Job Details for U.S. Probation Officer

Minimum Qualifications

• 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, human relations, business, or public administration, which provides evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations skills involved in the work of the position, is required for all Probation Officer positions;
• The following years of specialized experience, which is earned after the bachelor’s degree is conferred.
  • CL 25 - One year of specialized experience at the CL 23 level.
  • CL 27 - Two years of specialized experience, including at least one year equivalent to work at the CL 25 level.
  • CL 28 - Two years of specialized experience, including at least one year equivalent to work at the CL 27 level
• Applicants must be physically capable, have good vision, and normal hearing ability. First-time appointees to federal hazardous duty must not have reached their 37th birthday prior to entrance on duty. Applicants 37 or older with previous hazardous duty experience under the U.S. Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees’ Retirement System may be eligible for appointment.

A degree which relies primarily upon credit for life experience, rather than academic course work, will neither qualify nor substitute for the required education or experience.

Physical Requirement and Maximum Entry Age

The duties of a U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officer require the investigation and management of alleged criminal offenders or convicted offenders who present physical danger to Officers and to the public. In the supervision, treatment, and case management of these offenders moderate to arduous physical exercise, prolonged periods of walking and standing, physical dexterity, and use of self-defense tactics may be required. Daily, these 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. Because Officers must effectively deal with physical attacks and are subject to moderate to arduous physical exertion, applicants must be physically capable. Officers must possess, with or without corrective lenses, good distance vision in a least one eye and the ability to read normal size print. Normal hearing ability, with or without a hearing aid, is also required. Any severe health problems that constitute employment hazards to the applicant or others may disqualify an applicant. Examples of health problems that may be disqualifying are hernia (with or without truss), organic heart disease (whether compensated or not), severe varicose veins, serious deformities or disabilities of the extremities, mental or nervous disease, chronic constitutional disease, and marked speech abnormalities.

The medical requirements and the essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for Probation and Pretrial Officers, and Officer assistants are available for public review.

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 who are age 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 experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement. Retirement is mandatory at age 57.