• June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955

• August 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975

• Persian Gulf War, August 2, 1990, through a date to be set by law or Presidential Proclamation.

Eligible Lists:   Candidates who pass the examination will be placed on an eligible list for that classification.  Eligible lists are effective for nine months, but may be extended by the Human Resources Director for a period which shall not exceed a total of three years from the date established.

Certification/Referral: Names from the eligible list will be referred to the hiring department by the following methods.

• Rule of the Rank: The top rank or ranks of eligibles will be referred for hiring interviews.  The minimum number of names to be referred will be equal to the number of positions plus nine, or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher.  When filling nine or more positions in a department at the same time, the top rank or ranks will be referred and the minimum number of names shall be two times the number of positions to be filled or 10% of the eligible list, whichever is higher. This applies only to open competitive recruitments.
• Rule of Five:  The top five names will be referred for hiring interviews.  This applies only to department or countywide promotional examination.
• Rule of the List: For classifications designated by the Director of Human Resources, the entire eligible list will be referred to the department.

Physical Exam:  Some classifications require physical examinations. Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the physical examination. The County pays for physical examinations administered in its medical facilities.

Pre-Employment Drug Screening Exam:  Some classifications require a new employee successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen as a condition of employment.  Final appointment cannot be made until the eligible has passed the drug screen.  The County pays for the initial drug screen.

Employment of Relatives: Applicants who are relatives of employees in a department within the 3rd degree of relationship, (parent, child, grand parent, grand child or sibling) either by blood or marriage, may not be appointed, promoted, transferred into or within the department when;

• They are related to the Appointing Authority or

• The employment would result in one of them supervising the work of the other.

Department Head may establish additional limitations on the hiring of relatives by departmental rule.

Proof of Eligibility:  If you are offered a job you will be required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or other documents that establish your eligibility to be employed in the U.S.

Apply Online:       

www.sjgov.org/department/hr

By mail or in person:  

San Joaquin County Human Resources

44 N. San Joaquin Street Suite 330

Stockton, CA 95202                                  

Office hours:               
Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; excluding holidays.

Phone:  (209) 468-3370 

Job Line:

For current employment opportunities please call our 24-hour job line at (209) 468-3377. 

When a final filing date is indicated, applications must be filed with the Human Resources Division before 5:00 p.m. or postmarked by the final filing date. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. Applications sent through county inter-office mail, which are not received by the final filing date, will not be accepted. (The County assumes no responsibility for mailed applications which are not received by the Human Resources Division).  

San Joaquin County Substance Abuse Policy: San Joaquin County has adopted a Substance Abuse Policy in compliance with the Federal Drug Free Workplace Act of 1988. This policy is enforced by all San Joaquin County Departments and applies to all San Joaquin County employees.

Equal Opportunity Employer:  San Joaquin County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer and is committed to providing equal employment to all without regard to age, ancestry, color, creed, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation or belief, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.  For more information go to www.sjgov.org/department/hr/eeo.