Job Details for Probation Officer Assistant
| Court Name/Organization | Kentucky Western Probation and Pretrial Services |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Probation Office, United States District Court, Western District of Kentucky is accepting applications for the position of Probation Officer Assistant. This position is in Louisville, Kentucky. The U.S. Probation Office provides coverage for 53 counties in Western Kentucky. There are four offices in the Western District of Kentucky (Louisville, Bowling Green, Owensboro, and Paducah, Kentucky). The vacancy is contingent upon budget availability. By statute, probation officer assistants serve in a judiciary law enforcement position under the direction and guidance of a Supervisory Probation Officer. The incumbent will provide technical support and assistance to probation officers in a wide range of areas, including assisting with compiling information for investigations, assisting with supervision of persons under supervision, preparing and drafting reports and correspondence, appearing in court for violation proceedings and sentencings, and related duties. |
| Location | Louisville, KY |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 03/03/2026 - 04/02/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 25 - CL 26 |
| Salary | $51,419 - $90,631 |
| Announcement Number | KYWP 2026-03 |
Position Description
The U.S. Probation Officer Assistant performs a full range of duties and responsibilities including, but not limited to the following:
- Under the guidance of a probation officer, supervise a caseload of low-risk offenders which may include contact by telephone, in the office, and in the field. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and determine compliance. Maintain case files and records, as well as detailed chronological records of activity.
- Assist probation officers with less complex presentence investigations to include compiling criminal histories, and profiles, running record checks through local and national databases, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies and performing other similar activities. Provide officers with accurate and information to assist in their completion of probation reports. attending court, conducting interviews, completing investigations, preparing reports, and providing other assistance as required.
- Under guidance from a probation officer, draft and submit selected reports. Observe, and apprise the supervisor of the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of offenders. Assist in the development of community resources to meet those needs.
- Under the guidance of a probation officer, respond to judicial officers’ requests for information and occasionally testify in court, accompanied by a probation officer, regarding the basis for factual findings and, if applicable, guideline applications.
- Conduct collateral investigations and draft and submit collateral reports, which may entail making telephone, office, and/or field contacts. Perform record keeping.
- Collect and conduct urine tests on offenders of the same gender and maintain appropriate records.
- Assists in the development of community resources, community service, and employment resources to meet the special needs of offenders.
- If bilingual or multilingual, assist officers and non-English speaking offenders, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence, as required.
- Operate various criminal justice, law enforcement, and probation automated systems.
- Participate in ongoing training and development programs.
- Perform other appropriate duties as assigned.
Qualifications
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 related field of study and one year specialist experience or completion of the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and one of the following superior academic achievement requirements:
- An overall “B” grade point average equaling 2.90 or better of a possible 4.0.
- Standing in the upper third of the class.
- “3.5” average or better in the major field of study, such as business or public administration, human resources management, industrial relations, or psychology; or
- Election to membership in one of the National Honorary Scholastic Societies meeting the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies, other than Freshman Honor Societies.
- Completion of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) of graduate work in a field of
- study closely related to the position.
Specialized Experience
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 officer, custodial, or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.
Miscellaneous
The U.S. Probation Officer Assistant performs a full range of duties and responsibilities including, but not limited to the following:
- Under the guidance of a probation officer, supervise a caseload of low-risk offenders which may include contact by telephone, in the office, and in the field. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and determine compliance. Maintain case files and records, as well as detailed chronological records of activity.
- Assist probation officers with less complex presentence investigations to include compiling criminal histories, and profiles, running record checks through local and national databases, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies and performing other similar activities. Provide officers with accurate and information to assist in their completion of probation reports. attending court, conducting interviews, completing investigations, preparing reports, and providing other assistance as required.
- Under guidance from a probation officer, draft and submit selected reports. Observe, and apprise the supervisor of the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of offenders. Assist in the development of community resources to meet those needs.
- Under the guidance of a probation officer, respond to judicial officers’ requests for information and occasionally testify in court, accompanied by a probation officer, regarding the basis for factual findings and, if applicable, guideline applications.
- Conduct collateral investigations and draft and submit collateral reports, which may entail making telephone, office, and/or field contacts. Perform record keeping.
- Collect and conduct urine tests on offenders of the same gender and maintain appropriate records.
- Assists in the development of community resources, community service, and employment resources to meet the special needs of offenders.
- If bilingual or multilingual, assist officers and non-English speaking offenders, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence, as required.
- Operate various criminal justice, law enforcement, and probation automated systems.
- Participate in ongoing training and development programs.
- Perform other appropriate duties as assigned.
Application Info
Candidates must submit a letter of interest which addresses their skills and experience and how those skills
can contribute to this position, along with:
- Resume
- AO 78 – Application for Judicial Employment in its entirety including Optional Background Information (Questions 18 – 20 are required for this position as well as Date of Birth).
- Three Professional References
- Unofficial College Transcripts
Submit electronically only to employment@kywp.uscourts.gov.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.