OVERVIEW
Kitsap County’s Office of Public Defense is staffed with dedicated attorneys focused on providing client-centered representation to every individual they represent.
The ideal candidate will have an extensive knowledge of Washington criminal law, as well as the constitutions of both the United States and Washington. This newest team member will have great command over the sentencing guidelines, rules of evidence, court rules, and rules of professional conduct. A familiarity with mental health, chemical dependency, and economic impoverishment issues is strongly desired. A combination of familiarity with the aforementioned issues and requisite legal knowledge will help ensure our newest addition fulfills the office’s fundamental responsibility of promoting and protecting the best interest of each and every client.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR PERFORMANCE OF THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Required Education and Experience - Juris Doctorate from a recognized and accredited law school.
- Two years criminal law experience.
- An active member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.
Preferred Experience - Felony law experience.
- Experience working with Kitsap County Courts.
Criminal Conviction Standards: - The successful incumbent will or may have unsupervised access to children under 18 years of age, a vulnerable adult, or a vulnerable person, or access to a secured/confidential facility or computer system(s). As a result, Kitsap County will be conducting an extensive criminal background check by law enforcement agencies, which will include fingerprinting.
Please review the following list of disqualifying crimes and negative actions to determine if you meet our standard for this position:
https://www.dshs.wa.gov/ffa/disqualifying-list-crimes-and-negative-actions
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Kitsap County provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)
- The duties in this position are performed in an office or a courtroom setting
- Incumbents may be exposed to hostile individuals while in the courtroom setting, while visiting sites and interviewing witnesses, especially at off-site locations
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
In this role, you will have opportunity to:- Review and evaluate evidence
- Represent individuals charged with felonies, at all stages of the criminal proceedings
- Provide support, education, and coverage to Public Defender 1 positions, and assist other public defenders as assigned
- Serve subpoenas, summonses, and other required documents to witnesses and suspects
OTHER POSITION RELATED INFORMATION
- Who May Apply: This position is open to the public. Applications will be screened for qualifications and completion of all the required materials and forms. The most competitive applicants may be contacted for further steps in the selection process, which may include testing for office and computer skills.
- This position is classified as exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- Non-represented and covered under the Kitsap County Personnel Manual.
- Classified as "at will". Incumbent's continued employment is at the discretion of the Chief Public Defender.
- Kitsap County is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please contact our Human Resources Office.
At Kitsap County, we strive to take care of our team! Our employees are the greatest asset of Kitsap County, and we take pride in offering a highly competitive compensation and benefits package to all eligible employees.
County Paid Benefits Include:
Medical - Kaiser Permanente (HMO) or Aetna (PPO)
Dental -Delta Dental or Willamette
Vision - VSP
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Life Insurance - Basic, Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D), Voluntary Term Life Insurance (VTL)
Disability - Short-term disability & Long-term disability
Voya Voluntary Insurance
Transportation incentives
Employee Assistance Program
Travel Assistance Program
Wellness program https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Wellness.aspx
Benefits become effective on the first calendar day of the month following the month in which the employee is hired except if the employee's hire date is the first calendar day of the month, benefits begin on the day of hire. More information about employee benefits is available on the county's website at: https://spf.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Benefits.aspx or the Kitsap County Digital Benefits Guide .
*Voluntary benefit options also available at the employee's expense
Retirement:
Employees are covered under the PERS retirement plan provided through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security.
Deferred Compensation (IRS Plan 457b): tax-deferred savings program
Holidays
11 paid holidays and 2 additional floating holiday per year
Vacation Leave
New employees are credited with 48 hours of annual leave upon hire and will be begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 360 hours from one calendar year to the next. Annual leave accrual will increase upon tenure, as follows:
Upon completion of 3 years: 15 days per year (10.00 hours per month)
Upon completion of 5 years: 20 days per year (13.33 hours per month)
Upon completion of 10 years: 25 days per year (16.67 hours per month)
Sick Leave
All new hires will be credited with 48 hours of sick leave upon hire and will begin accruing at the rate of 8 hours per month starting on their 7th month of employment. Employees may carry over 1200 hours from one calendar year to the next.
***Part-time employees benefit contributions and leave accruals will beprorated***
Current County Employees
If you are transferring or promoting into this position you are responsible for reviewing these benefit changes; prior to accepting a position. In addition, it is your responsibility to notify the Auditor's Payroll Division of a change in union status.
NOTE: This is a general overview of the benefits offered through employment with Kitsap County, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts or is incorrect with the provisions of the Personnel Manual, applicable laws, policies, rules or official plan documents they will prevail. The Personnel Manual is available at: https://www.kitsapgov.com/hr/Pages/Personnel-Manual-2019.aspx
Closing Date/Time: Continuous
