Assistant Social Worker​/Social Worker

Shasta County Public Defender's Office

The current vacancy is in the Shasta County Public Defender's Office. Oral exam is tentatively scheduled for September 2026. Responses to supplemental questions are required. Final filing date:
September 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

Salary information:

Assistant Social Worker: $4,024-$5,136 monthly / $23.21-$29.63 hourly

Social Worker: $4,659-$5,946 monthly / $26.88-$34.30 hourly

This position is in the UPEC Professional bargaining unit. Please refer to the applicable bargaining unit labor agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) for potential future salary increases:
Shasta County Labor Agreements.

The salary range consists of six (6) salary steps, with approximately 5% between each step. Newly hired employees are appointed at Step A of the assigned salary range. Employees are eligible for a merit-based salary increase from Step A to Step B after six months of satisfactory service. Thereafter, employees may be eligible for annual merit-based step increases, beginning one year from the Step B effective date, until they reach the top step of the salary range.

About the position:

Assistant Social Worker:
Under direction, provides support to justice-involved clients by assessing basic social service needs, conducting initial social studies, identifying barriers to stability and successful case outcomes, and connecting clients with appropriate community resources. Provides limited casework services and assists Social Workers and attorneys with service coordination, documentation, and client support. Performs related duties as required.

Social Worker:
Under direction, provides social services to justice-involved clients by conducting comprehensive social assessments, developing individualized service plans, and coordinating treatment, diversion, and other supportive services. Provides information regarding available resources and facilitates referrals to appropriate community providers and human service agencies. Works collaboratively with Public Defender attorneys, clients, treatment providers, and community partners to address client needs and support successful case outcomes.

Performs related duties as required.

Distinguishing characteristics:

Assistant Social Worker:
The Assistant Social Worker is the trainee classification in the professional Social Worker series. Within the Public Defender's Office, the position provides an opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in working with justice-involved individuals, including client assessment, resource coordination, treatment and diversion services, and collaboration with attorneys and community providers.

Initially, the Assistant Social Worker works under close and detailed supervision, learning departmental procedures, available social and behavioral health resources, basic assessment and casework methods, and the unique role of social work within the criminal legal system. As experience is gained, the employee is assigned selected cases of limited complexity, with casework methods and recommendations continuing to receive close review.

The Assistant Social Worker is distinguished from the Social Worker by the level of independence, complexity of assignments, and degree of supervision required.

Social Worker:
The Social Worker is the full journey-level classification in the professional Social Worker series. Within the Public Defender's Office, the Social Worker independently manages a caseload and provides social work services to justice-involved clients with a range of needs and case complexities.

The Social Worker conducts comprehensive assessments, develops service plans, coordinates treatment and diversion services, facilitates connections with community resources, and provides case consultation and support to Public Defender attorneys. Assignments may involve sensitive, complex, or specialized client needs requiring independent judgment, advanced casework skills, program knowledge, creativity, and sound decision-making.

The Social Worker is distinguished from the Assistant Social Worker by the greater independence of action, level of responsibility, and ability to manage cases of average to complex difficulty.

Who we are looking for:

The ideal candidate is a compassionate, motivated professional who is committed to serving justice-involved individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, and other barriers to stability. They will have strong communication and organizational skills, an interest in behavioral health and community resources,…