Job Details for U.S. Probation Officer
| Court Name/Organization | Missouri Eastern District Court |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Probation Officer United States District Court, Eastern District of Missouri is accepting applications for the position of United States Probation Officer as a Forensic Examiner working in the forensics lab. The position will be in the St. Louis office with full responsibility to the divisional office as well. |
| Location | St. Louis , MO |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 01/17/2025 - Open Until Filled |
| Appointment Type | Permanent |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 28 Step 1 $72,693 CL 28 Step 61 $118.136 CL 29 Step 1 86,423 CL 29 Step 61 $140,508 |
| Salary | Not specified |
| Announcement Number | PO-SOS-0125 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
- Conducts forensic examinations of digital related evidence using established policies, procedures, and precedent techniques. Examination can include, but are not limited to financial, terrorist, and sexually explicit material cases. Confers with other examiners about policies and procedures in relation to digital related evidence.
- Responsible for training officers and employees in this Court and across the nation on forensic related procedures. This includes the proper evidence collection, handling, and chain of custody methods either via video, teleconference or in-person.
- Receives evidence from other districts, checking items into custody, logging the items received, and initiating the case paperwork. This would include data entry into SIRS and PACTS to ensure proper credit is received for each examination.
- Collects and prepares digital evidence for forensic examination
- May be required to testify in legal proceedings as to the procedures and methods used to obtain data, as well as to the findings of the examination
- Develops, prepares, and presents reports of findings of forensic examinations
- Responsible for verification of forensics tools validation
- Coordinates the maintenance, security and troubleshooting on all hardware and software for forensic tools
- Identifies, diagnoses, and corrects errors and problems
- Assists in developing new procedures and policies for the forensic lab and the districts served
- Responsible for initial scan and installation of monitoring software on offender’s electronic devices
- Prepare and maintain documentation and standard operating procedures and checklists for end users and other technicians
- Provide day-to-day systems backups and verify the validity of data
- Maintains the evidence tracking software, which includes the administration and backing up of the program, as well as keeping the program’s software updated
- Conducts the semi-annual inventories on all evidence maintained in the forensic lab. Tracks evidence to determine if the forensic lab needs to maintain it for evidentiary reasons.
- Responsible for the disposing of all evidence which is no longer needed for evidentiary reasons
- Responsible for ensuring the evidence is appropriately removed from the evidence tracking software
- Maintains contact with the forensic community for the purpose of keeping abreast of developments, techniques, and user programs
- Recommend hardware, equipment, and software updates
- Provides consultation to judges and attorneys concerning forensic laboratory program
- Assist and advise the Search Team Lead and members and participate in searches numerous times throughout the year
- Serves as liaison in specialized areas to other court units and the public
Qualifications
Thorough knowledge of the latest forensic examination information technology hardware and software tools and their design. Knowledge of telephone and wireless systems. Skilled with various digital technologies, including mobile phones, tablets, computers, digital storage devices, GPS, and gaming systems. Be able to perform basic routine disassembly of desktop and laptop computer, phones, and tablets. Ability to image digital equipment in a forensically sound manner. Able to document the steps of an examination and a detailed analysis of your findings.
Three years of specialized experience and 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, is required for all probation officer positions. Law Enforcement Forensic examiner experience preferred. A Master or Bachelor of Science in Computer Forensics or Information Technology is preferred. Certifications from the FBI CART, US Postal Service, National White-Collar Crimes, Secret Service, SANS, IACIS is also preferred. Excellent professional references and computer abilities, including the ability to scan and submit documents electronically, are required.
Conditions of Employment
All applicants considered for the position will be required to undergo a background investigation which includes an FBI fingerprint check, as the position involves handling of confidential or highly sensitive information. 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
- Defined Benefit Pension Plan
- Defined Contribution Plan (TSP) with Employer Match
- Long‐Term Care Insurance
- Health and Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts
- Parking/Commuter Benefit Program
- Employee Assistance Program
- Work Life Services
- Virtual Judiciary Online University
Miscellaneous
- Conducts forensic examinations of digital related evidence using established policies, procedures, and precedent techniques. Examination can include, but are not limited to financial, terrorist, and sexually explicit material cases. Confers with other examiners about policies and procedures in relation to digital related evidence.
- Responsible for training officers and employees in this Court and across the nation on forensic related procedures. This includes the proper evidence collection, handling, and chain of custody methods either via video, teleconference or in-person.
- Receives evidence from other districts, checking items into custody, logging the items received, and initiating the case paperwork. This would include data entry into SIRS and PACTS to ensure proper credit is received for each examination.
- Collects and prepares digital evidence for forensic examination
- May be required to testify in legal proceedings as to the procedures and methods used to obtain data, as well as to the findings of the examination
- Develops, prepares, and presents reports of findings of forensic examinations
- Responsible for verification of forensics tools validation
- Coordinates the maintenance, security and troubleshooting on all hardware and software for forensic tools
- Identifies, diagnoses, and corrects errors and problems
- Assists in developing new procedures and policies for the forensic lab and the districts served
- Responsible for initial scan and installation of monitoring software on offender’s electronic devices
- Prepare and maintain documentation and standard operating procedures and checklists for end users and other technicians
- Provide day-to-day systems backups and verify the validity of data
- Maintains the evidence tracking software, which includes the administration and backing up of the program, as well as keeping the program’s software updated
- Conducts the semi-annual inventories on all evidence maintained in the forensic lab. Tracks evidence to determine if the forensic lab needs to maintain it for evidentiary reasons.
- Responsible for the disposing of all evidence which is no longer needed for evidentiary reasons
- Responsible for ensuring the evidence is appropriately removed from the evidence tracking software
- Maintains contact with the forensic community for the purpose of keeping abreast of developments, techniques, and user programs
- Recommend hardware, equipment, and software updates
- Provides consultation to judges and attorneys concerning forensic laboratory program
- Assist and advise the Search Team Lead and members and participate in searches numerous times throughout the year
- Serves as liaison in specialized areas to other court units and the public
Application Info
Applicants must be U.S. citizens 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. Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. Applicants may be asked to participate in proficiency tests.
Qualified persons are invited to submit:
- A letter of application
- Current résumé,
- Completed application for judicial branch employment, form AO-78
- Contact information for three professional references
Application materials may be submitted via mail to:
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Missouri
Attn: Gina Hicks (PO-SOS 01/25) Room 3.300
111 South 10th Street St. Louis, MO 63102
Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. The Court 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. In the event that a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the Clerk of Court may elect to select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without re-posting the position. Employees are required to adhere to a Code of Ethics and Conduct, which is available to applicants for review upon request. The Probation Office provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.