Job Details for U.S. Probation Officer

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.

In addition to meeting the required education identified above, applicants at each grade level must have additional education or specialized experience in the amounts shown in the table below.

Minimum Additional Education and/or Experience:

• CL-23: Minimum required education only. No additional education or experience is required.
• CL-25:
  • One year of specialized 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; or
    • Completion of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) of graduate work in a field of study closely related to the position.
• CL-27:
  • Two years of specialized experience; or
  • Completion of a master's degree in a field of study closely related to the position, or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
• CL-28: Two years of specialized experience – educational substitution does not apply

Educational Substitutions: Completion of one academic year (30 semester or 4 quarter hours) of graduate education in a field of study closely related to the position is qualifying at CL-25. Completion of a master’s degree in a field of study closely related to the position or Juris Doctor Degree, could be qualifying at CL-27.

Court Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of Evidence-Based Practices in community corrections.

Physical Requirements and Maximum Entry Age / Other Conditions of Employment
U.S. Probation Officers are covered under law enforcement retirement as defined in Title 5, U.S.C., Chapters 83 and 84. In order to be included under federal law enforcement officer provisions, an individual would have to meet maximum entry age provisions as follows: First time appointees to positions covered under law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment.

For an applicant with previous law enforcement officer experience under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees’ Retirement System and either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position, the maximum entry age is increased by adding the number of years of previous law enforcement experience to 37. For example, for a candidate with five years of creditable previous law enforcement experience, the maximum entry age would be 42.

Law enforcement retirement provisions require mandatory separation once an employee meets age and service requirements (age 57 with at least 20 years of qualifying service).

Prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position must undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the selectee may be appointed provisionally pending a favorable suitability determination by the Court after completion of an extensive background investigation, which will begin on the day of the provisional appointment.

In addition, as conditions of employment, 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. Retention in this position will depend upon favorable suitability determination of the initial and subsequent background investigation(s).

The medical requirements and the essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation officers, pretrial services officers, and officer assistants are available for public review at http://www.uscourts.gov/.

Probation officers receive extensive local training and must also successfully complete a four-week intensive national training program at the U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Training Academy in Charleston, South Carolina.

Applicants must be U.S. Citizens or eligible to work for the U.S. Government. Appointment is contingent upon providing proof of U.S. citizenship or proof of authorization to work in the United States.