U.S. Probation Officer

Duties

This position may be in Norfolk, Newport News, Richmond, Alexandria or Manassas depending on office requirements. Multiple positions may be hired from this announcement.

Responsibilities

• A United States Probation Officer (USPO) conducts investigations; prepares required reports; provides recommendations to the Court; and interprets and applies U. S. Sentencing guidelines and relevant case law.
• A USPO supervises defendants/offenders to maximize adherence to imposed conditions and reduce risk to the community; provides treatment; detects and investigates violations and implements appropriate alternatives and sanctions; conducts preliminary interviews and other investigations as required; and maintains a detailed written record of case activity.
• Collect and conduct urine tests on offenders of the same gender, and maintain appropriate records.
• If bilingual or multilingual, assist officers and non-English speaking offenders, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence, as required.
• Operate various criminal justice, law enforcement, and probation automated systems. The incumbent will serve as location monitoring backup.
• Participate in ongoing training and development programs. Perform other appropriate duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Applicants must be citizens of the United States and have no criminal record.

Tests to determine grammar and writing skills will be given to all candidates interviewed.

Final candidates will undergo a local background investigation with law enforcement agencies, as well as a check of financial and credit records.

Employment is contingent upon outcome of a favorable OPM background investigation. The candidate selected will be hired provisionally pending the outcome of this investigation. An unsatisfactory background investigation may result in termination of employment.

Employees of the U.S. Probation Office are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees which is available to applicants for review upon request.

Mandatory Direct Deposit participation for payment of salary.

Employees of the U. S. Probation Office are covered by the Court Personnel System and are Excepted Service appointments.

Qualifications

To qualify for Classification 27, the incumbent must have had 2 years specialized experience after the attainment of a bachelor's degree, including at least 1 year equivalent to work at the Classification 25 level. Specialized experience includes progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor's degree, 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.

Education

Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in a field of academic study, such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, or public administration, which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the position.

Additional information

The duties of probation officer require the investigation and management of alleged criminal defendants or convicted sex offenders, which will subject the incumbent to graphic material. 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 for officer safety, and use of self-defense tactics. On a daily basis, officers face unusual mental and physical stress because they are subject to danger and possible harm during frequent, direct contact with individuals who are suspected or convicted of committing federal offenses.

First-time appointees to positions covered under federal law enforcement retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. State or local law enforcement time in service is not creditable.

NOTE: Prior to appointment, the candidate considered for this position will undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the candidate may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the Court.

In addition, as conditions of employment, the incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, updated background investigations every 5 years and, as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations.

The medical requirements and the essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for United States Probation Officers are available for public review on-line at https://www.uscourts.gov/ .

Our agency has a COVID vaccination policy - all employees must show proof of vaccination or provide negative testing results on a weekly basis.