Mitigation Assistance Specialist

Position Description Position Overview The Holistic Services Division of the Harris County Public Defender's Office seeks an enthusiastic, dedicated non-capital mitigation assistance specialist ("specialist") to join our team. The specialist will work closely with attorneys and clients to identify mitigating evidence to support the client's criminal defense team. Applicants should have excellent writing, research, and communication skills, and they should have experience authoring formal mitigation memoranda, compiling psychosocial histories, and conducting thorough client/witness interviews for use in criminal pre-trial negotiations and sentencing. The specialist must manage a caseload of clients charged with anything from non-violent misdemeanors all the way up to serious felony offenses. They should be able to identify holistic services that would benefit the client. Duties and Responsibilities Conduct thorough mitigation interviews with clients and witnesses, some of whom may be in the custody of Harris County Jail. Collect and analyze records in support of mitigation arguments, including mental health records, physical health records, jail/prison records, and school records. Travel for in-person witness interviews when necessary. Communicate and collaborate with attorneys, investigators, experts, and support staff regarding the presentation of mitigation evidence in the context of misdemeanor and felony criminal cases. Willingness to work with some clients who are accused of serious criminal offenses. Testify in court occasionally. Identify social services that clients need and assist in connecting clients to resources. Identify the need for expert assistance and research appropriate experts. Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx If you need special services or accommodations, please call (713) 274-5445 or email ADACoordinator@bmd.hctx.net. This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate. Requirements Required Supporting Documents Writing sample required. Education and Experience Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with At least one (1) year of social service experience. OR Master's Degree from an accredited college or university. OR Juris Doctorate (JD). NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications. Preferences Spanish/English bilingual. Licensed Social Worker. Professional experience with mitigation work. Prior experience working with populations who experience persistent mental illnesses, homelessness, and/or substance use disorders. General Information Position Type and Typical Hours of Work Regular Full-time Monday - Friday | 8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. Salary Minimum: $67,500 Annually Depends on Qualifications Based on 26 pay periods Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards. Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department. HARRIS COUNTY EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Harris County offers a highly competitive benefits program, featuring a comprehensive group health plan and defined benefit retirement plan. The following benefits are offered only to Harris County employees in regular (full-time) positions: Health & Wellness Benefits Medical Coverage Dental Coverage Vision Coverage Wellness Plan Life Insurance Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Healthcare Flexible Spending Account Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Paid Time Off (PTO) Ten (10) days of vacation leave per year (accrual rate increases after 5 years of service) Eleven (11) County-observed holidays One (1) floating holiday per year Paid Parental Leave* Sick Leave Retirement Savings Benefit 457 Deferred Compensation Plan The following benefits are available to Harris County employees in full-time and select part-time positions: Professional learning & development opportunities Retirement pension (TCDRS defined benefit plan) Flexible work schedule* METRO RideSponsor Program* Participation may vary by County department. The employee benefits plans of Harris County are extended to all eligible participants across various departments with the exception of the Harris County Community Supervision and Corrections Department, for which the cited Health & Wellness Benefits are administered through the State of Texas. In accordance with the Harris County Personnel Regulations, group health and related benefits are subject to amendment or discontinuance at any time. Harris County Commissioners Court reserves the right to make benefit modifications on the County's behalf as needed. For plan details, visit the Harris County Benefits & Wellness website: www.benefitsathctx.com 01 Which of the following best describes your highest level of education completed as it relates to this position? High School or GED diploma Associates Degree Bachelor's Degree Master's Degree Juris Doctorate or higher None of the above 02 Do you have at least one (1) year of social service experience? (To be considered, qualifying experience MUST be documented in your application's employment history) Yes No 03 Are you a Licensed Social Worker? Yes No 04 Do you have professional experience with mitigation work? Yes No 05 Do you have prior experience working with populations who experience persistent mental illnesses, homelessness, and/or substance use disorders? Yes No 06 Are you bilingual in English and Spanish? Yes No 07 Which of the following describes your level of proficiency using a personal computer and common office software such as MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). Please select your level of proficiency based on the following descriptions: Advanced: A person with this level of skills is able to produce very large, complex formal documents that require a table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, and other special elements; a wide range of graphic effects, and use advanced techniques for analyzing and manipulating data. Has full mastery of Macro commands and skills to tie the objects together into a cohesive system by using Macros and Visual Basic for Applications code. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Intermediate: A person with this level of skills is able to customize toolbars, import and insert graphs, embed Excel data, and elaborate reports. Understands the concepts of databases and is able to work with charts and to use the list management capabilities of Excel. Able to use complex query techniques, create efficient forms and reports, and create Macros to automate these forms. Makes interactive presentations by using hyperlinks and action buttons. Basic: A person with this level of skills is able to use basic formatting, editing, printing functions, and understands the document page setup. Has the ability to enter and correct data, modify a workbook, format a worksheet, and use printing functions. Understands the different database concepts and structures and is familiar with data validation and is able to create a simple presentation in PowerPoint, run it, and print it. Entry Level: A person with this level of skills has the ability to open, create, save and modify documents in Word, send and receive email in Outlook and create spreadsheets in Excel. Format documents for printing, comfortable using the printer menu to preview documents. Has ability to change the font, the margins, insert or delete pages and use the built-in spellchecker and grammar check. Advanced Intermediate Basic Entry Level Not proficient 08 This application requires that a writing sample be submitted. Did you attach the required document? Yes Required Question Employer Harris County Address 1111 Fannin St Ste. 600 Houston, Texas, 77002 Phone 713-274-5445 Website https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harriscountytx