Probate Investigator

Los Angeles Superior Court; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework eligible

Job summary

The Probate Investigator role at the Superior Court of Los Angeles County supports conservatorship and guardianship investigations within the Probate Court. You will interview parties, assess living arrangements, report findings, and prepare official reports used in judicial determinations.

Telework eligible following training, with initial in-office duties to start. Applicants must have a four-year degree in social work, sociology, psychology, marriage and family counseling, or gerontology,

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in social work, sociology, psychology, marriage, and family counseling, or gerontology.
• Three (3) years of field investigations experience in social work or protective services.
• U.S. citizenship is required.

Responsibilities

• Interview prospective conservatees, conservators, guardians, family members, and collateral sources with recommendations to the Court.
• Assess living arrangements, costs, and medical/mental capacity, including voting rights considerations.
• Conduct guardianship and conservatorship investigations and report recommendations.
• Review ongoing cases annually or biennially for continuation or modification.
• Submit official investigation reports used as evidence in judicial determinations.
• Identify health and safety concerns per relevant guidelines.

Education

Bachelor's degree in social work, sociology, psychology, marriage and family counseling, or gerontology

Master's degree in social work, psychology, or related behavioral science

Professional license in marriage and family therapy, clinical social work, or psychology

Job description

The Superior Court of Los Angeles County is the largest unified trial court in the United States. The Court’s 582 judicial officers and its dedicated workforce of over 4,600 full-time employees serving across 36 facilities work purposefully and seamlessly to achieve the mission to provide equal access to justice to all of Los Angeles County. At the heart of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County is commitment and collaboration between team members who contribute professional skill sets and meaningful work experiences toward the goal of serving the community at large.

Accessible career paths, a healthy work-life balance, job stability, and comprehensive total rewards including generous pay and benefits, a robust public sector pension, and Court matched 401K/457 individual savings plans, are just some of the values that the Court offers to every member of its thriving workforce. Plan your future with the Superior Court of Los Angeles County – connect with us today.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Probate Investigator position serves the Court in investigating conservatorship and guardianship cases assigned to the Probate Court. Incumbents must exercise a thorough knowledge of and ability to analyze and interpret Probate Law and Legislation.

Key Responsibilities

• Interview prospective conservatees, conservators, guardians, family members, and collateral sources, and provide recommendations to the Court regarding suitability and statements
• Assess and report on proposed conservatees' living arrangements, costs, physical and mental capabilities, including determinations on voting rights and medical consent; review criminal background checks.
• Conduct guardianship and conservatorship investigations, including interviewing minors where appropriate and making recommendations on guardianship suitability.
• Review ongoing conservatorships annually or biennially, evaluating the need for continuation, modification, or termination, and forwarding change requests to the Court.
• Prepare and submit official conservatorship and guardianship investigation reports to the Court, which are used as evidence in judicial determinations
• Identify and report health and safety concerns in accordance with Adult Protective Services and Department of Children and Family Services guidelines.

The responsibilities above illustrate the general scope of work for this classification. Individual positions may not perform all listed duties, and the responsibilities described are not intended to be exhaustive. For detailed job description, click HERE. Please note the requirements in the job description may vary from the requirements in this bulletin. Applicants must meet the requirements stated in this bulletin.

THIS IS A TELEWORK ELIGIBLE OPPORTUNITY

This position may be eligible for full or partial telework following an initial training period and contingent upon the needs of the Court.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify, you must meet ALL the following requirements at the final filing date of this bulletin:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university* with a degree in social work, sociology, psychology, marriage, and family counseling, or gerontology.
• Three (3) years of experience performing field investigations with children and adults in social work or comparable protective service settings. Relevant experience may include work performed with the Department of Children and Family Services, Adult Protective Services, or similar agencies responsible for child or adult welfare.
• United States citizenship.

*To qualify for Options that require educational credentials, you must attach the required documentation to your application. For more information, please visit our Applicant Support page.

Note: Credit for experience is based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a pro rate basis (e.g. working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience). Overtime does not count toward additional credit.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will be independent, self-motivated, resourceful, reliable, adaptable, and possess the following desirable qualifications:

• Ability to communicate clearly, verbally and in writing, in other languages in addition to English.
• A Master's Degree from an accredited college, university or program in social work; psychology; marriage, and family counseling; or other behavioral science substantially related to marriage and family relationships.
• A current license in marriage and family therapy, clinical social work or psychology.

APPLICANT SUPPORT & INFORMATION

Applications must be submitted online. Before submitting your application, carefully review ALL the information detailed on our APPLICANT SUPPORT page linked HERE.

Applicants with disabilities who require reasonable accommodation to participate in the recruitment process may submit a request for accommodation to the email provided below. For additional employment information, please click HERE.

WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER APPLYING

This recruitment process will take up to 4-6 weeks to complete. We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process, detailed below:

EVALUATION

Qualifying evaluation of education, training and experience based upon submitted application and supplemental questionnaire.

ASSESSMENT

Applicants who best meet job-related qualifications will be invited to participate in the assessment process that may consist of any combination of written, performance, or oral appraisal to evaluate further job-related experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities.

ELIGIBILITY

Applicants who successfully pass each and all recruitment steps will be placed on an eligible list which will remain active for approximately six (6) months and may be invited to participate in a selection interview. Placement on an eligible list may not result in further consideration, only the most qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. Other vacancies may be filled using this list.

Superior Court of Los Angeles County is an equal opportunity employer.