Career opportunities

The County of Marin, with a population of approximately 250 thousand, is located in Northern California, just north of San Francisco. Marin County has a mild climate with an abundance of scenic beauty, including beaches, lakes and mountain ranges.

The Marin County Probation Department maintains high expectations for its officers, making it a very professional department.

The Department’s entry-level sworn peace officer positions are Deputy Probation Officer I and Juvenile Corrections Officer I.

Juvenile Corrections Officer I

Equivalent to completion of four years of college or possession of a Bachelor’s degree with major course work in behavioral sciences, social welfare, social case work, counseling and guidance, psychology, education, recreation or a field related to the work.

Experience with disturbed adolescents in a foster home, group home, drug treatment or similar setting may be substituted for the education on a year for year basis to a maximum of two years.

Deputy Probation Officer I

Education/experience

All levels: Any combination of education and experience that provides for the necessary knowledge and ability’s listed. Typically possession of a Bachelor's Degree with a major in social or behavioral sciences, counseling, criminology or related field; or Sixty semester units of academic course work in sociology, behavioral and social psychology, social casework, social welfare, counseling and guidance, or a closely related field and two years of qualifying or full-time experience; or possession of an unrelated Bachelor’s degree with one year of qualifying experience.

State law requires that all applicants must:

• Be 18 years of age or older by the application filing deadline date.   
• Have a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness (felony law convictions will be disqualifying).   
• Be a citizen of the United States (or must have filed for citizenship with the Department of Immigration one year prior to employment application date).

Section 1031 of the Government Code provides that candidates:

• Be fingerprinted for purposes of search of local, state and national fingerprint files to disclose any criminal record.
• Complete and pass a comprehensive psychological test administered by the Probation Department or designated agency.

California State Board of Corrections (BOC), Standards and Training Commission (STC) require candidates:

• Pass the BOC’s written examination or an alternative examination as approved under Title 15 CCR, Section 132, and attend and successfully complete a basic Core training curriculum, as defined by the BOC’s guidelines, within the first year of employment.
   

1. Read the formal job description for Probation officer or Juvenile Correction Officer on the  Marin County careers website, including the minimum requirements and potential disqualifiers.

2. Read law enforcement preparation guides, such as the pre-test study guides provided below:

   Juvenile Correction Officer

   Probation Officer

3. Contact the Probation Department by email if you have questions.
4. Once job recruitment is open, follow the instructions on how and where to submit your resume. If you are selected, Human Resources will notify you of the testing procedure.
5. After you successfully pass the test, your name is placed on a roster by Human Resources. This roster is then given to the Probation Department who then schedules interviews. If you fail the test, you are not eligible to interview. However, you are encouraged to take the test again after six months. If you have questions about the testing process, you can learn more on the  Marin County Human Resources website.
6. Interviews consist of two parts: an oral interview in front of a panel and a written essay. Your combined score determines whether or not you are invited to the next step in the hiring process, which is to complete a Personal History Statement to start the process of a background investigation.