S.D. Codified Laws § 7-16A-6

If an office of public defender has been established, the board of county commissioners may employ, on recommendation by the public defender and in the manner and at the compensation prescribed by the advisory committee, such assistant public defenders, clerks, investigators, stenographers, and other persons as the advisory committee considers necessary for carrying out the public defender's duties. The employees shall serve at the pleasure of the public defender. Such employees and the public defender shall, for administrative purposes, be considered to be employees of the county which administers the public defender fund.