Official Court Reporter

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time Official Court Reporter. Court reporters are responsible for recording court proceedings verbatim in court and in chambers, for producing requested transcripts, and for filing required transcripts electronically in CM/ECF with the Clerk of Court.

This position is primarily responsible for court reporting services in Wilmington.  Note the Eastern District of North Carolina encompasses 44 counties with divisional offices in Elizabeth City, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh (headquarters), and Wilmington, and this position, in addition to other court reporters, provides court reporting services to four district judges and four magistrate judges. The court reporter must be available to perform court reporting services for any judicial proceeding within the Eastern District of North Carolina; travel, including some overnight lodging, is required.

The initial cut-off date for this position is March 31, 2025.  Applications that are received by this date will be given first consideration.

The Official Court Reporter performs duties and responsibilities which include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Performs court reporting services for any judicial proceeding as may be required.
• Demonstrates the ability to record verbatim testimony of courtroom proceedings.
• Maintains accurate, legible records which are subject to audits and/or available to read back any or all portions of the court records.
• Provides transcripts and copies, at the request of a party or the court, within time frames and cost requirements established by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
• Determines that billing and formats comply with Judicial Conference requirements.
• Backs up daily transcripts to an internal shared drive within twenty-four (24) hours of the proceeding. Provides and maintains personal equipment to include telephone and Realtime equipment which must be compatible with court equipment.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

To qualify for the position, an individual must have at least one year of prime stenographic Computer Aided Transcription (CAT) court reporting experience in the freelance field or in other courts or a combination thereof; qualified testing for listing on the Registry of Professional Reporters of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) or passed an equivalent qualifying examination that certifies 180 wpm literary, 200 wpm jury charge and 225 wpm testimony. The successful candidate must possess excellent organizational and communication skills to permit the production of transcripts within strict time limitations, work well under pressure, and be willing to work as part of a team of reporters under the direction of the Clerk of Court in fulfilling the needs of all judicial officers of the court. A judicial employee must maintain a professional appearance and demeanor at all times.

Strong preference will be given to candidates who are a Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR) and who possess a Certificate of Merit from the NCRA. Applicants may be subject to testing of Realtime capabilities, using personal equipment, during the interview process. A court reporter with federal court experience is preferred.

Applicants must be United States citizens or lawful permanent residents actively seeking citizenship.  Judicial Branch employees are considered "at will" employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service. Salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit is required.

This position may be required to work in excess of a regular eight-hour day or to work an altered work schedule to support the operations of the court, without additional compensation.

The successful candidate for this position will be subject to a background investigation (including references, criminal history, and credit history) as a condition of employment.  The person selected for this position will also be required to submit fingerprints for an FBI background check or other security clearance. Initial appointment shall be on a six-month probationary basis.

 Application Procedures:

All interested persons should apply online by visiting https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/nced and submit an application package which is to include: the completed application, a cover letter, resume, photocopies of applicable certifications, and three (3) employment references.

Travel and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. More than one position may be filled by this vacancy announcement. The court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. All employees are required to adhere to the "Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees" which is available for review upon request. The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position at any time before the closing date, any of which actions may occur without any prior written or other notice. Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates in consideration for this position will be contacted.