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Forensic Accountant

The Ventura County District Attorney's Office is the public prosecutor for the county's 850,000 residents. Our office employs approximately 310 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims to ensure we fulfill the mission of the District Attorney's Office to promote justice and protect the citizens of Ventura County.

Under the general direction of an attorney, conduct forensic accounting investigations of individuals, organizations, and businesses in cases involving economic fraud and/or financial crimes; prepare reports regarding financial investigations conducted; assist attorneys in the presentation of civil or criminal cases to be prosecuted; testify in court as an expert in forensic accounting.

The Ventura County District Attorney's Office recognizes the importance of diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion in the office's culture and climate, hiring, training, opportunities for advancement, and its relationship with the communities it serves.

The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. Aside from our base salary range, an employee within this position will also be eligible for the following:

• Merit Increases New employees are eligible for an initial 5% merit increase within the pay range upon completion of at least 1,040 hours (approximately 6 months) assuming work meets satisfactory standards. Subsequent merit increases within the pay range will be upon completion of each additional 2,080 hours (approximately one year) from the initial merit increase.
• Educational Incentive - An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree, OR 5% for completion of a graduate degree.
• Bilingual Incentive - Some positions may be eligible for the bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department. To qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency examination.
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.
• Health Plans - You are afforded a biweekly flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and vision insurance from a group of authorized plans.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
• Pension Plan - Participation in the County's defined benefit pension plan. If eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems such as CalPERS.
• Holidays - 13 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Additional Benefits - Tuition Reimbursement, Disability Plans, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Wellness Program.

Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Plans, organizes, directs, and conducts investigative audits of complex financial transactions, financial records, digital files, and other related documents, using a variety of professionally accepted accounting methodologies, to identify evidence of financial crimes, including economic fraud and embezzlement.
• Compiles and analyzes detailed transaction data from bank statements and related bank or financial documents.
• Analyzes and/or reconstructs balance sheets, income statements, general ledgers, bank reconciliation reports, and other financial records to form conclusions and express expert opinions based on the evidence.
• Traces the source of deposited funds and the disposition of checks disbursed.
• Prepares detailed accounting, statistical, and/or expert reports and schedules on findings suitable for presentation at trial.
• Serves as a member of the prosecution team with witnesses, suspects, and law enforcement; assists attorney and investigators in interviewing suspects and witnesses to obtain information regarding financial transactions and activities; advises and consults with attorneys and investigators on accounting matters related to fraud and financial crimes.
• Testifies in court as an expert witness in forensic accounting, explaining in simple terms to non-accountants the significance of complex financial transactions or records.
• Assists attorneys and investigators in the preparation and service of search warrants and seizure of financial records; recommends records to be seized or subpoenaed for use as evidence in cases.
• Assists attorneys and investigators in the preparation of cases for prosecution and trial; educates District Attorney staff and members of other agencies on forensic accounting methodology and analysis.
• Assists investigators and forensic computer examiners in the identification, location, and recovery of financial evidence that is digitally stored.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list. Education, Training, and Experience: Any combination of education and experience which would provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the above duties or tasks. The required knowledge, skills and abilities can be obtained by:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related field with at least 18 semester units of college-level accounting/business related coursework, AND,
• Five (5) years of increasingly responsible full-time, professional level accounting and/or auditing experience of financial records of individuals or of public and/or private organizations. One (1) year of which must have included fraud investigations in auditing of financial records of individuals and/or public and private organizations and preparing comprehensive audit reports, preferably in a legal or litigation environment.

Necessary Special Requirements:

• Must successfully pass a background investigation.
• By the completion of probation (1 year period), must possess a California Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and/or Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), or Certified Fraud Specialist (CFS).

Desired:

• Experience as a Forensic Accountant in a law enforcement agency.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Thorough knowledge of:

• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Accounting principles, standards, and procedures as the apply to the public and private sectors.
• Auditing principles, standards, and procedures.
• Accounting processes such as requirements for corporate filings or preparation of financial statements.
• Techniques used to analyze financial statements and tax returns for individuals, partnerships and corporations.
• Cost accounting procedures and systems.
• Business law and other relevant laws and rules regulating and influencing fiscal operations and financial transactions in the public and private sectors of business.
• AICPA professional standards including Statement on Standards for Forensic Services (SSFS No.1).

Working knowledge of:

• The practice of investigating or performing forensic accounting related to embezzlement, elder abuse, fraud and money laundering.
• Accounting system software programs and the use of software programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• Source and application funds method, net worth method, and bank deposit method of reconstructing income and earnings.

Working ability to:

• Collect, analyze, and preserve financial data to draw logical conclusions.
• Analyze and interpret comprehensive accounting and statistical reports.
• Interpret and evaluate a variety of financial information, use sound judgement and draw logical conclusions from data to identify fraud.
• Prepare comprehensive accounting and statistical reports.
• Analyze lack of internal controls and opportunities for embezzlement, kick-back schemes, and conversion of assets for personal use.
• Advise legal staff in the investigation and evidence analysis of cases involving financial records.
• Effectively explain complex accounting and financial concepts to laypersons.
• Reconstruct books and records that have been destroyed or falsified.
• Deal effectively with members of the legal profession, public officials, and other agencies/departments and the general public.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Prepare reports, charts, diagrams, and other materials to assist attorneys and investigators in understanding financial information and for presentation at trial.
• Testify as an expert witness in criminal and civil proceedings.
• Prioritize and complete assignments with a minimum amount of direction.

Skilled in:

• Deductive reasoning.
• Interpreting and verbally communicating complex or technical accounting concepts in layman's terms.

FINAL FILING DATE: Applications must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 22, 2026.