Probation Industries Crew Supervisor

Grow your career through hands-on leadership and meaningful community impact by applying to be a Probation Industries Crew Supervisor!

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to public service while making a direct and positive impact in the community. It provides a strong leadership role within a dynamic, primarily outdoor field environment where each day brings new challenges and experiences.

Starting salary up to $55.32/hour ($115,459/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The Probation Industries Crew Supervisor is a hands-on leader who works effectively with government agencies, internal staff, and community partners to complete a variety of field assignments. This role requires the ability to work independently while also functioning as a strong team member alongside fellow supervisors to coordinate crew schedules, assignments, and operational needs. The position oversees crew members in the field, ensuring safety protocols are followed and work is completed efficiently and to standard. The Probation Industries Crew Supervisor consults with supervisory staff when project scopes change or operational challenges arise, helping maintain smooth daily operations. This role supports workforce development by training new employees and sharing specialized knowledge with peers through cross-training and mentorship opportunities. Additional responsibilities include:

• Supervising work crews during assigned projects, ensuring productivity, accountability, and adherence to program expectations
• Conducting daily safety briefings and providing clear task direction to crew members, promoting a safe and efficient work environment
• Maintaining accurate records of attendance, participation, and work performance in accordance with departmental standards
• Communicating regularly with Probation Officers regarding client progress, conduct, and any behavioral concerns
• Inspecting, maintaining, and tracking inventory of tools and equipment, and promptly identifying repair or replacement needs
• Ensuring vans, trailers, and related equipment are properly maintained, stocked, and prepared for daily operations and job-specific assignments
• Coordinating and collaborating with city, county, and state agencies to complete work projects that support community improvement efforts

The ideal candidate is adaptable and able to respond effectively to rapidly changing circumstances while maintaining composure and productivity. They demonstrate strong creative problem-solving skills and sound judgment when addressing challenges in the field. This individual effectively manages personal stress while supporting crew members through workplace stressors and changing demands. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential, including keeping colleagues informed of issues related to crew members, job sites, or operations. The successful candidate remains focused, maintains a positive attitude in demanding environments, and contributes as a dependable and cooperative team player. They will also possess many of the following qualifications:

• Coursework in Criminal Justice or a closely related field that provides a strong foundation in corrections, rehabilitation, and public service practices
• Experience working with people who are in the criminal justice system, with the ability to promote accountability, professionalism, and positive behavioral change
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage and de-escalate interactions with challenging individuals using sound judgment and professionalism
• Hands-on experience operating and maintaining small tools, light machinery, and heavy equipment in a safe and efficient manner
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess situations and implement effective solutions in the field
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to provide clear direction and prepare accurate documentation
• Ability to interact professionally and respectfully with city, county, and state agencies, as well as a diverse community population
• Self-motivated and capable of working independently while maintaining accountability and managing priorities effectively
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and basic computer systems to support reporting, documentation, and daily operational needs
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills are desired but not required

Highly desired Licenses and Certifications:

• Possession of a valid California Driver’s License is required
• Penal Code 832 Certification is preferred, providing foundational knowledge of arrest, search, and seizure procedures
• Probation Core Training is highly desirable, demonstrating foundational knowledge of probation operations and field practices
• DOT Heavy Equipment Operator Certification is valued, reflecting advanced capability in operating heavy machinery safely and effectively
• Trade-related licenses or certifications are beneficial
• Experience and/or expertise in trailer towing and hauling is highly desirable, supporting safe and efficient transport of equipment and materials

Please note: Work clothes are required; department logo shirts, heavy work boots, and safety gear will be provided. This is year-round work with shifts available seven days a week on a 4/10 schedule. Standard work hours are 6:45 AM to 4:45 PM.

About the Supervised Work Crew Program

The Probation Department’s Supervised Work Crew (SWC) Program is a cost-effective jail alternative program that promotes accountability and restorative justice while reducing reliance on incarceration. Clients are assigned to supervised crews that complete meaningful public improvement projects throughout Sonoma County and neighboring counties, supporting parks, public spaces, and community infrastructure. The program benefits both the community and the County by generating substantial jail bed savings and reducing costs for projects that might otherwise require private contractors.

About the Probation Department

The Sonoma County Probation Department is committed to reducing recidivism, fostering accountability, promoting positive behavior change, and safeguarding the community. Its vision is to achieve justice and enhance community safety by making a positive difference in the lives of victims, justice-involved youth and adults, and their families. The Department values public safety through balanced intervention strategies that emphasize accountability and the potential for positive change. It is dedicated to equity and justice by treating all individuals with dignity, respect, fairness, and cultural awareness. Integrity is central to its mission, with a commitment to providing ethical and professional service to clients, courts, families, victims, and the community. The Department also prioritizes collaboration by building meaningful partnerships with community organizations and justice system partners. Employee excellence is fostered through a supportive workplace that encourages growth, professionalism, and continuous improvement. Through a strong focus on family and community, the Department works to strengthen families, promote healthy connections, and help prevent deeper involvement in the justice system.

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions- 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $850
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement- County contributions to help fund post-retirement health insurance/benefits
• Retirement- A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Additional Benefits-Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in our Employee Benefits Directory.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Probation Industries Crew Supervisor position in the Probation Department. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Experience and Education:Any combination of education, training, and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include one year of full-time experience supervising offenders in a correctional facility and/or experience in carrying out semiskilled maintenance, landscape, construction, or industrial production projects. Coursework or experience in project management, as well as licensure as a general contractor, a landscape contractor, or journey-level experience in one or more skilled trades such as carpentry, plumbing, masonry, or electrical is desired.

License:Possession of a valid driver’s license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo an in-depth background investigation including a psychological evaluation, criminal history check, and a medical examination, and may be subject to drug and alcohol testing in accordance with Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration regulations, 49 CFR 382, et. al.

Citizenship Requirement:Permanent resident aliens who wish to be employed as peace officers must apply for citizenship prior to application for such employment. Permanent resident aliens must cooperate with the U.S. Department of Immigration in meeting all requirements for U.S. citizenship or they shall be disqualified for peace officer status.

Knowledge of: typical offender behavior patterns and methods of controlling behavior problems and disturbances; techniques and skills necessary to provide the leadership role in supervising, directing, and instructing the activities of offenders; project management including cost estimating for construction projects, materials, time frames, and equipment; construction practices and the properties of materials used in erecting, installing, repairing, and removing diverse structures or structural parts, pipelines, and/or landscape development and maintenance; building codes and occupational safety and health practices and procedures related to construction and maintenance activities; the proper use and care of various hand and power tools to complete construction, maintenance, and landscaping work; principles of written and oral communication and report writing techniques, including language mechanics, syntax, and English composition; and advanced first aid techniques and practices, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Ability to:make and record detailed observations; read blueprints and specifications; supervise work of offenders; keep accurate records related to project costs, labor, time, and materials; exercise good judgment and decision making and adopt an effective course of action in an emergency situation, with limited to no supervision; effectively supervise a group of offenders engaged in various construction, industrial, and maintenance work activities; acquire and maintain the respect of offenders and fellow staff toward maintaining firm control in individual and group situations; maintain a cooperative working environment and provide positive motivation to offender crews; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, County departments, community agencies, and representatives; work outdoors for extended periods under varying weather conditions; work different shifts, weekends, and holidays; interpret and enforce institutional rules, regulations, and other policies with firmness, tact, and impartiality; observe inmates and anticipate and avert problems; effectively control, direct, and instruct inmates individually and in groups; prepare written reports; physically apprehend and/or restrain offenders in the line of duty.

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questionswillbe scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination(weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position.Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

It is the policy of law enforcement and legal offices and departments, in the County of Sonoma, that candidates complete a thorough background investigation process prior to employment. This policy is imperative to keep the department’s employees and the public safe and to maintain high standards in the law enforcement community. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

The background investigation will include a thorough assessment of a candidate’s personal, employment, educational, criminal, and credit history. The investigation may include but is not necessarily limited to: the use of prescription and/or other drugs, reports from former employers, friends, family members, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, credit reports, court reports, public records search, and/or other relevant sources. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment.

All candidates will be required to take a pre-employment medical examination. The pre-employment medical examination will include drug testing as part of the medical examination for all applicants and for all current employees who are offered employment with the Offices/Departments. Additionally, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment psychological examination. The results of these examinations and the background investigation shall be confidential and shall not be available to the candidate for review. Failure to pass the background investigation will eliminate a candidate from the employment process. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Issues that arise during the investigation process will be assessed, and judgment and discretion will be used to determine the employability of the candidate. Where there is evidence of a candidate’s past use of controlled substances, many factors shall be used to determine the employability of the individual such as a pattern of use, kind of drug used, circumstances of the start of the drug use, treatment, behavior, and attitude since discontinuance, etc. Please note that a history of using controlled substances does not result in automatic disqualification from the selection process. Prior to disqualifying any candidate whose profile falls within the provisions of the policy, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to present any and all evidence of mitigating facts that the candidate feels should be considered by the hiring authority.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job announcement must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CA

HR Technician: PPB