Attorney - Central Office

Job Description and Duties

We are excited to announce that effective January 1, 2026 the California Prison Industry Authority (CALPIA) has been renamed the California Correctional Training and Rehabilitation Authority (CALCTRA).

This is great opportunity for a new attorney or an attorney with a few years of practice to explore different practice areas (such as constitutional, correctional, employment, privacy, contracting, labor, administrative, corporate, and government law) and to acquire a wide variety of legal skills that they will benefit from as they advance in their legal career

A Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) is required when applying for this position. The SQ must conform to the instructions below or your application may be disqualified.

Enjoy the flexibility of a  hybrid schedule while being based near historic Folsom—close to restaurants, shops, scenic walking trails, and with  free parking ! T his position is not located inside a prison.

Please note:  In-person attendance is required based on operational needs and in accordance with Executive Order N-22-25, the Statewide Hybrid Telework Policy, Government Code section 14200.Candidates must reside in California at the time of appointment; proof of residency may be required.

Join a mission-driven team dedicated to reducing recidivism, improving prison safety, and enhancing public safety by providing meaningful work and training opportunities to incarcerated individuals.

As a full-time state employee, you’ll receive:

• At least 156 hours of paid leave in your first year
• 11 paid holidays
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits for you and your family
• CalPERS retirement benefits

Start your CAREER with purpose – make a difference while enjoying great benefits and a work-life balance!

This position performs a wide range of legal assignments within the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Must be able to learn and competently perform confidential and sensitive legal work for CALCTRA in a variety of subject matter areas, including constitutional, correctional, employment, civil service, health and safety, public contracting, administrative, and privacy law. 

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment. We do not accept STEM-OPT.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) a(n) California State Bar License License. You will be required to provide a copy of your license prior to being hired.

Upon a conditional job offer, the selected candidate will be required to clear live scan, a tuberculous (TB) test, and physical (if applicable).

This position is subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing pursuant to 2 CCR § 599.960.

Employment information on the STD 678 MUST be complete with hours worked, dates, duties and responsibilities, and contact names and phone numbers of supervisors. Failure to submit a completed STD 678 may result in you being screened out. Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to an interview. Please indicate the classification, Job Control Number (JC) and position number in the 'EXAMINATION(S) OR JOB TITLE(S) FOR WHICH YOU ARE APPLYING' section of your application, failure to provide this information may result in elimination from the hiring process. Resumes are welcome but do not take place of the STD 678. Incomplete applications received may not be considered.

Statewide Recruiting has a hot off the press new resource for you: State Application Checklist

This resource was created to help job seekers understand how to write a strong state application and address some of the frequently asked questions about state applications. We hope you find it useful, and we think it pairs pretty nicely with the SOQ checklist

Employees new to CALCTRA will be required to attend New Employee Orientation (NEO) prior to starting work within an institution or Central Office. NEO is 4-5 days (36 hours) and will be conducted at the Green Valley Training Center in Folsom, CA. New employees traveling 50 miles or more from their home address or headquarters location to attend NEO will receive a travel advance sufficient for meals, incidentals, and travel accommodations for the duration of NEO. Any questions or concerns regarding NEO training can be addressed during the interview process.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

Desirable Qualifications are not required but are listed to demonstrate what experience/education would make the selected candidate most successful in this position. If you have this education/experience, you are encouraged to include this information in your application.

• Experience working as a licensed California attorney
• In good standing with the California State Bar
• Experience working for an attorney or in a law office
• Experience working in a specialized area of law (employment law, civil rights law, correctional law, etc.)

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the CalHR website and the CalPERS website.

Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ)

Please provide a Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) addressing the following prompt. Applications received without an SQ will not be considered. Your SQ responses should be numbered, listed in the same order as shown below, typed in 12-point font, and the entire SQ should be limited to 3 pages, single spaced.

1. Please explain why you are interested in working as an attorney in public service and specifically for the California Correctional Training and Rehabilitation Authority (CALCTRA).

2. Please describe the most complex or challenging legal task that you have handled as an attorney to date and why you personally found that task to be complex or challenging. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be useful in developing written responses: however, it is important to use these tools responsibly and ethically. Minimum Qualifications (MQs) are required to be verified by the Human Resource Unit, per CCR 249.4 - Verification of Minimum Qualifications Prior to Appointment . If it has been determined an applicant has misrepresented their education and/or employment history, it may be cause for disqualification, and may result in removal from an employment list - CCR 172. General Qualifications. Applicants shall provide relevant and accurate information on all application documents to avoid disqualification California Code, GOV 18935 .

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Supplemental Application - Please see the Supplemental Questionnaire questions below