Job Details for U.S. Probation Officer
| Court Name/Organization: | Minnesota Probation and Pretrial Services |
| Overview of the Position: | U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officers (USPOs) serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and assist in the administration of justice and promote community safety, gather information, supervise persons under supervision, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports, conduct investigations, and present recommendations to the Court. USPOs, for the District of Minnesota, are committed to enhanced community supervision programming focusing more on evidence-based practices. The selected candidate will serve under the guidance of a supervisor. An entry level U.S. Probation Officer position with a starting grade of CL-26 may be considered. U.S. Probation Officer assignment hinges on the needs of the District. Promotion potential is possible within the classification and salary range without further competition, if assigned below CL-28. This position is considered hazardous duty, which may require irregular work hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays. This position may also require frequent travel to divisional offices and a valid driver’s license. This position is open until filled; however, preference will be given to those who apply by 5 p.m. CT on May 24,2024. |
| Location: | Fergus Falls, MN |
| Opening and Closing Dates: | 03/19/2024 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type: | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade: | CL 26 - CL 28 |
| Salary: | $52,831 - $113,078 |
| Announcement Number: | 2024-04 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
- Conduct investigations and prepare reports for the Court with recommendations, which requires interviewing persons under supervision and their families, as well as collecting background data from various sources. An integral part of this process is the interpretation and application of policies and procedures, statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, and may include U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Monographs, and relevant case law. Track legal developments, and update staff and the Court.
- Enforce court-ordered supervision components and implement supervision strategies. Maintain personal contact with persons under supervision through office and community contacts and by telephone. 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.
- Investigate and analyze financial documents and activities and take appropriate action. Interview victim(s) and provide victim impact statements to the Court. Ensure compliance with Mandatory Victims Restitution Act. Responsible for enforcement of location monitoring conditions ordered by the Court, and in some districts may perform location monitoring reintegration on behalf of the Bureau of Prisons.
- Review and resolve disputed issues involving persons under supervision and present unresolved issues to the Court for resolution. Assess persons under supervision level of risk and develop a blend of risk management strategies for controlling and correcting risk.
- Communicate with other organizations and persons (such as the U.S. Parole Commission, Bureau of Prisons, law enforcement, treatment agencies, and attorneys) concerning persons under supervision behavior and conditions of supervision. Identify and investigate violations and implement appropriate alternatives and sanctions. Report violations of the conditions of supervision to the appropriate authorities. Prepare written reports of violation matters and make recommendations for disposition. Testify at court or parole hearings. Conduct Parole Commission preliminary interviews. Guide the work of staff providing administrative and technical assistance to officers.
- Schedule and conduct drug use detection tests and DNA collection of persons under supervision, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials.
- Respond to judicial officer’s requests 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. May conduct surveillance and/or search and seizure at the direction of the Court.
Qualification
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must be a U.S. citizen or foreign national eligible for federal employment.
- Possession of a valid driver’s license.
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a field of academic study, such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human relations, business or public administration, or another closely related field which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position.
The selected candidate must have specialized experience as shown below:
- CL 26 - CL 27: Two years of specialized experience; or completion of a master's degree in a field of study closely related to the position, or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
- CL 28: Two years of specialized experience.
Preferred Qualifications (Court Preferred Skills)
The ideal candidate may also possess the following preferred skills:
- A master’s degree or current enrollment in a related graduate program.
- At least one year of community corrections or social services work (Entry Level Consideration).
- Skilled in communicating effectively, both orally and in writing, with individuals and groups to provide information, facilitate meetings, and influence decision-makers and strive for high level achievement.
- Demonstrated leadership by showing initiative to engage in project management and establishing programs which helps achieve an organization’s mission and vision.
- Demonstrated use of technology to improve a process.
Specialized Experience
Two years of specialized experience, which is progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor’s degree, 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 officer, custodial or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.
Benefits
- The opportunity to serve in a rewarding public service position.
- Accrual of paid vacation and sick leave.
- Paid federal holidays.
- Extensive health, life, dental, and vision insurance plans.
- A defined benefit pension plan.
- On-site fitness center (Minneapolis).
- Traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) retirement savings and investment plans through the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) with employer matching contributions.
- Pre-tax transportation, medical, and childcare reimbursement accounts.
- Extensive on-line training options. Travel reimbursement for in-person training and professional conferences available, funds permitting.
- Ad hoc telework, alternative work schedules, and other workplace flexibilities (dependent upon work performance).
Miscellaneous
Medical Requirements:
Prior to appointment, the selected candidate must undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion, the candidate may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the Court.
Officers must possess, with or without corrective lenses, good distance vision in at least one eye and the ability to read normal size print. Normal hearing ability, with or without a hearing aid, is also required. Any severe health problems, such as physical defects, disease, and deformities that constitute employment hazards to the applicant or others, may disqualify the candidate.
Background Investigation & Maximum Age Requirements:
As conditions of employment, the selected candidate will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, updated background investigations every five years and as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, and may be subject to subsequent fitness for duty evaluations.
First-time appointees to positions covered under law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants 37 years of age or older who have previous law enforcement officer experience under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees 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.
Environmental Demands:
Work is performed in an office setting and the community and may be subject to variable hours, including nights, holidays, and weekends. Work requires regular contact with people who have violent backgrounds. These contacts may be made in both generally controlled office settings as well as in field situations (such as uncontrolled and unsafe neighborhoods/environments where illegal activities and violence may occur). The duties of USPOs require the investigation and management of alleged criminal offenders or convicted offenders who present physical danger to officers and the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of these offenders, these duties require moderate to arduous physical exercise, including prolonged periods of walking and standing physical dexterity and coordination necessary of officer safety, and use of self-defense tactics.
Conditions of Employment:
Candidates selected for interviews will be required to participate in job-related screening as part of the screening process. Prior to appointment, the selected candidate must undergo a local records check, full OPM background investigation, fingerprinting, medical examination, check of financial and credit records, and drug screening.
The selected candidate must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident seeking U.S. citizenship. Non-citizens must execute an affidavit indicating their intent to apply for citizenship when they become eligible.
An entry level U.S. Probation Officer position with a starting grade of CL-26 may be considered. U.S. Probation Officer assignment hinges on the needs of the District. Promotion potential is possible within the classification and salary range without further competition, if assigned below CL-28. This position is considered hazardous duty, which may require irregular work hours, to include nights, weekends, and holidays. This position may also require frequent travel to divisional offices and a valid driver’s license.
A probation officer appointed to serve with compensation may be removed only for cause, and may be entitled to some form of due process before being terminated (does not include pretrial services officers) (18 U.S.C. § 3602(a)).
The mandatory separation age for positions covered under law enforcement retirement is 57, with 20 years of service (5 U.S.C. §§ 8335(b),8425(b)).
New USPOs receive extensive training during their year of employment. USPOs must also successfully complete a multi-week national training program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (Probation and Pretrial Academy), in Charleston, South Carolina.
The U.S. District Court requires employees to adhere to a Code of Conduct Policy. This position is also subject to mandatory Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit.
How To Apply
This is an ongoing recruitment for our Fergus Falls field office, which is based on budget availability. This announcement should not be construed as current vacancies exist. As vacancies become available, existing applications will be reviewed. More than one position may be hired from this announcement.
Qualified applicants can apply for employment via our job portal by uploading the following:
- Cover letter (not to exceed three pages), which includes a concise description of the following:
- Applicant’s familiarity and experience in specialized evidence-based practices programming (if applicable); and how the applicant has applied such programming to their work;
- A summary of how the applicant has used information technology to improve operations.
- Resume, which includes dates of employment, duties and responsibilities, and key accomplishments.
- Names and contact information of three professional references. If selected for an interview, references may be contacted prior to the interview. The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office reserves the right to contact additional references other than those provided by the applicant.
- Copies of applicant’s two (2) most recent performance evaluations
- Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment (AO 78) which can be found via this link: Application for Employment (AO78)
- The applicant’s date of birth and responses to questions #18, #19, and #20 are required.
- All sections must be completed with “Yes”, “No”, “N/A”, and/or relevant information. Any notation to “see resume” will render this application incomplete.
- Application must contain a handwritten or digital signature and date on page 5.
Only submissions containing all of the required documents listed above will be considered for this opportunity. All submissions considered complete and received by any posted closing date will be reviewed in order to identify the best qualified candidates. Only applicants selected to proceed to the next phase of the recruitment process will be notified. Please allow ample time to submit an application (including all of the required documents) online. Applications received in any manner (including but not limited to email, fax, U.S. mail) after any posted closing date will not be accepted. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applicants must be in good standing in their current employment. Applicants may not be considered if a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) has been initiated and/or is in effect during the opening and closing date of this vacancy announcement.
Applicants selected for an in-person interview must travel at their own expense.
The U.S. District Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this vacancy announcement or to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which action may occur without prior written notice.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.