The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to ensure that all applicants and employees in selection and promotion are treated fairly and equally, without regard to race or color, gender or gender identification, religion or national origin, marital status or sexual orientation, political affiliation, military status, or physical or mental disability that, with reasonable accommodation, would not significantly interfere with one’s ability to perform the essential functions of the job.
If you are interested in a position, the following application process should be followed:
- Kindly email a cover letter as well as your detailed resume to OCPOResumes@co.ocean.nj.us. In the subject line of the email, please place your full legal name and the position applying for: ex. John Martin Smith – Assistant Prosecutor. In the message portion please leave your contact information. Your cover letter and resume will remain on file for a period of five years.
- The cover letter and resume will be reviewed, and if there is a position available, you will be contacted by a representative of the Office to schedule an interview with the hiring committee.
- Following the interview, the hiring committee will determine whether to provide you with a full employment application that must be thoroughly completed. Professional Standards will then complete a full background investigation. Reasons for disqualification include, but are not limited to:
- Prior convictions
- History of drug use/abuse
- Failure to provide truthful information on the employment application or during the interview process
- Connection to gangs and/or terrorist organizations
*It should be noted that individuals applying for positions with the investigative staff will be subject to a drug test and a full psychological evaluation; additionally, social media profiles will be reviewed.
The Investigative staff consists of sworn Law Enforcement Officers and civilian Agents who are responsible for investigating alleged criminal offenses. If an individual has not attended the police academy, is under the age of 35, and is interested in pursuing a career as a Detective, the steps are typically as follows:
- Begin as an intern, T/120 (an hourly, temporary position), or Agent
- Promotion to Agent if approved
- Remain an Agent until there is a spot available at the Division of Criminal Justice (“DCJ”) Academy
- Pass a physical training test before being sent to the DCJ Academy. The Academy is run twice each year – in February and July – and lasts for approximately six months.
Assistant Prosecutors are charged with prosecuting crimes and must be lawyers in good standing who have graduated from accredited law schools and are admitted to the New Jersey Bar, after they have passed the New Jersey Bar Examination.
The Administrative Staff is a team of highly skilled support staff that assist with clerical functions. They are assigned to help with case management, office functions, transcriptions, day-to-day tasks, and preparation of Discovery (evidence) requests. These positions will be on a full-time basis.
Internships
Investigative and legal internships are available for undergraduate college students, graduate students, and law students. Interns have the opportunity to work closely with the Detective and Legal Staffs throughout the year.
Whether you are a criminal justice major or have a specific area of interest within the criminal justice system, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office offers internships based upon your resume and interests. For example, interns with a background in accounting may be afforded the opportunity to spend most of their time in Economic Crimes, while interns with a computer science or cyber security background might spend most of their internship in High–Tech Crimes. Depending upon scheduling, interns may choose to work as few as one day per week and up to five days per week.
*Preference will be given to second and third year law student applicants and law school graduates. When submitting your cover letter and resume, we strongly encourage including a writing sample.