What are the responsibilities and job description for the United States Probation Officer position at U.S. Courts - Western District of Texas?
Position: United States Probation Officer
Closing Date: October 18, 2024
Starting Salary: Up to $67.064 (salary commensurate with experience)
(Transfers within the Judiciary will be considered for a salary match up to CL-28)
Location: Austin, Texas
Position Overview:
United States 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. 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.
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, please visit www.txwd.uscourts.gov - click on Jobs, then 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.
Qualified candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and copy of college transcripts for Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree, if applicable, to www.txwp.uscourts.gov> Court Info > Jobs > Current Employment Opportunities & 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:
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 United States 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.
Please visit www.txwp.uscourts.gov for more information
Closing Date: October 18, 2024
Starting Salary: Up to $67.064 (salary commensurate with experience)
(Transfers within the Judiciary will be considered for a salary match up to CL-28)
Location: Austin, Texas
Position Overview:
United States 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. 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.
- 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, please visit www.txwd.uscourts.gov - click on Jobs, then 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.
Qualified candidates must submit a cover letter, resume, and copy of college transcripts for Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree, if applicable, to www.txwp.uscourts.gov> Court Info > Jobs > Current Employment Opportunities & 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 United States 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.
Please visit www.txwp.uscourts.gov for more information
The United States Probation Office is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Salary : $67,064