United States Probation Officer(s) at US District Court in Sioux City, IA

The United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa Announces an Opportunity at the

United States Probation & Pretrial Services Office

Position: United States Probation Officer - VA 25-02

LOCATION: Duty station may be either Cedar Rapids or Sioux City.

United States Courthouse

111 7 th Avenue SE, Box 14

Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401-2101

United States Courthouse

320 6 th Street, Suite 200

Sioux City, Iowa 51101-1262

CLASSIFICATION LEVEL: CL25-CL28

More than one position may be hired from this posting. Promotional potential from a CL25 to CL28 without further competition is possible and is based on individual experience and performance, and at the discretion of the Chief U.S. Probation Officer and approval of the Chief Judge.

SALARY RANGE: $48,890 - $115,213

The salary range listed here reflects the full pay scale spanning across all classification levels for this position. Starting salaries depend on education, skills, and experience. New incumbents may start in the developmental range of the lowest classification level (CL) and increase incrementally towards full performance and/or CL promotional advancements throughout their career.

OPENING DATE: January 17, 2025

CLOSING DATE: Open until filled, but priority will be given to applications received by February 28, 2025.

About Us: The Northern District of Iowa U.S. Probation Office has locations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Sioux City, Iowa. Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in the state and is vibrant with unique attractions, exciting events, a dynamic art scene and a large variety of restaurant and nightlife options. Sioux City is located in northwest Iowa on the Missouri River. It is referred to as a regional hub for its intersection of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota and it has twice been named an All-American City by the National Civic League which recognizes communities excelling in inclusivity, civic engagement, and strong connections between citizens. VA 25-02 USPO

The Opportunity: The United States Probation Office, in the Northern District of Iowa, is accepting applications for United States Probation Officer(s) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and/or Sioux City, Iowa. The duties specified herein are intended to provide generalized examples of the major duties and responsibilities that are performed by a U.S. Probation Officer within any unit and do not reflect all duties performed by positions covered by this classification.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Conducts pretrial investigations to include background information and prepares pretrial reports for the court with recommendations regarding risk of flight or risk of danger to the community pending trial/court resolution of the defendant’s pending offense.
Gathers comprehensive, factual information and verifies with collateral resources.
Provides written and/or verbal assistance to the court regarding pretrial procedures in a clear, logical, and concise format.
Conducts presentence investigations and prepares reports for the court with recommendations for sentencing of individuals convicted of federal offenses.
The preparation of these reports requires interviewing offenders and their families, investigating the offense, prior record and financial status of the offender, and contacting collateral sources.
An integral part of this process is the interpretation and application of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant case law.
Following disclosure of the presentence report to the parties, analyzes any objections and determines appropriate course of action.
Such actions include resolving disputed issues and /or presenting unresolved issues to the court for resolution.
Presents presentence report and sentencing recommendations to the court.
Supervises people under supervision to provoke positive lifestyle changes and to maximize compliance to court-imposed conditions, reduces risk to the community, and provides correctional treatment.
Assesses individual risks, develops objectives and strategies for controlling risks, and addresses identified needs.
Utilizes evidence-based practices into daily activities and interactions with others.
Maintains personal contact with people under supervision by way of both office-based visits and home/community contacts which could take place in unsafe neighborhoods or environments where illegal activities and/or violence could occur.
Investigates employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk, needs, and compliance to conditions of supervision.
Responsible for detection of substance abuse through assessments and subsequently implements the necessary treatment referrals and/or violation proceedings.
Detects and investigates violations of supervision and implements appropriate alternatives and sanctions.
Reports violations of the conditions of supervision to the court and appropriate authorities.
All officers communicate with and seek information from collaborative organizations and persons such as the U.S. Parole Commission, Bureau of Prisons, client families, community partners, public safety/law enforcement officials, treatment providers, victims, and attorneys concerning client progress, behavior, history, and/or conditions of supervision.
Officers prepare an array of detailed reports, which may include application of U.S. Sentencing Commission guidelines and responses to judicial officers’ request for information.
Officers may testify in court as to the basis of factual findings, case information, and guideline applications and may serve as resource to the court to facilitate proper impositions of sentences.
Officers are required to maintain a detailed written record of case activity.
S. Probation Officers interpret and apply complex rules, policies, and procedures while ensuring judicial and statutory requirements are being met.
Mandatory evenings and weekend work is required for supervision activities and/or mission critical tasks.
Some training and travel, including overnight stays, is required.
May be required to work more than 40 hours per week in order to meet job requirements and deadlines.
This is a salaried position; overtime pay is not authorized by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
Compensatory and/or flexible schedules may be allowed.
Performs related duties and all other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS (for a CL 25):

(Qualifications must be met at the time of application and may be reassessed throughout incumbent tenure)

A citizen of the United States or be eligible to work in the United States;
Completion of 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;
A minimum of one (1) year of “specialized experience” is necessary to qualify at the CL25 level;
Excellent professional references and computer abilities;
A driver’s license is required to conduct field work;
The successful applicant must be mature, responsible, organized, and demonstrate sound ethics and judgment.
Must also possess a positive attitude, integrity, tact, initiative, and the ability to work with a wide variety of people with diverse backgrounds;
Must be able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines; and
Must have the ability to interact and communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

Specialized experience is defined as: progressively responsible experience, gained after completion of a bachelor's degree, in such fields as probation, pretrial services, parole, corrections, social work, or work in substance/addiction treatment.
Per national policy, experience as a police officer, custodial, or security officer (other than any criminal investigative experience) does not qualify as specialized experience for this position.
An education substitution option for the “Specialized Experience” is listed below.

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTIONS:

Completion of a bachelor’s degree as specified in the “Minimum Qualifications” section and one of the following requirements may be substituted for one year of specialized experience:
An overall "B" grade point average (GPA); or a "B+" (3.5) GPA specifically in your major field of study;
Standing in the upper third of the class;
Completion of one (1) academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) of graduate work in a field of study closely related to the position.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Completion of an advanced degree from an accredited university is preferred;
Fluency in a foreign language; licensure or certification in a behavioral science (LMSW, CADC, LPC, etc.);
Exceptional writing skills; analytical skills; and ability to reason;
Experience in probation work, conducting presentence investigations, and/or maintaining a caseload; and
Previous community corrections and/or social service experience is highly desired.

MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS and BACKGROUND CHECKS

Pursuant to Judicial Conference policy, all final applicants for hazardous law enforcement positions will undergo a drug screening and medical examination by Public Health Service physicians or other Federal Occupational Health approved physicians using the medical guidelines developed by Federal Occupational Health, Law Enforcement Medical Program. This process could take several weeks.
The duties of law enforcement positions require investigation and management of persons under supervision who may present physical danger to officers and to the public.
In the supervision, treatment, and control of these persons under supervision, these duties could 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, law enforcement positions may 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.
Because law enforcement positions must effectively deal with physical attacks, and are subject to moderate arduous physical exertion, applicants must be physically capable of effectively performing these duties and are subject to fitness for duty examinations.
Vision and hearing must also be adequate to perform the duties listed safely and effectively.
The medical requirements for law enforcement officer and officer assistant positions are available for public review on the UScourts.gov website under Officer and Officer Assistant Medical Requirements | United States Courts (uscourts.gov).
To expediate the hiring process, the incumbent may be asked to obtain a preliminary medical assessment at their own cost with their own physician. This would be discussed at time of offer.
Upon successful completion of the initial medical examination (including drug screening) and a preliminary criminal record check, the selectee may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determined by the court.
Favorable suitability determination includes an additional formal medical background check through Federal Occupational Health services (at no cost to the incumbent) and a full background investigation completed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
If the formal medical background or OPM report reflects any findings of a negative nature or disqualifying actionable issues, suitability will be reconsidered by the Chief District Judge and the Chief U.S. Probation Officer and continued employment as a U.S. Probation Officer could be terminated.
All appointments subject to FBI Fingerprint and security clearance background investigation; with periodic reinvestigation, if applicable.
In addition, employees 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 also subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations.

MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE

This is classified as a federal law enforcement hazardous duty position. As such, officers will be subject to mandatory retirement by the age of 57. Additionally, you will be eligible for retirement after 20 years of service (at the age of 50) or after 25 years of service (at any age). Therefore, first-time appointees must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants age 37 or over who have previous law enforcement experience under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement position may have their previous law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Mandatory evenings and weekend work is required for supervision activities and/or mission critical tasks.
Some training and travel, including overnight stays, is required.
May be required to work more than 40 hours per week in order to meet job requirements and deadlines.
Overtime pay is not authorized by the Judicial Conference of the United States.
The U.S. Pretrial Services & Probation Office reserves the right to assign/reassign an employee to any unit (pretrial, presentence, or supervision) and/or specialized area, based on employee qualifications and the needs of the agency.
Applicants are advised that false statements or omission of information on any application materials or the inability to meet the aforementioned conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment, or dismissal after being employed.
All information provided by applicants is subject to verification of application materials, social media inquiries, and criminal history record checks conducted by utilizing local, state, and national databases.
The United States Probation Office reserves the right to check references and contact former employers and subordinates.
Commencing on the date of duty, the selectee will be required to complete a probationary period of up to two years.
This period provides time for the employee to work directly with their supervisor (and mentor, if assigned) to become acquainted with office policies, receive proper exposure and training to the functions of the assigned position, and become generally acclimated to the U.S. Courts.
This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer for payment of net pay.
Our Commitment to Diversity and Wellness:
We are committed to cultivating a culture of acceptance and connectedness that supports life balance and honors the diverse backgrounds of the people we represent.
In recruiting members of our team, we welcome all qualified applicants.
We embrace the unique contributions our employees can bring to our office because of their backgrounds, social identities, and lived experiences.
We know that the best representation occurs through a healthy, diverse, collaborative, and inclusive workforce.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS:

Up to 13 days paid vacation per year for the first 3 years of employment; 20 to 26 days per year thereafter (dependent upon the length of federal service).
A minimum of 11 paid holidays per year.
Sick leave of 13 days the first year, increased thereafter per policy.
Up to 12 weeks paid maternity/paternity leave, if qualified.
Excellent retirement package (enhanced Federal law enforcement retirement benefits)
Mandatory participation in the Federal Retirement System (FERS) and Social Security programs.
FERS Social Security supplement until the age of 62.
Optional Thrift Savings Plan (employer matching component) with diversification control.
Cost-of-Living Adjustments, as approved by Congress.
Full extension of health benefits.
Optional participation in the federal health insurance program of your choice (no waiting period).
Optional vision, dental, and disability insurance programs of your choice (no waiting period).
Optional participation in a flexible spending program for health and/or dependent care.
Optional participation in group life insurance; disability; and long-term care programs. Optional association based memberships.
On-site wellness room and emphasis on self-care.
Flexible schedule options including work from home opportunities (after a period of establishment and good performance).
Paid parking.
A great team environment that values wellness and diversity.
For additional information, please visit www.uscourts.gov/careers/benefits.

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