U.S. Probation Officer - Transfer Opportunity

This position is open only to U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officers within the Judiciary.

Duties

The Probation and Pretrial Officer conducts investigations and prepares pretrial services and presentence reports for the U.S. Magistrate Court and U.S. District Court. Supervises persons on pretrial services, probation, supervised release, and parole supervision. Conducts investigations and provides evaluations and recommendations to the Courts and U.S. Parole Commission regarding compliance with conditions of supervision. Utilizes principles of Evidence Based Practices to assess risk and criminogenic needs of offenders and supervises according to these assessments. Develops collaborative relationships with defendants/offenders with a goal of aiding them to successfully complete the term of supervision. Investigates community release plans on persons scheduled for release from federal correctional facilities with supervision terms to follow. Cooperates with other federal probation offices and units in investigating and supervising persons transferred to the district and performs additional related services as may be requested by other Courts. Keeps informed on new developments and techniques in the community corrections field and applies these to the work as desired and needed. Makes formal presentations concerning pretrial services, probation and parole concepts and programs to the community. Cooperates with community agencies and participates in community activities relevant to the work of our Court.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Conducts investigations and prepares reports for the court with recommendations, which requires interviewing offenders/defendants and their families, as well as, collecting background data from various sources.
• Interprets and applies policies and procedures, statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, including the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Monographs, and relevant case law. Track legal documents, and update staff and the court.
• Enforces court-ordered supervision components and implement supervision strategies. Maintain personal contact with offenders/defendants. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates, to assess risk and compliance. Address substance abuse, mental health/sex offenders, domestic violence, and similar problems and implement the necessary treatment or violation proceedings, through assessment, monitoring, and counseling, including compliance with all local, state, and federal laws.
• Schedules and conducts drug use detection tests and DNA collection of offenders/defendants, following established procedures and protocols.
• Maintains paper and computerized records of test results. Maintains a chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials.
• Responds to judicial officers' request for information and advice.
• Testifies in court as to the basis for factual findings and (if warranted) guideline applications.
• Serves as a resource to the court and maintains detailed written records of case activity.
• Conducts surveillance and/or search and seizure at the direction of the court.
• Investigates and analyzes financial documents and activities and takes appropriate action. Interview's victim(s) and provides victim impact statements to the court. Ensures compliance with Mandatory Victims Restitution Act.
• Enforces home confinement conditions ordered by the court and may perform home confinement reintegration on behalf of the Bureau of Prisons.
• Develops proposals for the chief probation officer's approval to provide specialized drug/alcohol services and other areas as needed.
• Analyzes and responds to any objections related to the presentence investigation. This may include resolving disputed issues and presenting unresolved issues to the court for resolution.
• Assesses offenders'/defendants' level of risk to the community and develops a blend of controlling and correctional strategies to address risk.
• Communicates with other organizations and agencies, such as the U.S. Parole Commission; Bureau of Prisons; law enforcement; treatment agencies, and attorneys, concerning offenders'/defendants' behavior and conditions of supervision at different government levels, community service providers, and offenders/defendants. Ability to interview and establish rapport with contacts at collateral agencies, offenders/defendants and their families/support systems, and others for the purpose of supervision and investigations.

Salary

• $61,806 - $120,435/year

Conditions of Employment

Medical Requirements
Probation/pretrial services officers must meet the medical requirements for law enforcement officer (LEO) positions. The essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation officers, pretrial services officers and officer assistants are available for public review at https://www.uscourts.gov/.

Maximum Entry Age
Probation and pretrial services officers and assistants must not have reached their 37th birthday at a time of appointment. For an applicant with previous LEO experience under the CSRS or the FERS and either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-LEO position, the maximum entry age is increased by adding the number of years of previous law enforcement experience to 37.

Specialized Training
Newly appointed officers to the position of U.S. Probation Officer will be required to attend and successfully complete a five (5) week training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, South Carolina.

After three years of service, officers will be required to complete the Southern District of Florida's Leadership Development Program. The program consists of three phases and will be completed within 12 months.

Please see Additional Information Section for more information.

Qualifications For classification level CL-27:
Candidate must possess the following:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university preferably in a field of academic study such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human relations, business, or public administration, which provided evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position.
• Two years of specialized experience*, including at least one-year equivalent to work at the CL-25; or Completion of a master's degree in a field of study closely related to the position, or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.

[*Progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor's in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, or work in substance/addiction treatment. Experience as a police, custodial, or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, is not creditable.]

Court Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to communicate well orally and in writing.
• Proficiency working in automated environments with a significant knowledge of computer programs such as Adobe, Word, Microsoft Word, and Windows as well as other software programs is preferred.
• Fluency in Spanish highly desirable.
• Knowledge of Evidence Based Practices, risk and needs principles, cognitive behavioral therapy programming preferred.
• A thorough knowledge of the philosophy, theories, and practices of the correctional field with a knowledge of law, psychology, sociology, and criminology as these disciplines are related to the duties and responsibilities of the correctional profession; a devotion to the principles of public welfare; a knowledge and understanding of both normal and abnormal behavior; unquestioned integrity; maturity of judgement and tact.
• Knowledge of the Federal Criminal Code and sentencing procedures; the ability to conduct thorough investigations and make sound evaluations and recommendations; a knowledge of all available community resources and the understanding and skill necessary to use them.
• The desire and ability to work harmoniously with others in a total quality team-based organization, and the desire/willingness to collaborate with offenders, community partners and others to reduce recidivism.

Education Minimum requirement: candidate must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a field of academic study which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position. Other Information

TRANSFERRING OFFICERS - U.S. Probation & Pretrial Services Officers transferring from another district are not required to undergo a medical examination, drug testing, or have an initial OPM background investigation. However, all applicable standards for the medical and for the background reinvestigation apply. The Chief U.S. Probation Officer may, at their discretion, request drug and/or medical testing 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. Also, at the Chief's discretion, the most recent reinvestigation report completed on behalf of the officer may be examined as part of the recruitment process. In addition, as 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.

Maximum Entry Age
Probation and pretrial services officers and assistants must not have reached their 37th birthday at a time of appointment. For an applicant with previous LEO experience under the CSRS or the FERS and either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-LEO position, the maximum entry age is increased by adding the number of years of previous law enforcement experience to 37.

Specialized Training
Newly appointed officers to the position of U.S. Probation Officer will be required to attend and successfully complete a five (5) week training course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Charleston, South Carolina.

• After three years of service, officers will be required to complete the Southern District of Florida's Leadership Development Program. The program consists of three phases and will be completed within 12 months.
• Those applicants selected for further consideration may be subject to testing.
• Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States.
• The United States District Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Required Documents

Letter of interest, AO 78-Federal Judiciary Branch Application for Employment [version 5/24], current resume, Hazardous Duty Supplement form, completed and signed performance evaluation. Previous versions of AO 78 and all other federal employment applications will not be accepted.

How to Apply

Send all attachments in one email message to the HR Mailbox. All attachments must be in Microsoft Word (.doc; .docx) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format.

Email address: flsd_hrmail@flsd.uscourts.gov

Subject Line: Probation Officer 2025-PRB-01

Attachments:

• AO 78 - Federal Judiciary Branch Application for Employment [version 5/24].
• Hazardous Duty Supplement.
• Detailed Resume.
• Copy of your most recent performance evaluation.

The AO78 and Hazardous Duty Supplement is available on the Court's website under vacancies: https://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/.

• Incomplete or partially completed application materials will not be considered.
• Do not submit the same application materials more than once.

Benefits

Review our benefits