Thurston County facilities are now open to the public with restrictions, including maintaining physical distancing of at least six feet at all times and, per the Washington State Secretary of Health’s face covering order wearing a cloth face covering or mask. If you come to county facilities, please be prepared for potentially long wait times or lines due to distancing guidelines. We continue to encourage residents to access county services online, by phone, by email, or through the use of drop boxes located outside of county buildings.
The availability of remote services vary by office and department.

Click here for office and department contact information
Click here for information on COVID-19

Current Openings

​Recruiting

The Thurston County Civil Service Commission is recruiting to establish eligibility lists for entry and lateral level Deputy Sheriff and Corrections Deputy. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office anticipates hiring a number of positions for the next several years. Eligibility lists of qualified candidates are maintained to fill openings as they become available.

Corrections Deputy - CJTC Certified

Corrections Deputy - Lateral

Deputy Sheriff - Entry

Deputy Sheriff - CJTC Certified

Deputy Sheriff - Lateral

If you are interested in a position (such as Legal Assistant, Financial Operations Assistant, or Corrections Technician) and it is not currently listed, please complete a Job Interest Card. Check the Corrections and Law Enforcement boxes to receive email notifications when jobs in these fields are being filled..

​Equal Opportunity Employer:

Thurston County is committed to provide equal opportunity to all persons seeking or having access to its employment, services and activities, which is free from restriction based on race, sex, marital status, color, creed or religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, including gender expression or identity, pregnancy, status as an honorably discharged veteran or military status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability, unless based upon bona fide occupational qualifications. Applicants with disabilities who need accommodation with the application or selection process should contact Thurston County’s Human Resources, at (360) 786-5498. Those who are deaf, deaf-blind, hard of hearing or speech impaired may use the statewide relay system to reach Thurston County offices and departments to conduct their business telephonically. Relay users can simply dial 7-1-1 (or 1-800-833-6388) to connect with Washington Relay.

Equal Employment Opportunity Plan

General Information
Application Process

​Application Process
Anyone meeting minimum qualifications may apply for open positions. Applications are available only when eligibility lists are being established. When applying, carefully read the announcement and submit ALL requested forms and information by the closing date.

Examinations
Applicants meeting minimum qualifications will be invited to the exam. The exam process varies with each classification. Deputy Sheriff and Corrections Deputy positions require a physical ability test.

Pre-Employment Screening Standards
After testing, but prior to being placed on an eligibility list, applicants will be screened to ensure they meet pre-employment screening standards. Applicants who meet the pre-employment screening standards will be ranked on the eligibility list based on their exam score.

Background Investigation Process
Prior to appointment, an applicant must successfully complete a thorough Sheriff's Office background investigation. The background investigation may consist of, but is not limited to:

  • Personal history statement
  • Personal history check including an interview as well as criminal, driving, credit, and reference checks
  • Polygraph

Certification of Eligibility Lists
When a vacancy exists, the Sheriff's Office requests certification of the applicable eligibility list and is given the top three names on the list. Those candidates are interviewed, and the hiring authority selects one to hire. Appointment to sworn positions is contingent upon passing a medical examination and psychological assessment.

Why Applications Are Rejected

​The Chief Examiner may reject any application or applicant for appointment, promotion, or re-employment for any of the following reasons:

  • The applicant lacks the minimum qualifications set forth in the examination announcement.
     
  • The applicant fails to meet pre-employment screening standards.
     
  • The applicant has made a false statement on the applications with regard to any material facts.
     
  • The applicant has been dismissed for cause from any classified position in the Sheriff's Office within the preceding twelve months and no grievance or appeal is pending.
     
  • The applicant, after notification, failed to timely respond to a request for contact, failed to provide requested information required for an examination or background investigation, or did not appear at the time and place designated for examination.
     
  • The applicant has directly or indirectly paid or promised to pay any money or other valuable thing to any person to achieve appointment, promotion, or re-employment.
     

Some additional reasons why applications may be rejected are:

  • The application was received without an original signature.
     
  • The application was not received by the closing date.
     
  • A resume was received without a completed application form.
     
  • The application was for a position for which there is no current opening. Thurston County does not maintain an employment register.
     
  • The application form submitted is not the one used by Thurston County.
     
  • The position being applied for also requires submission of a completed Supplemental Questionnaire form which was not sent in with the application.
     
  • The application did not indicate which position was being applied for.
     
  • The application indicated that multiple positions were being applied for. A separate application is required for each position being applied for.
Application Standards

​Pre-Employment Screening Standards

Employment Standards

Standards of Physical Fitness - Corrections Deputy

Standards of Physical Fitness - Deputy Sheriff

Employment Types
Regular Full-Time Employees

​A regular full time employee works forty (40) hours per week in a regularly budgeted, on-going position. Regular employees are eligible to receive the standard benefit package.

Regular Part-Time Employees

​A regular part-time employee typically works a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week but no more than forty (40) hours per week in a regularly budgeted, on-going position. The standard benefits package is prorated to match the FTE percentage.

Regular with End Date Employees

​An employee with an end date is hired for a specific assignment that has a defined beginning and ending date and is anticipated to require more than one thousand and thirty-nine (1,039) hours in a calendar year. An employee with an end date is eligible for the standard benefits package, which may be prorated to match the FTE percentage. The employee will not be eligible for the rehire list upon reaching the end of the specified employment period.

If a regular employee accepts an assignment of a position with an end date, that employee will be eligible to return to their former position upon completion of the specific assignment or term. Any new-hire employee who is hired to fill the vacancy, which was created by the regular employee accepting a position with an end date, will be hired as a regular employee with an end date and that employee will cease to have employment rights upon the return of the regular employee to the former position.

Employees in positions with end dates serve a defined but not guaranteed term. While a term of employment is anticipated, the assignment/project may be terminated at any time for any reason, with or without notice.

Non-Regular Employees

​Non-regular employees are restricted to departments that have 24-hour operations. They are used to fill in for regularly, scheduled positions or facility overflow. These positions may be covered by a benefits package, which is established by their respective union agreement.

Temporary Employees

​A temporary employee works for a specific amount of time and may not exceed one thousand and thirty-nine (1,039) accumulated hours in a twelve (12) month period. Temporary employees are not eligible to receive the benefits package.

Extra Help Employees

​A Civil Service extra help employee works in a limited, on-call capacity. An extra help employee typically works fewer than 20 hours per week and must work no more than 693 hours within a twelve (12) month period. Extra help employees are not eligible for the benefits package.