Child Support Attorney I

**Notice of Change: Applications will be accepted until 4:59pm on September 22, 2025**

Join Our Team and Make a Difference!

The County of Santa Barbara is seeking qualified candidates to fill one (1) full-time Child Support Attorney I/II position. This is an exciting opportunity to apply your skills in a meaningful way while advancing your career in public service.  If you are ready to contribute to the community and grow professionally, we encourage you to apply today!

SALARY & BENEFITS: 

• Child Support Attorney I: $102,082.24 - $122,944.64 Annually
• Child Support Attorney II: $111,993.44 - $135,037.76 Annually

Highlighted Benefits:

• Health Plan: County contributes towards premium; HSA offered
• Pension
• Reciprocity with other public sector retirement systems (like CalPERS)
• 12 holidays, 12 sick leave days (unlimited accumulation), and 12 to 25 days of vacation (based on length of service) per year
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate for previous public service.
• For more information on County benefits, please click here.  

In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

This is an excellent opportunity to join the Child Support Services Department at the County of Santa Barbara. Come and be a part of a team of talented individuals who are dedicated to serving children and families in our local community.  

Santa Barbara County Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) supports children’s futures, assisting parents and guardians by establishing, collecting, and distributing child and medical support for minors. Our work is an important part of California’s effort to nurture and protect children and to help their families achieve self-sufficiency. We are committed to improving the quality of life and creating opportunities for children through establishing and enforcing child support in our community.

To learn more about the Child Support Services Department, please visit https://www.countyofsb.org/166/Child-Support-Services

The Position
Child Support Attorneys perform a variety of civil litigation activities in the areas of child support and parentage; and perform related duties as required. Child Support Attorney I is the entry-level class in this professional series. Incumbents receive orientation to and training in parentage and child support issues and are expected to progress, in a reasonable time, in their experience and competency level so that they are qualified to be Child Support Attorneys II. With additional experience, employees may progress to higher levels in the series, which includes Child Support Attorney III/IV/Senior.

Candidates may be appointed at the I or II level, depending on the candidate's qualifications and needs of the department.

• Advises department staff, custodial and non-custodial parents regarding legal procedures and legal issues involved in prospective civil parentage and/or support actions. 
• Researches and applies laws; court decisions; local, state, and federal regulations.
• Prepares legal pleadings, including complaints, answers, demurrers, discovery, motions, orders, and judgments required for hearings, trials, and varied legal proceedings.
• Drafts and prepares related reports and correspondence; and maintains accurate case records.
• Assists with the litigation of parentage and support cases in civil court trials and at family law and motion hearings.
• Meets and confers with parties prior to Court appearances.
• Presents written and oral arguments in court and examines and cross-examines witnesses.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Active membership in the State Bar of California.

Additional Qualifications: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver's License is required at the time of appointment. Incumbents are required to travel throughout the county.

Knowledge of: principles of civil and criminal law with an emphasis on family law; trial and court procedures; legal research methods; rules of evidence; standard legal office practices and procedures; ethical and professional rules of conduct; and negotiating techniques.

Ability to: learn civil and criminal codes related to California family law; perform legal research; analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence, and precedents to legal problems; present statements of law, facts, and arguments clearly, logically, and forcefully, in both written and oral format; negotiate settlements; maintain confidentiality and objectivity; manage an assigned caseload; operate personal computers and use computer applications used by the department; and establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Desired Characteristics:

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion principles and practices;
• Strong analytical ability and attention to detail;
• Customer-focused and solutions-driven approach;
• Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated across various levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated commitment to collaboration and cooperation including the ability to work effectively with others, communicate openly, and contribute to the collective success of the team. 

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

• Review applications and supplemental questionnaires to determine those applicants who meet employment standards.
• Supplemental Questionnaire Rating. Responses to the required examination supplemental questions will be evaluated and scored. Candidates’ final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by the responses to these questions. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than 11 qualified candidates. 

Candidates must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the Supplemental Questionnaire Rating to be placed on an employment list.   An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI.  Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months.   At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive an email notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list.

The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.  

Conditional Offer: Once a conditional offer of employment has been made, candidate will be required to successfully complete a background check, which includes a conviction history check, LiveScan fingerprinting, and satisfactory reference checks.  Appointee will be subject to a post-offer medical evaluation or examination.

NOTE: This position has access to federal tax information (FTI) and is thus subject to the provisions of IRS Publication 1075, Tax Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and Local Agencies, which include criminal history background investigations every 5 years, subsequent arrest notification and citizenship verification through e-Verify.

NOTE: Veteran’s preference credit is applicable for this recruitment (5 points for veterans, 10 points for disabled veterans). To be eligible for this credit, you must be applying for this position within five years from your most recent date of: (1) honorable discharge from active military service; or, (2) discharge from a military or veterans’ hospital where treatment and confinement were for a disability incurred during active military service; or, (3) completion of education or training funded by a Federal Educational Assistance Act.  No time limit exists for veterans with 30% or more disability. To receive veteran’s preference points, you must: (1) check the Veteran’s Preference Points box on the employment application form, (2) submit a copy of your Form DD214 to the Human Resources Department on or before the closing date, and (3) pass all phases of the examination process.  The preference points will be added to your final test score.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS:   The County of Santa Barbara is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants. Qualified individuals with disabilities who need reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter listed on the job posting.  We require verification of accommodation needed from a professional source, such as a Medical Provider or a learning institution.

Recruiters will correspond with applicants by e-mail during each step in the recruitment process.  Applicants are reminded to check spam filters continuously during the Recruitment & Selection Process steps listed above to ensure they do not miss the required deadlines.

Disaster Service Workers: Pursuant to Governmental code section 3100, all employees with the County of Santa Barbara are declared to be disaster service workers subject to such disaster service. Activities as may be assigned to them by their superiors or by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
The County of Santa Barbara provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any type with regard to any characteristic or status protected by any federal law, state law, or Santa Barbara County ordinance. The County continues to be committed to a merit-based selection process and to eliminating barriers to attracting and retaining top qualified candidates. The County has a long-standing practice of providing a work environment that respects the dignity of individual employees and values their contributions to our organization.

APPLICATION AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE DEADLINE: Monday, September 22, 2025, at 4:59 PM PST.  Applications and job bulletins can be obtained 24 hours a day at www.sbcountyjobs.com.

Chanel Y. Turner, Talent Acquisition Analyst, cturner@countyofsb.org