Public Assistance Investigator

Salary : $92,664.00 - $124,820.80 Annually
Location : Orange County
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 6550GS-0226-026 (O)
Department: District Attorney
Opening Date: 02/09/2026
Closing Date: 2/23/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

CAREER DESCRIPTION
PUBLIC ASSISTANCE INVESTIGATOR
THIS RECRUITMENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

This recruitment is being held to establish an open eligible list to fill current and future vacancies in the Orange County District Attorney's Office. This recruitment may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.

DEADLINE TO APPLY
Online applications will be accepted beginning Monday, February 9, 2026, and will close on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 11:59 PM (PST).

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY:
The Office of the Orange County District Attorney - Public Administrator(OCDA-PA) represents the People of the State of California in criminal and civil proceedings in the Superior Court of California and appellate courts of the state. The mission of the OCDA-PA is to enhance public safety and welfare and to protect and respect crime victims and to create security in the community through the vigorous enforcement of criminal and civil laws in a just, honest, efficient and ethical manner.

THE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION:
The Orange County District Attorney's Office -supports the prosecutorial and law enforcement endeavors of the District Attorney. It provides a wide range of policing services tasked with suppressing crime and ensuring all criminal cases filed in Orange County are thoroughly investigated.
THE OPPORTUNITY:

The District Attorney's Public Assistance Division is seeking qualified Investigators to conduct investigations relating to the suspected fraudulent receipt of or application for public assistance, obtain and present facts and evidence to support administrative action or prosecution, and do other work as needed. Applicants must be self-motivated, effective communicators and team players. The candidate(s) selected for this position will be part of a dynamic investigative team working under direction to:

• Perform challenging investigative work that may result in the prosecution of persons suspected of fraudulently receiving or applying for public assistance
• Collaborate with prosecutors, Social Services Agency staff, the Orange County Housing Authority, In-Home Support Services staff, and law enforcement agencies to prosecute public assistance fraud

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS THE FOLLOWING:

In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate should hold Police/Peace Officer status and possess/demonstrate the following desirable qualifications:
Knowledge and Experience:

• Detailed understanding of the criminal justice system
• Thorough knowledge of rules of evidence, courtroom procedure, investigation techniques, methods, and procedures
• Significant criminal investigative experience with a minimum of two years' experience

Judgment and Decision-Making:

• Ability to apply forward-thinking and creative thought with high ethical standards
• Exceptional judgment and common sense

Collaboration and Teamwork:

• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills
• Approachability, flexibility, and organizational skills
• Demonstrated enthusiasm, innovation and/or creativity in a law enforcement career

Effective Written and Verbal Communication:

• Superior interviewing, interrogation and listening skills
• Superior report writing skills

Certificates:
The ideal candidate will possess at the time of application one of the following:

• California P.O.S.T Basic Certificate;
• California P.O.S.T Basic Specialized Investigator; or
• California P.O.S.T Basic Course Waiver

PLEASE NOTE

All applicants who have filed an application, must scan, upload, and attach their California P.O.S.T. certificate (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Supervisory, or Management) to the application. Failure to immediately attach your certificates may result in an incomplete application which may not be accepted.

ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION:
Additional compensation up to 70 cents ($0.70) per hour may be available for candidates selected to work in positions requiring the following bilingual skills:

• Spanish/English: Ability to speak, read, write, and understand fluent Spanish and English.
• Vietnamese/English: Ability to speak, write, and understand fluent Vietnamese and English.

The Department encourages bilingual candidates to apply.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Please click hereto view the minimum qualifications for the Public Assistance Investigator classification.

RECRUITMENT PROCESS:
The Office of the District Attorney Human Resources screens all applications to identify the qualified candidates. After screening, qualified candidates will be referred to the next step and notified of all further procedures applicable to their status in the competition. After all the test procedures have been completed, the District Attorney's Human Resources will establish an eligible list of qualified candidates.
The recruitment procedure will consist of the following steps. Each step will require a few weeks to complete.
Application Appraisal Panel | (Weighted 100%)

Application materials will be rated by a panel of job knowledge experts for those qualifications most needed to perform the duties of the job. The more qualified candidates will be referred to the next step. This is a competitive process; therefore, be thorough in your responses.
Structured Oral Interview Assessment & Written Exercise | (Weighted 100%)

Please note: The following assessments may take place on the same day. Candidates will complete the written assessment first, and the structured oral interview will follow.

Candidates will complete a written exercise that a panel of subject matter experts will evaluate on writing skills, clarity, preciseness of writing, content, grammar, sentence structure, and format. Following the written assessment, candidates will be interviewed and rated by a panel of job knowledge experts. Each candidate's rating will be based on responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate's qualifications for the job.

Eligible List
Once all assessments have been completed, District Attorney Human Resources will establish an eligible list of candidates. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to a selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.
Based on the Department's needs, the recruitment procedure listed above may be modified. All candidates will be notified of any changes in the recruitment procedure.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
VETERANS EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCEThe County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click hereto review the policy.
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONSCandidates under consideration for hire by the Office of the District Attorney-Public Administrator will be required to successfully pass an extensive and thorough background investigation, including Live Scan fingerprinting, medical, and psychological testing to the satisfaction of the District Attorney.
The information gathered in the course of a background investigation is deemed confidential and will not be disclosed to the applicant unless legally mandated by statute to do so.
EMAIL NOTIFICATION
Email is the primary form of notification during the recruitment process. Please ensure your correct e-mail address is included in our application and use only one e-mail account.
NOTE: User accounts are established for one person only and should not be shared with another person. Multiple applications with multiple users may jeopardize your status in the recruitment process for any positions for which you apply.
Candidates will be notified regarding their status as the recruitment proceeds via e-mail through the site. Please check your e-mail folders, including spam/junk folders, and/or accept e-mails ending with "" and "." If your e-mail address should change, please update your profile at .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Clickhere for additional Frequently Asked Questions.
If you have questions related to this recruitment, please contact Lynda Phanat (714) 834-6224 or

EEO INFORMATION

Orange County, as an equal employment opportunity employer, encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.
Non-Management Benefits
In addition to the County's standard suite of benefits, such as a variety of health plan options, annual leave and paid holidays--we also offer an excellent array of benefits such as a Health Care Reimbursement Account, 457 Defined Contribution Plan and Annual Education and Professional Reimbursement. Employees are provided a Retirement Plan through the Orange County Employees Retirement System
Please go to the following link to find out more about Defined Benefit Pensions and OCERS Plan Types/Benefits.
Click for information about benefits offered to County of Orange employees.
01

I am a U.S. citizen or qualify for Peace Officer status under California Government Code, Section 1031.5.

• Yes
• No

02

I have graduated from high school or attained a satisfactory score on a G.E.D. test or California High School Proficiency Exam.

• Yes
• No

03

I have never been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or been the subject of a court restraining order based on domestic violence.

• Yes
• No

04

For any answers indicating "No" to the questions above, please use this space to provide an explanation.
05

Please select which of the following California P.O.S.T. Certificates you possess as of the date of this application? Note: A P.O.S.T. Certificate is not valid if there is over a three-year break in service.

• A current P.O.S.T. Basic Certificate
• A current P.O.S.T. Specialized Investigator Basic Certificate
• A current P.O.S.T. Basic/ Specialized Course Waiver or have successfully graduated from a POST Basic or SIBC Academy in the last year
• Do not possess any of the above

06

If you have had a break in California Peace Officer Status, what was the date of your separation? (Please enter N/A if not applicable.)
07

Select one answer that describes your law enforcement experience:

• Two years of criminal investigative experience for a law enforcement agency
• One year experience as a Public Assistance Investigator in a California County
• None of the above

08

Describe in detail your formal investigative experience, assignment and the caseload you were assigned as a detective or investigator. The information you provide will be used as a scoring device, be descriptive in your response - NOTE: "See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be scored. If you have no experience, write "no experience."
09

Please describe your experience collaborating, partnering, or assisting agencies that serve socially or economically disadvantaged populations The information you provide will be used as a scoring device, be descriptive in your response - NOTE: "See Resume" is not a qualifying response and will not be scored. If you have no experience, write "no experience."
Required Question