
Posting number: 26-U66-J
Department: Sheriff Services
Job classification: Deputy Sheriff Cadet - U
Posting type: Open
Categories: Law Enforcement, Safety, Security, Criminology
Under immediate supervision, attends a Law Enforcement Academy to obtain the required academic, technical, and physical skills necessary to perform as a Deputy Sheriff.
Deputy Sheriff Cadet enters training to join the ranks of Deputy Sheriffs who, under supervision, perform active law enforcement duties in the protection of life and property, the investigation of crimes and apprehension of law violators, the service of civil process issued by court, and perform a variety of technical law enforcement tasks.
Our Cadet recruitment requires:
(1) candidates meet the employment standards listed below (2) submit their application and written examination score (3) pass the physical agility test and complete pre-background paperwork (4) interview with a backgrounds deputy (5) finish a full background check (6) accept an offer to join our academy. Completion of the physical agility test and pre-background paperwork is required to advance your application to interviews and an academy. The agility test for this recruitment is scheduled for September 26, 2026 at 8 a.m., please mark this date on your calendar.
We accept California PELLET B written exam T-score, or NTN law enforcement exam score. Your score should be submitted with your application. If it is not attached or sent through NTN, the score is due to the recruiter before September 21st, 2026. Your application will not move forward without a passing written exam score.
PELLETB exam information https://theacademy.ca.gov/tests/
NTN exam information https://nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs/
Pursuant to California Senate Bill 960, effective January 1, 2023, peace officers must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
The following are the duties performed by employees in this classification. However, employees may perform other related duties at an equivalent level. Each individual in the classification does not necessarily perform all duties listed.
Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the ability to perform the above tasks, plus the possession and direct application of the following knowledge and abilities.
Training and Experience Note The required knowledge and abilities are attained through possession of high school or GED
and
Thirty-eight (38) semester units or fifty-seven (57) quarter units of college.
Two (2) years of full-time active-duty military service with honorable discharge or two (2) years of full-time experience working as a peace officer within a correctional facility can substitute for the required college units.
Special Requirements
Knowledge of

The County of Santa Clara is located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay and encompasses 1,312 square miles.
It has one of the highest median family incomes in the country, and a wide diversity of cultures, backgrounds and talents. The County of Santa Clara continues to attract people from all over the world. With more than 70 agencies/departments and 22,000 employees, the County of Santa Clara plans for the needs of a dynamic community, provides quality services, and promotes a healthy, safe and prosperous community for all. The County provides essential services including public health protection, environmental protection, medical services through Santa Clara Valley Medical Center (SCVMC), child and adult protection services, homelessness prevention and solutions, roads, park services, libraries, emergency response to disasters, protection of minority communities and those under threat, access to a fair criminal justice system, and scores of other services, particularly for those members of our community in the greatest need.
The County's population of nearly 1.9 million is one of the largest in the state, and the largest of the nine Bay Area counties. Its population constitutes about one fourth of the Bay Area's total population. There are 15 cities including Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Jose, Santa Clara, Saratoga, and Sunnyvale ranging from Palo Alto to the north, to Gilroy in the south. San Jose is the largest city in the County, with a population of 1.035 million, and is the administrative site of County Government. A significant portion of the county's land area is unincorporated ranch and farmland. Nearly 92% of the population lives in cities.
The County of Santa Clara operates 27 parks covering more than 50,000 acres including scenic lakes, streams, and miles of hiking and biking trails.
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