Job Details for U.S. Probation Officer
| Court Name/Organization: | Texas Western Probation Office |
| Overview of the Position: | U.S. Probation Officers serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and assist in the fair administration of justice. Incumbents promote community safety, gather information, supervise defendants/persons under supervision, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports, conduct investigations, and present recommendations to the court. Regular travel is required as a duty function as well as occasional travel outside the district for on-going professional development and training. Officers must be available to routinely work untraditional hours, including evening hours. This position may be in pre-sentence investigation or post-conviction supervision with the caveat that the incumbent could be moved to the other discipline, at the chief’s discretion, based on district needs. |
| Location: | Pecos, TX |
| Opening and Closing Dates: | 11/12/2024 - 11/29/2024 |
| Appointment Type: | Permanent |
| Link to Court Careers Information: | https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/txwd?page=2 |
| Announcement Number: | USPO 25-05 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
Investigative Duties: The incumbent conducts investigations and prepares reports for the court with recommendations for sentencing of individuals convicted of federal offenses. The preparation of these reports requires interviewing offenders and their families, investigating the offense, prior record and financial status of the offender, and contacting law enforcement agencies, attorneys, victims of the crimes, schools, churches and civic organizations. An integral part of this process is the interpretation and application of the U.S. Sentencing Commission guidelines and relevant case law. The incumbent testifies in court as to guideline applications and serves as a resource to the court to facilitate proper imposition of sentence.
Supervision Duties: The incumbent supervises released offenders to maximize adherence to imposed conditions, reduce risk to the community and to provide correctional treatment. This is accomplished through personal contact with offenders in office and community settings. Offenders’ employment, sources of income, lifestyle and associates are investigated to assess risk and measure compliance. Written reports of detected violations are prepared with appropriate court testimony and disposition recommendations.
Qualification
- Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university. Ability to communicate well orally and in writing. Ability to organize, oversee, and complete multiple projects simultaneously and with limited supervision. Ability to maintain confidences, exercise mature judgment, and work harmoniously with others. Dependable, with a commitment to regular attendance. Knowledge of court operations. Fluent in English-Spanish is preferred.
- Specialized Experience obtained through progressively responsible experience as a probation officer, pretrial services officer, or in such fields as parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction treatment. Experience as a police, custodial or security officer, other than criminal investigation experience, is not creditable. Also, graduate degrees and/or academic standing based on grade point average (overall 2.9 or better on a 4.0 scale or 3.5 or better in related major field of study), class ranking (upper third), or membership in a National Honor Society may be creditable for portions of the required specialized experience. Experience within a federal or state probation setting would be preferred.
Physical requirements and Maximum Entry Age
The duties of probation officers require the investigation and management of convicted criminal offenders who present physical danger to officers and to the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of these offenders, 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, these officers face unusual mental and physical stress because they are subject to danger and possible harm during frequent, direct contact with individuals who are convicted of committing federal offenses.
Because officers must effectively deal with physical attacks and are subject to moderate to arduous physical exertion, applicants must be physically capable. Any candidate the court is appointing to an officer position will be subject to a pre-employment medical examination. The applicant must be determined medically qualified prior to commencement of duties. For additional information on the medical guidelines, view the Officer and Officer Assistant Medical Guidelines.
First time appointees to positions covered under law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. 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 officer experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement.
Background Investigation, Drug Screening and Medical Standards
Prior to appointment, the incumbent considered for this position will undergo an extensive medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the incumbent may then be provisionally appointed. At such time, the incumbent will undergo an extensive Office of Personnel Management (OPM) background investigation. Continued employment will be contingent on successful completion of the OPM investigation. In addition, as a condition of employment, the 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 and drug screening.
How To Apply
Qualified candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and copy of college transcripts for Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree through the online application. No late applications will be considered. Local candidates will receive priority consideration.
To be considered, the following must be included in the cover letter:
- Position Title
- Job Number
- Email Address
- Bilingual: English/Spanish or not – Fluency in English and Spanish is desirable but not required.
- Year in which Bachelor’s Degree was received
- Date of Birth, including year born
Should there be an interest by the candidate, they may be considered for other locations within the district and/or for a Probation Officer Assistant position.
The U.S. Courts reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. More than one position may be filled from this posting. In the event that a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the Court Unit Executive may elect to select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without posting the position. The court is not authorized to reimburse travel expenses for interviews or relocation. This position is subject to mandatory electronic direct deposit of salary payments. All applicants must be a U.S. citizen or must be a lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder) and seeking U.S. citizenship. Applicants are advised that false statements or omission of information on any application materials may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed. Employees of the U.S. Courts serve under "Excepted Appointments" and are considered "at-will" employees (except for probation officers who may be removed for cause). All employees are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees (available for review upon request). Applicants scheduled to interview should advise the Human Resources staff if any accommodation is needed.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.