Job Details for Administrative Assistant
| Court Name/Organization | New York Southern District Court |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York is a mission‑driven workplace that values professional growth and exceptional public service. Whether you are beginning your journey in public service or advancing an established career, the Court offers a rewarding environment, benefits, and a schedule that supports work‑life balance. Candidates who wish to grow professionally within a court environment are strongly encouraged to apply. |
| Location | New York, NY |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 05/28/2026 - 06/11/2026 |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 23 |
| Salary | $47,546 - $77,343 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://nysd.uscourts.gov/about/employment |
| Announcement Number | 26-21 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
The incumbent provides clerical and administrative assistance to the Office of the Clerk of Court. The Administrative Assistant will assist in administering a wide range of services such as: performing receptionist duties (receiving, screening, and referring telephone and in- person visitors, answering general inquiries from reference material), drafting correspondence and memoranda, preparing documents for foreign mailings, processing incoming mail and maintaining financial logs, docketing and scanning mailing certifications, performing data entry into several databases, reviewing and issuing writs, updating directories, photocopying, and performing other duties as assigned. This position requires the incumbent to perform basic clerical functions including: filing, scanning, emailing or faxing documents, sending correspondence and maintaining and updating spreadsheets. The position involves heavy telephone and public contact and requires considerable tact and patience. The incumbent will perform other duties as assigned. The incumbent will report to the Executive Assistant to the Clerk of Court.
Qualifications
Applicants must be a high school graduate or equivalent. To qualify for CL-23, you must have two years of general experience. General experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work which indicates the possession of or the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. A college education may be substituted for general experience on the basis of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) equals one year of general experience.
The position requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, excellent interpersonal and customer service skills and must be able to grasp and understand various computer programs of moderate complexity. Applicants must be skilled in data entry, and word processing. The incumbent must be punctual and maintain good time and attendance.
General Experience
Preferred Qualifications: A college degree, word processing experience and knowledge of legal terminology are all highly desirable qualifications.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Court Operations: Knowledge of or the ability to learn court operations, functions, and organizational structure. Basic understanding of court documents. Ability to use the court automated case management system in order to obtain or research information needed to perform duties.
- Information Technology and Automation: Knowledge and skill in the use of automated equipment including MS Outlook, Word and Excel applications. The applicant is expected to use multiple web-based applications and maintain judiciary privacy and security requirements.
- Judgment and Ethics: Ability to consistently demonstrate sound ethics and judgment, maintain court confidentiality and security requirements, and comply with the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees
Employee Benefits
- Paid Annual & Sick Leave
- 11 Paid Holidays
- Employer subsidized Health Insurance
- Group Life Insurance
- Supplemental Vision/Dental Insurance
- Retirement Benefits Plan (FERS)
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Transit Subsidy Program (pursuant to eligibility requirements)
- Pre-tax benefit programs
- On-site fitness center
- Employee assistance Program (EAP)
- Mandatory enrollment in electronic funds transfer (EFT) for net pay
Miscellaneous
Conditions of Employment
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents seeking U.S. citizenship.
In order to be compensated with appropriated funds for a position within the continental United States, applicants must be:
(1) U.S. citizen,
(2) Lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder) who is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. §1324b(a)(3)(B).
Some noncitizen applicants who are permanent residents may not yet be eligible to apply for citizenship at the time they begin. Such individuals may still lawfully be employed if they provide an affidavit indicating that they intend to apply for citizenship when they become eligible to do so.
Employees of the U.S. District Court are not included in the government’s Civil Service classification and are at-will employees.
All employees, interns and volunteers are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees available for public review on the USCourts.gov website.
The successful candidate for this position is subject to a Background check investigation for sensitive clearance. This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer for payment of net pay.
*All internal applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application. If confirmation is not received within two days after the vacancy closes, please contact Human Resources.
The Southern District of New York values diversity and is committed to inclusion in the workplace. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and seek a diverse pool of applicants.
The Southern District of New York is devoted to providing an environment that supports internal career development and advancement.
Application Info
To be considered for this position, please submit your:
- Resume detailing your education and work experience
- A cover letter. The cover letter must indicate the position for which you are applying, including the vacancy number, and identify how your education and/or experience relate to the duties and responsibilities of the position.
- AO78 Application for Federal Employment
Only applications submitted via email will be accepted. It is preferred for the applications to be submitted in a single PDF document, and for candidates to include the vacancy number and position title in the subject field of the email containing the application. Applications submitted as zip files, cloud files and/or links will not be accepted. Applications that do not conform to the above procedures will not be considered. Only candidates selected for the testing process will be contacted.
Please submit your application to: Careers@nysd.uscourts.gov
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.