US Probation And Pretrial Services Officer Assistant
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
U.S. PROBATION AND PRETRIAL SERVICES OFFICER ASSISTANT
TEMPORARY – NOT TO EXCEED 4 YEARS 23-WAW-19
ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER 23-WAW-19
ANNOUNCEMENT DATE March 31, 2023
CLOSING DATE Open until filled; preference given to applications received by April 16, 2023
The U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office for the Western District of Washington is currently accepting applications for a Probation and Pretrial Officer Assistant. Our District has three distinct units under U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services: a pretrial services unit including supervision, a presentence unit, and a post-conviction supervision unit. There are five offices within the district: Seattle, Tacoma, Tukwila, Everett, and Vancouver. The assignment to a duty station is at the discretion of the Chief. Frequent travel within the district is required as is some out of district travel.
This is a temporary position with a not to exceed date of 4 years.
REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
Probation and Pretrial Services Officer Assistants serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and assist in the administration of justice. Under the direction and guidance of a supervisor, officer assistants provide technical support and assistance to officers in a wide range of areas, including assisting with compiling information for investigations, assisting with and supervising clients and preparing reports.
Probation and Pretrial Services Officer Assistants serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and assist in the administration of justice. Under the direction and guidance of a supervisor, officer assistants provide technical support and assistance to officers in a wide range of areas, including assisting with compiling information for investigations, assisting with and supervising clients and preparing reports.
• Supervises a select caseload of clients under the guidance of an officer or supervisor and maintains detailed written records of case activity.
• Enforces court-ordered supervision components and implements supervision strategies.
• Maintains personal contact with persons under supervision through office, virtual and community contacts to maximize adherence to imposed conditions, reduce risk of danger to the community, reduce risk of nonappearance, and to provide correctional treatment.
• Addresses substance use, mental health, domestic violence, and similar problems and implement the necessary treatment or violation proceedings through assessment, monitoring, and counseling.
• Refers clients to appropriate outside agencies such as medical and drug treatment facilities, employment, and training.
• Assists officers in the performance of investigations, including compiling criminal histories/profiles, running record checks through local and national databases and files, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies, and similar activities. Visit or contact various local, state, and national law enforcement and regulatory agencies to collect and record information.
• Provides officers with verifiable and supportable documentation to assist in completion of reports.
• Conducts urinalysis tests on clients of the same gender, following established procedures and protocols. May be responsible for maintaining records of test results, and mailing tests and materials to laboratories for confirmation.
• Assists in the development of community resources to meet the special needs of persons under supervision.
• Testifies at violation proceedings.
• Participates in on-going training and development to remain knowledgeable of advanced techniques.
• Must embrace a diverse and inclusive workplace and be committed to promoting fair, impartial, and just treatment of persons under supervision throughout all phases of the justice system.
• Knowledge of, and compliance with, the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees and court confidentiality requirements. Ability to demonstrate sound ethics and mature, professional judgment as an objective, neutral officer of the court.
Qualifications
To qualify for the position of Probation and Pretrial Officer Assistant, the candidate must be a high school graduate or equivalent at the time of appointment. Applicants must have basic knowledge of the criminal justice system.
Applicants must also possess the following qualifications:
• Ability to organize and prioritize work schedule and work independently with minimal supervision. Ability to work under pressure and with short deadlines while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor.
• Ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, foster high ethical standards, and demonstrate integrity in meeting the district’s vision, mission, and goals.
• Ability to interpret data to aid in performing core duties.
• Ability to exercise impartiality and discretion with the persons under supervision population and their family/support system.
• Ability to routinely work non-traditional hours to include covering after-hours matters on a rotational basis.
• Ability to interact and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with people of diverse backgrounds. This includes persons under supervision, law enforcement and collateral agency personnel, and community service providers.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge of automated / internet resources and systems available for conducting background checks, criminal histories, and other similar information.
• Knowledge of and proficiency with current technology, computer databases, and computer applications in a Windows based environment.
Preferred Qualifications
• Knowledge of the roles and functions of federal probation and pretrial services and the legal requirements used in probation and pretrial services. Knowledge of how other judicial process and procedures relate to the officer’s roles and responsibilities.
• Ability to communicate fluently in a second language.
• A bachelor’s degree in a field of academic study such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human relations, business, or public administration is preferred but not required.
MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
The duties of probation and pretrial services officers require the investigation and management of clients charged with criminal offenses or convicted clients, both who present physical danger to officers and to the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of charged and/or convicted clients, these duties require moderate to arduous physical activity, including prolonged periods of walking and standing, physical dexterity and coordination necessary to operate a firearm, and use of self-defense tactics. Officers face unusual mental and physical stress because they are subject to danger and possible harm during frequent, direct contact with individuals who are charged with criminal offenses or convicted of committing federal offenses.
Prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position will undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the selectee may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the court. In addition, as conditions of employment, 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.
Maximum Entry Age
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 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.
Salary Range
Court Personnel System Classification Level:
CL25, Step 1 – 61, $52,924 - $84,721
CL26, Step 1 – 61, $58,294 - $93,277
Depending on experience and qualifications. Additional promotional potential without further recruitment.
Benefits
The District Court offers a generous benefit package, competitive salary, and a dedication to work/life balance including flexible schedules, ORCA transit passes, and telework opportunities. Judiciary employees participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System, Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401K), health and life insurance benefits, long term care options, annual sick leave accrual, and eleven paid holidays per year. Judiciary employees are not covered by the Office of Personnel Management’s civil service classification system or regulations. For additional information on employment with the federal courts, please visit www.uscourts.gov.
Application Instructions
To be considered, qualified applicants must submit the following:
• Cover letter and Resume
• From the following list of competencies associated with the position of Probation Officer Assistant, select two and describe why you feel they are important for this position?
o Confidence in Decision Making
o Critical Analysis
o Everyday Leadership
o Investigative Objectivity
o Proactive Planning
o Resilience
o Role Awareness
o Supervision for Success
o Team Orientation
o Workload Management
• A completed AO78, Application for Federal Employment – This position is exempt from the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act so all questions on the application form need to be completed.
Applications will not be considered complete until all the items listed above have been received in Word or Adobe .pdf format; incomplete application packets will not be considered.
seattle_personnel@wawd.uscourts.gov
or to:
Human Resources (#23-WAW-19)
U. S. District Court
700 Stewart Street, Suite 2218
Seattle, WA 98101
Information for Applicants
Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Applicants selected for interviews must travel (for in-person interviews) or connect via Zoom (for remote interviews) at their own expense.
The United States District Court requires employees to follow a code of conduct which is available upon request. Reference checks with current and former employers will be conducted on top candidates. A background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment.
The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages.
U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services for the Western District of Washington is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and seek a diverse pool of applicants in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance.
The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify human resources. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on an individual basis.
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. If a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time from the original announcement, management may elect to select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without posting the position. More than one position may be filled from this announcement.
The United States District Court is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace.