Job Details for U.S. Pretrial Services Officer
| Court Name/Organization | Illinois Northern Pretrial Services |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Pretrial Services Office for the Northern District of Illinois is currently accepting applications for the full-time position of a Pretrial Services Officer. The Pretrial Services Officer, as a pretrial release investigator and supervision officer, is responsible for providing meaningful assistance to the U.S. District Court in its deliberations and decisions concerning pretrial release of defendants accused of violating federal statutes; and for ensuring public safety through the monitoring and supervision of defendants placed under supervision by the Court including defendants on location monitoring. The officer may be assigned duties in any of the aforementioned areas depending on office needs. |
| Location | Rockford, IL |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 01/21/2026 - 02/11/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 25 - CL 28 |
| Salary | $57,480 - $130,115 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | http://www.ilnpt.uscourts.gov |
| Announcement Number | 26-01 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
- Gathers and verify background information concerning persons charged with a federal criminal offense when they are arrested or summoned to court
- Ability to query and interpret law enforcement automated criminal records systems to obtain and verify information
- Evaluates information and prepares a report for the judicial officer with an assessment of risks of non-appearance and danger to the community
- Attends court hearings to represent Pretrial Services, provides the court, government, and defense counsel with additional information as needed, and stays current with the case status and requirements of the court’s orders
- Coordinates the work of the investigation unit regarding all pretrial investigative work and coordinates necessary court coverage as needed
- Conduct community contacts
- Be available for weekend arrest duty court coverage as needed
- Investigates violations, prepares written reports for the court, and recommends appropriate action to be taken by the court
- Supervise a caseload of defendants which may include location monitoring (LM) defendants, on 24 hours, 7-day-per-week basis as is currently in place including community and home contacts
- Monitor defendant compliance according to national and local policy as well as procedures outlined within the district’s LM Policy Manual. Report any violations pertaining to supervision conditions to the judicial officer.
- First time federal law enforcement officers will attend a formal national training session for 6 weeks at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
- Perform all other duties as assigned
The above list is intended to reflect typical duties and does not include all duties or special work assignments. U.S. Pretrial Services Officer (and Officer Assistant) duties are performed in an office, courtroom, and community setting and are subject to irregular work hours to include nights, weekends, and holidays. This does include regular contact with people of varying backgrounds and characteristics. These duties will also require the investigation and management of defendants and who may present physical danger to themselves and/or the public. The supervision, treatment, and oversight of those persons under pretrial supervision may require moderate to arduous physical activity, including prolonged periods of walking and standing, physical dexterity, and coordination necessary for a safe, physical retreat. Following the initial training period, this position may qualify for remote work consistent with the office’s telework policy and at the discretion of the Chief Pretrial Services Officer.
Want to learn more about being a Pretrial Services Officer?
Qualifications
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or provide documentation proving eligibility to work in the United States
- A driver’s license and access to a vehicle is required
- Required Education & Experience: All Pretrial Services officer positions require completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with at least one year of specialized experience*. At least one year of experience at or equivalent to the next level below the level of the position for which the person is being considered. Sufficient keyboarding skills (or alternative skills) to demonstrate proficiency in producing reports/documents/correspondence using electronic word processing and other office system technology is required.
*Specialized Experience is described as progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor’s degree, which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the human behavior management skills involved in the position. Experience as a police officer, parole, custodial, or security officer does not qualify as specialized experience.
Maximum Age Requirement: First time appointees to positions covered under federal law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants 37 years old and older who have previous law enforcement experience covered under the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) 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 deducted from their age to determine whether or not they meet the maximum age requirement.
Physical Requirements: 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 hearing aid(s), 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 applicant.
Background Investigation, Drug Screening & Medical Standards: As part of the interview process and due to the sensitivity level of this position, candidates will be asked about their background including criminal history and illegal drug use. In addition, candidates must complete the AO-78, questions 18-20 regarding criminal history. Providing false and/or misleading information may be grounds for removal from the application and selection process. Prior to appointment, the final candidate considered for this position will undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the candidate may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the Court. The final candidate must also successfully complete a ten-year background investigation conducted by the Office of Personnel Management. In addition, as conditions of employment, the incumbent will be subject to ongoing 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. The medical requirements and the essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation officers, pretrial service officers and officer assistants are available for public review at https://www.uscourts.gov/careers/who-works-judiciary/us-probation-pretrial-services-careers
Employee Benefits
- Up to 13 days paid vacation per year for the first three years of employment, thereafter, 20 to 26 days per year, dependent upon the length of federal service
- 11 paid holidays per year
- Mandatory participation in the federal retirement system and social security program
- Thrift Savings Plan –Employer matching up to an additional 5% of employee contribution
- Health, Dental and Vision Insurance
- Flexible Spending program for health and dependent care
- Commuter reimbursement program
- Group life insurance program
- Possible participation in Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Miscellaneous
- Gathers and verify background information concerning persons charged with a federal criminal offense when they are arrested or summoned to court
- Ability to query and interpret law enforcement automated criminal records systems to obtain and verify information
- Evaluates information and prepares a report for the judicial officer with an assessment of risks of non-appearance and danger to the community
- Attends court hearings to represent Pretrial Services, provides the court, government, and defense counsel with additional information as needed, and stays current with the case status and requirements of the court’s orders
- Coordinates the work of the investigation unit regarding all pretrial investigative work and coordinates necessary court coverage as needed
- Conduct community contacts
- Be available for weekend arrest duty court coverage as needed
- Investigates violations, prepares written reports for the court, and recommends appropriate action to be taken by the court
- Supervise a caseload of defendants which may include location monitoring (LM) defendants, on 24 hours, 7-day-per-week basis as is currently in place including community and home contacts
- Monitor defendant compliance according to national and local policy as well as procedures outlined within the district’s LM Policy Manual. Report any violations pertaining to supervision conditions to the judicial officer.
- First time federal law enforcement officers will attend a formal national training session for 6 weeks at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
- Perform all other duties as assigned
The above list is intended to reflect typical duties and does not include all duties or special work assignments. U.S. Pretrial Services Officer (and Officer Assistant) duties are performed in an office, courtroom, and community setting and are subject to irregular work hours to include nights, weekends, and holidays. This does include regular contact with people of varying backgrounds and characteristics. These duties will also require the investigation and management of defendants and who may present physical danger to themselves and/or the public. The supervision, treatment, and oversight of those persons under pretrial supervision may require moderate to arduous physical activity, including prolonged periods of walking and standing, physical dexterity, and coordination necessary for a safe, physical retreat. Following the initial training period, this position may qualify for remote work consistent with the office’s telework policy and at the discretion of the Chief Pretrial Services Officer.
Want to learn more about being a Pretrial Services Officer?
Application Info
You may apply by submitting the following as a single PDF document:
- Cover letter describing your qualifications for this position and answering the following questions (Not to exceed two pages):
- Please describe your experience of preparing reports for the court and working with external stakeholders during the pretrial investigation process.
- Please describe your experience supervising persons under supervision (including location monitoring) including the number of cases supervised and how you prioritize tasks when working with clients of varying risk levels.
- Resume (two page maximum)
- Completed AO-78. Optional Background Information (questions 19, 20, and 21) on page 5 must be answered.
- Last two performance appraisals/evaluations from your current and/or previous employer(s). (If unable to provide these, please explain the reason in your cover letter.)
- Copy of transcript(s) for a bachelor’s degree & any advanced degree.
- In the cover letter tell us how you found this vacancy. If a referral, please list the employee’s name.
Complete applications should be submitted via e-mail to Pretrial_Services_HR@ilnpt.uscourts.gov. All application materials should be sent as a single PDF document. Please include the Position Announcement # and Position Title in the Subject line of the email. Save your document in the following format: Last Name, First Name. Failure to follow directions and/or submit a complete packet may disqualify you from consideration. If you are seeking a transfer opportunity, please include ‘Transfer USPSO’ in the subject line.
Only electronic submissions will be accepted. Applicants must be a citizen of the United States or eligible to work in the United States. All employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for judicial employees. The incumbent will be subject to local and federal background investigations and may be subject to submit a recent credit report. This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer for payment of net pay. The U.S. Pretrial Services Office reserves the right to interview only those applicants who have demonstrated that they possess these preferred qualifications. Due to the volume of applicants received, the Pretrial Services office will contact only those applicants who will be tested or interviewed.
The Pretrial Services Office reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice.
The U.S. Pretrial Services Office is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.