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Job Details for U.S. Probation Officer

Court Name/Organization: New York Southern Probation Office
Overview of the Position: Come join one of the most active and influential federal courts in the United States. The U.S. Probation Office for the Southern District of New York is looking for a U.S. Probation Officer (New Hire and Transfer Opportunity). By statute, U.S. Probation Officers serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and assist in the administration of justice and promote community safety, gather information, supervise people under supervision, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports, conduct investigations, and present recommendations to the Court.
Location: New York, NY
Opening and Closing Dates: 09/30/2024 - Open Until Filled
Appointment Type: Permanent
Classification Level/Grade: CL 27 - CL 28
Salary: $68,174 - $132,844
Link to Court Careers Information: http://probation.nysd.uscourts.gov/human-resources
Announcement Number: 2024-11
Link to Job Announcement
Position Description

This position is located within the Southern District of New York U.S. Probation Office. By statute, U.S. Probation Officers serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and assist in the administration of justice and promote community safety, gather information, supervise people under supervision, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports, conduct investigations, and present recommendations to the court. U.S. Probation Officers conduct investigations, provide sentencing recommendations to the Court and supervise people under supervision.

Representative Duties
Investigative Duties: The U.S Probation Officer will conduct investigations and prepare reports for the Court with recommendations for sentencing of individuals convicted of federal offenses. The incumbent will analyze any objections and determine an appropriate course of action following the disclosure of the pre-sentence report to the parties, present the pre-sentence report and sentencing recommendations to the Court, and respond to judicial officer’s request for information and advice.  The U.S. Probation officer will testify in court as needed, as the basis for factual findings and guideline applications. The incumbent will serve as a resource to the Court to facilitate proper imposition of sentence. The incumbent will conduct home inspections and other community-based field contacts.

Supervision Duties: The U.S. Probation Officer will supervise people under supervision to maximize adherence to imposed conditions, reduce risk to the community, and to provide correctional treatment. The incumbent will develop and implement supervision plans and maintain personal contact with people under supervision. The incumbent will investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle and associates to assess risk and compliance. Through assessment and counseling, the incumbent will be responsible for detection of substance abuse problems and implementation of the necessary treatment or violation proceedings of people under supervision. The U.S. Probation Officer will refer people under supervision to outside agencies, such as medical and drug treatment facilities, employment and training sources; as well as initiate contact, reply and seek information from organizations and persons (i.e., U.S. Parole Commission, Bureau of Prisons, and attorneys) concerning people under supervision, appropriate alternatives and sanctions. The incumbent will report violations of the conditions of supervision to the appropriate authorities; prepare written reports on these violation matters and make recommendations for disposition. The incumbent will testify at court or parole hearings, preliminary interviews and other investigations, as required. The U.S. Probation Officer will maintain a detailed written record of case activity and will spends a percentage of time each week conducting community-based contact with people under supervision.

Qualification

Required Qualifications (New Hire)
All probation officer positions require completion of 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, or business or public administration, which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position.

In addition to meeting education requirements, candidates must possess the following required experience:

*Specialized experience is progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor’s degree, in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance abuse/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. Additionally, volunteer or unpaid internship experience is not considered creditable.

First-time appointees to positions covered under the law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment due to the mandatory separation age 57, with 20 years of service. Applicants 37 or over who have previous law enforcement experience under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees Retirement System 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 experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement.

Required Qualifications (Transfer)
The incumbent must be a current Federal Probation/Pretrial Services Officer in good standing, to include consistent, high quality past job experience/performance. To qualify for a CL-27, the incumbent must have at least two years of specialized experience, including at least one-year equivalent to work at the CL-25 level. To qualify for a CL-28 position, the incumbent must have at least two years of specialized experience, including at least one-year equivalent to work at the CL-27 level. (Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor’s degree, in such fields as probation [adult supervision and court experience preferred], pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction treatment.) Experience as a police officer, custodial, or security officer, other than criminal investigative experience, is not creditable. Additionally, volunteer or unpaid internship experience is not considered creditable.

Benefits

Miscellaneous

Environmental Demands, Background Investigations, And Medical Standards (New Hire)
The duties of probation officers require the investigation and management of alleged criminal individuals or convicted individuals who present physical danger to officers and to the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of these individuals, these duties require moderate to arduous physical exercise, including prolonged periods of walking and standing, physical dexterity and coordination necessary to operate a firearm, and use of self-defense tactics. On a daily basis, officers face unusual mental and physical stress because they are subject to danger and possible harm during frequent and direct contact with individuals who are suspected or convicted of committing Federal offenses.

First time appointees to the position of U.S. Probation Officer must undergo an extensive government background investigation. Further, prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position will undergo a medical examination and drug screening to determine fitness-for-duty.   Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the selectee may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the Court. 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.

First time appointees will be required to participate in a six-week National Training Academy in Charleston, South Carolina.

Environmental Demands, Background Investigations, And Medical Standards (Transfer)
U.S. Probation Officers transferring to another district are not required to undergo a medical examination, drug testing or the initial OPM background investigation. However, all applicable standards for the background reinvestigation apply.  The Chief U.S. Probation Officer of the receiving district may, at his or her discretion, request drug and/or medical testing to be conducted if; through direct observation or objective evidence, finds an officer is unable to perform the essential job functions, as defined in the medical guidelines. Additionally, at the Chief’s Discretion, the most recent reinvestigation report completed on behalf of the officer may be examined.

​​Important Notice
The incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, updated background investigations every five years, and as deemed necessary by the Chief U.S. Probation Officer for reasonable cause, subject to subsequent fitness for duty evaluations. A minimum of 40 hours of training is expected annually. This position may require some travel. Must have a valid driver’s license. If an office vehicle is not available incumbent is required to use personal vehicle. Reimbursement for gas mileage is authorized. This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer for payment of net pay. The U.S. Probation Office reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the job announcement, which action may occur without prior written notice or other notice.

How To Apply

To be considered for this position, please submit one PDF document that includes: a resume, cover letter, and an Application for Federal Employment (AO78). The Application for Federal Employment (AO78) can be downloaded from: uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/ao_078-08-2024_1.pdf. Your cover letter must indicate the position for which you are applying, including the vacancy number, describe your interest in the position, and should be no more than two pages.

Only applications submitted via email will be accepted. Please 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 testing will be contacted. Please submit your application to: Personnel@nysd.uscourts.gov

The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.