United States Probation Officer

Information for Applicants:

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit the following information:

1) Cover letter, summarizing your qualifications, skills, and abilities relevant to this position;

2) Current resume;

3) Names and contact information for three (3) professional references;

4) Form AO-78, Application for Judicial Branch Employment (available at https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/human-resources-forms/application-judicial-branch-federal-employment ) Note: the last page of the AO-78 requires a conventional signature. It cannot be an electronic signature.

Applications will not be considered complete until all the items listed above have been received; incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications should be submitted via the Online Application Portal:

https://opportunities.ilnb.uscourts.gov/Employment/appform.cfm?ref=prux8s4e&pos=5P2024

(If you have difficulty with the link, please copy and paste into your browser)

Please contact the Human Resource Department if you require alternative application submission options at 406-542-7113 or email susanne_johnston@mtd.uscourts.gov .

Eligible for future promotion to CL 28 ($69,551 - $113,078) without further competition.

Additional positions may be filled from the applicant pool generated from this vacancy announcement. The applicant pool will remain active for up to 12 months, or less, as determined by the Chief Probation Officer. Transfers from other Districts are welcome to apply.

*Starting salary and grade will be determined based on experience and qualifications. The incumbent(s) chosen for this position may be eligible for future promotion without competition within the Probation Officer position. Education and experience qualifications are listed below.

Representative Duties:

· Conduct investigations prepare reports and make recommendations to the court. Interview offenders/defendants and their families and collect background data from various sources. Interpret and apply policies, procedures, and statutes, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures, and U. S. Sentencing Guidelines, Monographs and relevant case law, as applicable.

· Enforce court-ordered supervision components and implement supervision strategies. Maintain personal contact with defendants and offenders. Investigate employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and compliance. Address substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and similar problems and work with appropriate specialist to implement the necessary treatment or violation proceedings, through assessment, monitoring, and counseling.

· Schedule and conduct drug use detection tests and DNA collection of offenders/defendants, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials. Respond to judicial officer’s request for information and advice. Testify in court as to the basis for factual findings and guideline applications, as warranted. Serve as a resource to the court. Maintain detailed written records of case activity.

· Investigate and analyze financial documents and activities and take appropriate action. Interview victim(s) and provide victim impact statements to the court. Ensure compliance with Mandatory Victims Restitution Act. Enforce home confinement conditions ordered by the court and perform home confinement reintegration on behalf of the Bureau of Prisons, as applicable.

· Review and resolve disputed issues involving offenders/defendants and present unresolved issues to the court for resolution. Assess offenders’/defendants’ level of risk and develop a blend of risk management strategies for controlling and correcting risk.

· Provide offenders/defendants with information on local resources and programs regarding employment, GED certification assistance, ongoing education, and vocational training. Identify interests, aptitudes, and abilities of offenders/defendants through interviewing and gathering appropriate information. Work with offenders/defendants toward integration into the job market through cross-training, mentoring, and the use of up-to-date technology.

· Communicate with other organizations and personnel (such as the U.S. Parole Commission, Bureau of Prisons, law enforcement, treatment agencies, and attorneys) concerning offenders’/defendants’ behavior and conditions of supervision. Identify and investigate violations and implement appropriate alternatives and sanctions. Discuss violations with Supervisory Officer. Report violations of conditions of supervision to the appropriate authorities. Prepare written reports of violation matters and make recommendations for disposition. Conduct Parole Commission preliminary interviews. Guide the work of staff providing administrative and technical assistance to officers.

Education and Experience Qualifications**:

Minimum Required Qualifications for CL-23: Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study.

Related field of study is a completed degree from an accredited college or university in an area such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human relations, or business or public administration.

Minimum Required Qualifications for CL-25: Bachelor’s degree in a related field of study (see above) with an overall GPA of 2.90 or better, or a 3.5 average or better in the major field of study, and two (2) years of related experience.

Related experience is work in a field associated with criminal justice, law enforcement, treatment, or corrections that does not meet the definition of specialized experience (see below).

Minimum Required Qualifications for CL-27: Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a related field of study (see above) and two (2) years of full-time specialized experience attained after the completion of the degree.

Specialized experience is professional work experience gained after the completion of a bachelor’s degree in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, criminal investigations or work in a substance/addiction treatment program. Experience as a police, custodial, or security officer that does not include investigative experience does not qualify as specialized experience. A Master’s degree in a field of study closely related to the work of the position, or a Juris Doctor (JD) may be substituted for specialized work experience.

Desired Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Candidates must have knowledge and understanding of the roles and functions of federal probation and pretrial services and related organizations. They must possess knowledge and skill in investigative techniques, along with strong oral and written communication skills, and the ability to interact with individuals in all different levels of the organization. Officers must have strong skills in the use of automated, database and mobile applications. The ability to consistently demonstrate sound ethics and judgment is required. Candidates must have and maintain a valid driver’s license and must be willing and able to work non-traditional hours/nights/weekends.

Physical Requirements and Maximum Entry Age:

Probation Officers must be able to meet established medical requirements and perform essential job functions. Detailed information is available at: http://www.uscourts.gov/services-forms/probation-and-pretrial-services/probation-and-pretrial-officers-and-officer. Any health problems that constitute employment hazards to the applicant or others may disqualify an applicant.

First time appointees to positions covered under federal law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants age 37 or over who have previous federal law enforcement officer experience and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position may have their previous federal law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine eligibility. Retirement is mandatory at age 57.

Employment Requirements and Selection Process:

Applicants must be citizens of the United States or be eligible to work in the United States. Employees are required to use Electronic Fund Transfer for payroll deposit. The Court requires that employees adhere to the Judicial Code of Conduct. Information is available at www.uscourts.gov.

A limited number of qualified applicants will be afforded a personal interview. The selectee(s) considered for positions will undergo a preliminary background check and a pre-employment medical examination and drug screening and must receive a favorable medical report prior to their appointment. 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, based on a full 10-year scope background check. In addition, as a condition of employment, incumbents 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.

Probation and Pretrial Services Officers are required to attend a six (6) week training program at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, located in Charleston, SC, during their first year of employment. Due to curriculum demands, schedule, and distance, employees are generally not able to travel back to their home district during training.

The U.S. Probation Office, District of Montana, reserves the right to amend or withdraw this announcement without written notice to applicants. The applicant pool generated from this announcement will remain active for up to 12 months, or less, at the discretion of the Chief Probation Officer.

Benefits:

The U.S. Probation Office of United States District Court is part of the Judicial Branch of the U.S. Government. Employees of the U.S. District Court are considered “at will” employees and are not covered by the Office of Personnel Management’s civil service classification system or regulations. Probation Officers participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (a mandatory 4.9% salary contribution) and Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401k), optional health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits, annual and sick leave accrual, and eleven paid holidays per year.

Information for Applicants:

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit the following information:

1) Cover letter, summarizing your qualifications, skills, and abilities relevant to this position;

2) Current resume;

3) Names and contact information for three (3) professional references;

4) Form AO-78, Application for Judicial Branch Employment (available at https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/human-resources-forms/application-judicial-branch-federal-employment ) Note: the last page of the AO-78 requires a conventional signature. It cannot be an electronic signature.

Applications will not be considered complete until all the items listed above have been received; incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications should be submitted via the Online Application Portal:

https://opportunities.ilnb.uscourts.gov/Employment/appform.cfm?ref=prux8s4e&pos=5P2024

(If you have difficulty with the link, please copy and paste into your browser)

Please contact the Human Resource Department if you require alternative application submission options at 406-542-7113 or email susanne_johnston@mtd.uscourts.gov .

The Court will provide acknowledgement of received applications via an immediate response in the application portal. Due to the expected volume of applications further communication will be limited to those applicants chosen for additional screening and/or interviews.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $46,621.00 - $96,147.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Great Falls, MT 59404 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Great Falls, MT 59404: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $46,621 - $96,147