Clarification from the agency

This announcement will be open until filled. Preference given to applications received by November 15, 2024.

• Conduct investigations, prepare reports, and make recommendations to the court. Interview offenders/defendants and their families and collect background data from various sources. Interpret and apply policies, procedures, and statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Monographs, and relevant case law, as applicable.
• Enforce court-ordered supervision components and implement supervision strategies. Maintain personal contact with defendants and offenders. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and compliance. Address substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and similar problems and implement the necessary treatment or violation proceedings through assessment, monitoring, and counseling. Refer defendants/offenders to appropriate outside agencies such as medical and drug treatment facilities, employment, and training.
• Respond to judicial officer's request for information and advice. Testify in court as to the basis for factual findings and (if warranted) guideline applications. Serve as a resource to the court.
• Maintain detailed written records of case activity.

Conditions of employment

• Applicants must be a United States citizen or eligible for work in the United States.
• The selectee must successfully complete a background investigation, which includes a medical examination, credit check, and drug screening. In addition, the incumbent will be subject to random drug screening, updated background investigations every five years, and as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations.
• Work is generally performed in an office setting, where offenders with violent backgrounds are often present. Field supervision functions and procedures require incumbents to have contact in community areas with persons who have known violent backgrounds. Frequent travel, including overnight, within and outside the district, is required.
• Probation officers receive extensive local training and are also required to successfully complete a six-week intensive national training program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, South Carolina.
• Employees are required to use Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for direct deposit of pay.

Qualifications

In addition to meeting the minimum education requirements, applicants at each grade level must also have specialized experience or meet additional academic requirements in the amounts shown in the information below.

Classification Level: CL-27
Minimum Education and/or Experience Requirements: Two years of specialized experience OR completion of master's degree in a field of study closely related to the position, or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.

Classification Level: CL-28
Minimum Education and/or Experience Requirements: Two years of specialized experience.

Specialized experience is Progressively responsible experience in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction treatment, public administration, human relations, social work, psychology, or mental health. Experience as a police, custodial, or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.

Maximum Entry Age and Medical Requirements

First-time appointees for this position must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants age 37 or older who have previous law enforcement experience in the Federal Employees Retirement System or Civil Service Retirement System, and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position may have their previous law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement. Retirement is mandatory at age 57.

The duties of probation officers require the investigation and management of convicted criminal offenders who present physical danger to officers and to the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of the person under supervision, these duties require moderate to arduous physical exercise, including prolonged periods of walking and standing and use of self-defense tactics. On a daily basis, these officers face unusual mental and physical stress because they are subject to danger and possible harm during frequent, direct contact with individuals who are convicted of committing federal offenses.

Because officers must effectively deal with physical attacks and are subject to moderate to arduous physical exertion, applicants must be physically capable. Any candidate the court is appointing to an officer position will be subject to a pre-employment medical examination. The applicant must be determined medically qualified prior to commencement of duties. The medical requirements for probation officers and probation officer assistants are available for public review at https://www.uscourts.gov/.

The U.S. Probation Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants will also be evaluated based on their knowledge, skills, abilities, and previous experience which should be reflected in their resume and AO78.