Job Details for U.S. Pretrial Services Officer Assistant
| Court Name/Organization | California Northern Pretrial Services |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Pretrial Services Agency for the Northern District of California is accepting applications for a Pretrial Services Officer Assistant. This position will be located in the San Francisco office. However, staff can be reassigned to other duty stations depending on the needs of the agency. More than one position may be filled from this vacancy announcement. The Pretrial Service Officer Assistant serves in the U.S. Pretrial Services Agency in a judiciary law enforcement position. The incumbent provides technical and operational support and assistance to pretrial services officers in a variety of areas, including assisting with compiling information for investigations; assisting with and monitoring select defendants; drafting reports and correspondence; and assisting with similar operational duties. |
| Location | San Francisco, CA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 01/16/2026 - 02/13/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 24 - CL 25 |
| Salary | $60,538 - $102,914 |
| Announcement Number | 2026-1 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
Under the direct guidance and direction of a Supervisory Pretrial Services Officer or other designated personnel, duties include:
- Supervise select lower-risk caseloads of defendants, which may include placing telephone calls, making home/office contacts and community/field contacts with an experienced officer, and maintaining files and case records
- Under direct guidance, participate in select investigations as needed for bail reports. Draft and submit select reports and maintain related investigative files and case records. Observe and report to officers/supervisors on the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of offenders/defendants.
- Assist officers by compiling criminal histories/profiles, running record checks through local and national databases and files, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies, and performing other similar activities. Visit or contact various local, state, and national law enforcement and regulatory agencies to collect and record information. Provide verifiable and supportable documentation to assist in completion of reports and assist in identifying community resources to meet the special needs of offenders/defendants.
- Schedule and conduct urinalysis tests of defendants, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Inform officers regarding test results. Maintain and mail or transport tests and materials to laboratories for confirmation. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials. Maintain inventory of supplies. Enter data and information into the office’s computerized database system. Testify, as necessary, before the court or Parole Commission. Where applicable, may assist officers and non-English speaking offenders/defendants, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence.
- Participate in judicial proceedings as necessary
- Performs other duties as required
Qualifications
General Information and Requirements
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible to work in the United States and have a valid driver’s license. Applicants must possess a high-school diploma or equivalent.
In addition to meeting educational requirements, applicants must also have:
- General knowledge of the criminal justice system, pretrial services procedures and the supervision process
- One to two years of general or specialized (see below) experience
- Ability to work independently and cooperatively with others in a fast-paced, challenging environment
- Demonstrated computer skills and proficiency with office software applications (Windows-based applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail and web searches).
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Strong problem resolution skills with ability to meet recurring deadlines
Preferred Qualifications and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field of academic study, such as Criminal Justice, Criminology, Sociology, Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Law
- Work experience within the federal court system
- Knowledge of the criminal justice system including experience with legal terminology and processes
- Exceptional time management and organizational skills
- Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and learn new job tasks quickly and efficiently
- Detail oriented and able to meet recurring deadlines
- Ability to effectively communicate with co-workers, members of the public, and a wide variety of individuals within and outside the judiciary court unit
- Ability to work with confidential and sensitive information
- Fluency in a foreign language
General Experience
- Progressively responsible clerical, office or other work that indicates the possession of, or the ability to acquire, the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position
Specialized Experience
- General experience plus proficiency at proofreading, paying attention to detail, and producing accurate and quality work with the ability to involve the routine use of specialized terminology and automated software and equipment for word processing, data entry or report generation
- Such experience commonly encountered in law firms, legal counsel offices, educational institutions, federal and state courts, social service organizations, or human resources/payroll operations
Employee Benefits
Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointment (not civil service). Employees working at least 20-hours per week, or more are eligible for the following benefits:
- Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS-FRAE) – employee contribution is 4.4% of base pay. Enrollment is automatic upon employment.
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) – traditional and/or Roth retirement savings and investment plan with employer matching contributions up to 5% of pay. Enrollment is automatic upon employment.
- Social Security and Medicare benefits
- Eleven paid Federal holidays plus annual and sick leave accruals
- Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB)
- Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI)
- Flexible Benefits Program for Health Care Reimbursement (HCRA)
- Flexible Benefit Program for Dependent Care Reimbursement (DCRA)
- Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)
- Mandatory electronic fund transfer (direct deposit) participation for payment of net earnings
- Premium Payment Plan (PPP)
Miscellaneous
Under the direct guidance and direction of a Supervisory Pretrial Services Officer or other designated personnel, duties include:
- Supervise select lower-risk caseloads of defendants, which may include placing telephone calls, making home/office contacts and community/field contacts with an experienced officer, and maintaining files and case records
- Under direct guidance, participate in select investigations as needed for bail reports. Draft and submit select reports and maintain related investigative files and case records. Observe and report to officers/supervisors on the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of offenders/defendants.
- Assist officers by compiling criminal histories/profiles, running record checks through local and national databases and files, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies, and performing other similar activities. Visit or contact various local, state, and national law enforcement and regulatory agencies to collect and record information. Provide verifiable and supportable documentation to assist in completion of reports and assist in identifying community resources to meet the special needs of offenders/defendants.
- Schedule and conduct urinalysis tests of defendants, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Inform officers regarding test results. Maintain and mail or transport tests and materials to laboratories for confirmation. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials. Maintain inventory of supplies. Enter data and information into the office’s computerized database system. Testify, as necessary, before the court or Parole Commission. Where applicable, may assist officers and non-English speaking offenders/defendants, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence.
- Participate in judicial proceedings as necessary
- Performs other duties as required
Application Info
Qualified applicants should submit a complete applicant’s packet which includes: a letter of interest detailing knowledge, skills, and experience relevant to the field of pretrial services; resume, official academic transcripts, and a completed Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (AO-78), which can be downloaded at Form AO-78. Applicant’s packets must be received by noon PT on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, to be considered. You must reference the vacancy announcement number in subject line of your email. Applicant’s packets will not be considered complete until all of the items listed above have been received by Human Resources. Hard copies will not be accepted.
Please email your complete applicant’s packet to: psajobs@canpt.uscourts.gov
(Attachments must be saved as one PDF file. Multiple attachments will not be accepted.)
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.