Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney

About the role

This is a senior, hands-on criminal prosecution leadership role in a small, tight-knit county justice office, based in one of the most beautiful and safe island communities in the Pacific Northwest. Reporting to the elected Prosecuting Attorney, you will be a visible, trusted leader who builds strong relationships with the sheriff and other law enforcement officials, court staff, defense counsel, and community partners.

Responsibilities

• Review police reports and evidence for legal and factual sufficiency, and make sound charging decisions across felonies and higher-level crimes.
• Independently prosecute the county's felony caseload from charging through verdict and sentencing, including trial strategy, motions, and evidentiary decisions.
• Carry cases across district, superior, and juvenile courts, and handle criminal appeals as needed.
• Conduct plea negotiations and make sentencing recommendations with sound prosecutorial judgment.
• Prepare and try felony jury and bench trials, examining witnesses and applying the law in real time under adversarial conditions.
• Train deputy sheriffs and other officers on substantive, procedural, and evidentiary law as applied to criminal investigations.
• Supervise and direct legal support staff, victim/witness coordinators, a junior district court deputy prosecutor, and interns.
• Protect victims', survivors', and witnesses' rights throughout case handling, coordinating trauma-informed support and communication.
• Advise investigators on charging standards, search and seizure, evidence handling, and report quality to strengthen outcomes.
• Maintain current knowledge of Washington substantive, procedural, and evidentiary law, monitoring new appellate decisions affecting charging and trial strategy.
• Travel occasionally to crime scenes, witness interviews and depositions, and out-of-county proceedings and trainings.

Requirements

• Active member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association and admitted to practice law in Washington.
• At least six years of criminal law practice through prosecution, criminal defense, criminal appellate, or closely related criminal litigation.
• Significant experience trying felony cases, with demonstrated ability to take serious criminal matters to jury trial independently.
• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school, or completion of an approved legal clerk training program sufficient for Washington bar admission.
• Experience supervising legal staff, such as legal assistants, paralegals, advocates, or junior attorneys.
• Experience training law enforcement officers, or closely analogous experience such as academy instruction, recurring legal updates, or advising investigators on charging and evidence.
• Strong courtroom advocacy skills, including the ability to listen, analyze, communicate, and apply the law effectively under pressure.
• Strong ethics, professionalism, and public-sector judgment consistent with RCW 42.52, including conflicts awareness, confidentiality, and victim/witness sensitivity.
• Ability to complete Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) training within the required timeframe.
• Holds, or can obtain, a valid Washington State Driver's License to support occasional travel.

Preferred

• Prior public-sector or prosecutor's office experience, such as a deputy or chief criminal deputy from another Washington county.
• Broad criminal case ownership across district, superior, juvenile, and appellate forums, including small-jurisdiction practice requiring hands-on ownership across case types.
• Victim-centered, trauma-informed prosecution experience, including prosecution of victim-intensive crimes or collaboration with victim/witness programs.
• Appellate experience researching, preparing memoranda, and arguing before appellate courts.
• Ability to start within the county's continuity window with limited ramp-up.

Benefits

• Annual base salary of $150,000 to $195,000, based on experience.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Life insurance and long-term disability (LTD).
• State retirement plan.
• Paid holidays and paid leave accrual.
• Temporary housing relocation assistance.