Job Details for Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer
| Court Name/Organization | California Eastern Probation Office |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Probation Office in the Eastern District of California seeks a highly organized Deputy Chief Probation Officer (Type II) to advance the mission of our office and the Court. This seasoned professional will lead, motivate, direct, and supervise staff at all levels while serving as a catalyst for positive change. This is a rewarding opportunity for an individual who is committed to making a meaningful impact. The Eastern District of California prides itself on cultivating an environment where wellness and personal accountability are not merely encouraged but serve as cornerstones of our organizational culture. Our commitment to a flexible work environment helps ensure that outcomes are not only achieved but maximized, enabling staff to fully leverage their unique strengths. We actively support collaboration, creativity, and personal growth within a psychologically safe space that promotes continuous learning. We seek leaders who recognize the value of each team member's contributions and who demonstrate humility and respect towards colleagues and the broader court community. This balance of individual development and collective harmony defines the Eastern District of California as a model of judicial excellence and a place where both professional and personal growth can flourish. The Eastern District of California serves 34 counties in the Central Valley from the Oregon border to Bakersfield. District Headquarters is located in Sacramento, with a divisional office in Fresno. There are field offices in Roseville, Redding, Modesto, Visalia, and Bakersfield. The Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer (Type II) serves as the second-in-command and strategic partner to the Chief U.S. Probation Officer. This executive-level position provides districtwide leadership, oversight, and administrative direction to ensure the effective delivery of investigative, supervision, and administrative services to the Court. The Deputy Chief plays a central role in organizational governance, policy development, fiscal oversight, and performance accountability across all divisions and units. The incumbent will be subject to random drug screening and updated background investigations every five years. |
| Location | Sacramento, Fresno, CA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 03/04/2026 - 03/16/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | JSP 14 - JSP 16 |
| Salary | $126,410 - $209,600 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | http://www.caep.uscourts.gov/career-opportunities |
| Announcement Number | 26-02 |
Position Description
Key Responsibilities
- Provide executive oversight of district operations, ensuring the expeditious handling of presentence investigations, post-conviction supervision, and other court-ordered services.
- Partner with the Chief in establishing the strategic vision, long-range planning initiatives, and organizational priorities for the district.
- Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of districtwide policies, procedures, and evidence-based practices.
- Oversee Assistant Deputy Chiefs, supervisory staff, and administrative managers; ensure consistent application of policy, quality standards, and performance expectations across divisions.
- Direct and monitor quality assurance programs, including districtwide audits, performance reviews, and data-driven evaluations of supervision and investigative functions.
- Collaborate with the Chief in budget formulation, fiscal management, space and staffing allocations, procurement decisions, and resource deployment.
- Oversee administrative operations, including human resources, training, procurement, statistical reporting, records management, and compliance functions.
- Provide executive-level guidance in complex personnel matters, disciplinary actions, workforce planning, and succession planning.
- Serve as liaison to the Court, the Administrative Office, and federal, state, and local justice partners; represent the district in high-level interagency matters.
- Facilitate and mediate sensitive or high-impact operational and policy issues involving judges, executive leadership, and external stakeholders.
- Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, ethical conduct, innovation, and professional development.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable statutes, regulations, national policies, and court directives.
- Assume the duties of the Chief U.S. Probation Officer in the Chief’s absence.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief U.S. Probation Officer and the Court.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualification Requirements
To qualify for the position of Deputy Chief Probation Officer (Type II) an applicant must be a current U.S. Probation Officer.
Educational Requirements
A four-year bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required in a field such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human relations, business or public administration, or another related field that demonstrates the ability to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills essential to the position.
Specialized Experience
Applicants must have six years of progressively responsible experience in the investigation, supervision, counseling and guidance of offenders in probation, pretrial or community corrections programs. Experience in closely related fields such as education guidance counselor, social worker, caseworker, psychologist, substance abuse treatment specialist, and correctional researcher may constitute a portion of the specialized experience. Experience as a police officer, FBI agent, customs agent, marshal or similar positions, other than any criminal investigation experience, does not meet the requirements of specialized experience.
Specialized experience must be earned after the bachelor's degree has been granted. At least one year of the experience must be at or equivalent to a JSP 13 or CL 29. Experience working as a manager/supervisor within the Federal Probation office is highly preferred.
Educational Substitutions
Completion of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) of graduate study in one of the social sciences may be substituted for one year of the specialized experience; or completion of a master’s degree or two years of graduate study (60 semester or 90 quarter hours) in an accredited university in one of the social sciences or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree may be substituted for two years of the specialized experience.
Miscellaneous
Key Responsibilities
- Provide executive oversight of district operations, ensuring the expeditious handling of presentence investigations, post-conviction supervision, and other court-ordered services.
- Partner with the Chief in establishing the strategic vision, long-range planning initiatives, and organizational priorities for the district.
- Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of districtwide policies, procedures, and evidence-based practices.
- Oversee Assistant Deputy Chiefs, supervisory staff, and administrative managers; ensure consistent application of policy, quality standards, and performance expectations across divisions.
- Direct and monitor quality assurance programs, including districtwide audits, performance reviews, and data-driven evaluations of supervision and investigative functions.
- Collaborate with the Chief in budget formulation, fiscal management, space and staffing allocations, procurement decisions, and resource deployment.
- Oversee administrative operations, including human resources, training, procurement, statistical reporting, records management, and compliance functions.
- Provide executive-level guidance in complex personnel matters, disciplinary actions, workforce planning, and succession planning.
- Serve as liaison to the Court, the Administrative Office, and federal, state, and local justice partners; represent the district in high-level interagency matters.
- Facilitate and mediate sensitive or high-impact operational and policy issues involving judges, executive leadership, and external stakeholders.
- Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, ethical conduct, innovation, and professional development.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable statutes, regulations, national policies, and court directives.
- Assume the duties of the Chief U.S. Probation Officer in the Chief’s absence.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief U.S. Probation Officer and the Court.
Application Info
Applicants interested in both the 26-02 Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer and the 26-03 Assistant Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer positions need only apply once. Identify the position(s) you are applying for in the cover letter.
To apply for this position, qualified candidates are required to submit the following in one pdf document in the following order:
- A cover letter addressed to Chief U.S. Probation Officer Scott Storey, 501 I Street, Suite 2-500, Sacramento, CA 95814 summarizing your management philosophy, leadership style, and core values that you will bring to the position
- A supplemental document limited to two pages addressing experience with human resources, budget, procurement, and project management
- A detailed resume
- A list of at least three professional references
- AO-78, Federal Judicial Branch Application for Employment, Revised 5/2024
- Please email the titled pdf document (Last Name – First Name – 26-02) to caep_hr@caep.uscourts.gov
Failure to submit the cover letter, supplemental, resume, references, and AO-78, in one pdf document will result in immediate disqualification. Incomplete applications will not be considered, retained, or returned. Only one application per candidate will be accepted for this announcement.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.