Job Details for Pretrial Services Officer Assistant
| Court Name/Organization | Missouri Eastern District Court |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Pretrial Services Office for the Eastern District of Missouri is accepting applications for the position of a Pretrial Services Officer Assistant. This position is full-time. This position will be stationed in the St. Louis, MO office. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. |
| Location | St. Louis, MO |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 01/02/2025 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 23 - CL 25 |
| Salary | Not specified |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://www.moed.uscourts.gov/employment/pretrial-services/ptsoa-1224/pretrial-… |
| Announcement Number | PTSOA-1224 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
- Under the guidance of a pretrial officer, supervise a caseload of low-risk defendants/offenders requiring contact by telephone, in the office, and in the field. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and determine compliance. Maintain case files and records, as well as detailed chronological records of activity.
- Assist pretrial officers with less complex bond investigations to include compiling criminal histories, and profiles, running record checks through local and national databases, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies, and performing other similar activities. Provide officers with accurate and factual information to assist in their completion of pretrial reports.
- Under guidance from a pretrial officer, draft and submit selected reports. Observe, and apprise the supervisor of the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of defendants/offenders. Assist in the development of community resources to meet those needs.
- Under the guidance of a pretrial officer, respond to judicial officers’ requests for information and occasionally testify in court, accompanied by a pretrial officer, regarding the basis for factual findings.
- Conduct collateral investigations and draft and submit collateral reports, which may entail making telephone, office, and/or field contacts. Perform record keeping.
- Collect and conduct urine tests on offenders of the same gender and maintain appropriate records.
- If bilingual or multilingual, assist officers and non-English speaking defendants/offenders, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence, as required.
- Operate various criminal justice, law enforcement, and pretrial automated systems.
- Participate in ongoing training and development programs.
- Perform other appropriate duties as assigned.
Qualifications
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.
Candidates must be responsible, organized and demonstrate sound ethics and judgment. Candidates must also possess a positive attitude, integrity, tact, initiative, and the ability to work with a wide variety of people with diverse backgrounds. Must be able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines. Excellent professional references and computer abilities, including the ability to scan and submit documents electronically, are required. A driver’s license is required to conduct field work.
Medical Requirements and Maximum Entry Age
The duties of pretrial officers require the investigation and management of alleged criminal offenders or convicted 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 coordinate necessary for office safety, 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 suspected or 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. Officers must possess, with or without corrective lenses, good distance vision in at least one eye and the ability to read normal size print. Normal hearing ability, with or without a hearing aid, is also required. Any severe health problems, such as physical defects, disease, and deformities that constitute employment hazards to the applicant or others, may disqualify an applicant. Examples of health problems that may be disqualifying are un untreated hernia, cardiovascular disorders, serious deformities or disabilities of the extremities, mental health disorders, fainting and/or seizure disorders, metabolic disorders, bleeding disorders, pulmonary disorders, and marked speech abnormalities.
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 officer experience under 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.
This is a hazardous duty position and as such the individual selected will be subject to mandatory separation at age 57, and/or upon completion of the necessary 20 years of service.
Specialized Experience
A minimum of one year of specialized experience is necessary to qualify at the CL 25 level. Specialized experience is defined as: progressively responsible experience in such fields as probation, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction treatment. Experience as police, custodial, or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.
Conditions of Employment
- Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States. Appointment is contingent upon providing proof of U.S. citizenship or proof of authorization to work in the United States as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
- In that officer assistant positions are provisional appointments, candidates will undergo internal investigations conducted by the U.S. Pretrial Office, Eastern District of Missouri.
- After the internal investigation is completed and approved by the Chief Judge, applicants will receive a written offer for provisional hire. Pursuant to Judicial Conference policy, all final applicants for officer positions will undergo a medical examination by Public Health Service physicians or other Federal Occupational Health, Law Enforcement Medical Program. Applicants will also undergo drug screening and will also be subject to random drug screening and updated background investigations every five years.
- After appointment, OPM investigations will be conducted, and if the report reflects any negative nature, as to reflect continued employment as a U.S. Pretrial Officer would be ill advised, employment will be terminated.
- The position is subject to mandatory electronic direct deposit of salary payment.
- Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense. The office does not pay for relocation expenses.
- Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments and are considered “at will” and can be terminated with or without cause by the Court.
- The U.S. Courts require employees to adhere to a Code of Conduct that is available to applicants for review upon request.
Background Investigations Requirements
This is a High Sensitive Position with the U.S. Pretrial Services Office which requires a credit and background check for selectees. The selectee(s) considered for this position is required to undergo an FBI Background Check and/or Investigation. The selectee may be appointed provisionally, and retention will depend upon favorable suitability determination of the background investigation.
Employee Benefits
Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointment (not civil service). The Federal benefits package includes:
- Generous paid time off program
- 11 paid holidays
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Group health, dental, vision and life insurance
- Benefit pension plan
- Defined contribution plan (TSP) with employer match
- Long-term insurance
- Health and dependent flexible spending accounts
- Parking/commuter benefit program
- Employee assistance program
- Work life services
- Virtual Judiciary Online University
Miscellaneous
- Under the guidance of a pretrial officer, supervise a caseload of low-risk defendants/offenders requiring contact by telephone, in the office, and in the field. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and determine compliance. Maintain case files and records, as well as detailed chronological records of activity.
- Assist pretrial officers with less complex bond investigations to include compiling criminal histories, and profiles, running record checks through local and national databases, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies, and performing other similar activities. Provide officers with accurate and factual information to assist in their completion of pretrial reports.
- Under guidance from a pretrial officer, draft and submit selected reports. Observe, and apprise the supervisor of the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of defendants/offenders. Assist in the development of community resources to meet those needs.
- Under the guidance of a pretrial officer, respond to judicial officers’ requests for information and occasionally testify in court, accompanied by a pretrial officer, regarding the basis for factual findings.
- Conduct collateral investigations and draft and submit collateral reports, which may entail making telephone, office, and/or field contacts. Perform record keeping.
- Collect and conduct urine tests on offenders of the same gender and maintain appropriate records.
- If bilingual or multilingual, assist officers and non-English speaking defendants/offenders, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence, as required.
- Operate various criminal justice, law enforcement, and pretrial automated systems.
- Participate in ongoing training and development programs.
- Perform other appropriate duties as assigned.
Application Info
Please e-mail a detailed resume, Include references and a completed application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (Form AO-78) to moed_employment@moed.uscourts.gov (please include the Vacancy Number: PTSO-1224 in the subject line). Applications will not be considered complete until all the items listed above have been received by Human Resources. The U.S. Pretrial Services Office reserves the right to modify or withdraw the announcement which may occur without prior written or other notice. All property submitted becomes the property of the U.S. Pretrial Services Office. In the event that a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the U.S. Pretrial Services Office may elect to select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without re-posting the position. Only applicants who are selected to be interviewed will be contacted. The Pretrial Services Office provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.