Job Details for Probation Officer Assistant (Re-Opened)
| Court Name/Organization | Massachusetts Probation and Pretrial Services |
| Overview of the Position | The U.S. Probation & Pretrial Services Office for the U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts currently has an opening for a Probation Officer Assistant. The position is based in Boston, Massachusetts and is only open to current Judiciary employees. The temporary position is for one year and one day. Throughout the appointment, the needs of the organization will be evaluated to determine if the temporary position is to be extended, made permanent, or terminated. The selected candidate will not be required to further compete if the position is extended or made permanent. Note: Candidates that previously applied are still under consideration and do not need to apply again. |
| Location | Boston, MA |
| Opening and Closing Dates | 01/16/2025 - 02/07/2025 |
| Appointment Type | Temporary |
| Classification Level/Grade | CL 25 - CL 26 |
| Salary | $56,445 - $99,463 |
| Link to Court Careers Information | https://forms.mad.uscourts.gov/recruitment/ |
| Announcement Number | 24-07 |
| Link to Job Announcement | |
Position Description
The incumbent provides technical support and services to probation officers in a wide range of areas, including supervision of persons on probation and parole and preparation of presentence and other investigations.
Representative Duties/Responsibilities:
- Under the guidance and direction of an officer, supervise selected caseloads of defendants and/or offenders, which may include placing telephone calls, making home/office contacts, and community/field contacts, as well as maintaining files and case records.
- Conduct selected investigations as needed for pre-release/furlough, pre-sentencing, and bail reports; draft and submit selected reports, which may include placing telephone calls, making home/office contacts, and community/field contacts, as well as maintaining files and case records. Observe and report to supervisors on the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of offenders/defendants.
- Assist probation/pretrial services 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. Provide officers with verifiable and supportable documentation to assist in completion of pretrial and probation reports. Assist in the development of community resources to meet the special needs of offenders/defendants.
- Schedule and conduct urinalysis tests of offenders/defendants, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Inform officers regarding test results. Maintain and mail or transport tests and materials to laboratories for confirmation. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials. Maintain inventory of supplies. Enter data and information into the office’s computerized database system. Testify, as necessary, before the court or Parole Commission. Where applicable, may assist officers and non-English speaking offenders/defendants, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence.
- Participate in on-going training and development in order to remain abreast of advanced techniques.
Qualifications
Qualifications & Experience:
- High School graduation or equivalent
- One year of specialized experience. Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible experience that is in, or closely related to the work of the position that has provided the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.
- Candidates should be mature, responsible, poised, possess tact, diplomacy, good judgment, analytical skills, initiative and excellent customer service skills.
- The incumbent must have strong verbal and written communication skills and be computer literate, including proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, Adobe Acrobat and other basic computer software programs.
- A team attitude, attention to detail and a willingness to adapt to a changing work environment are essential to maintain the Court’s quality standards. The individual selected must understand and abide by the rules, policies and regulations of the Court, adhere to necessary safety precautions, be willing to use appropriate protective equipment when required, and be willing and able to follow documented instructions.
Court Preferred Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field, such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, sociology, human services, or business or public administration.
Maximum Age Entry
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 federal 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 federal law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine eligibility. Retirement is mandatory at 57.
Medical Requirements
Applicants must be physically capable, have good vision and normal hearing ability. Prior to employment, the selectee(s) considered for this position will undergo a medical examination and drug screening. Upon successful completion of the medical examination and drug screening, the selectee(s) may then be appointed provisionally, pending a favorable suitability determination by the court. In addition, as conditions of employment, incumbent(s) 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. The medical requirements and the essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation officers, pretrial services officers and officer assistants are available for public review at http://www.uscourts.gov
Background Investigation
As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete a ten-year background investigation and every five years thereafter will be subject to an updated investigation similar to the initial one. The investigation includes an FBI fingerprint check, and retention in the position will depend upon a favorable suitability determination.
Miscellaneous
The incumbent provides technical support and services to probation officers in a wide range of areas, including supervision of persons on probation and parole and preparation of presentence and other investigations.
Representative Duties/Responsibilities:
- Under the guidance and direction of an officer, supervise selected caseloads of defendants and/or offenders, which may include placing telephone calls, making home/office contacts, and community/field contacts, as well as maintaining files and case records.
- Conduct selected investigations as needed for pre-release/furlough, pre-sentencing, and bail reports; draft and submit selected reports, which may include placing telephone calls, making home/office contacts, and community/field contacts, as well as maintaining files and case records. Observe and report to supervisors on the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of offenders/defendants.
- Assist probation/pretrial services 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. Provide officers with verifiable and supportable documentation to assist in completion of pretrial and probation reports. Assist in the development of community resources to meet the special needs of offenders/defendants.
- Schedule and conduct urinalysis tests of offenders/defendants, following established procedures and protocols. Maintain paper and computerized records of test results. Inform officers regarding test results. Maintain and mail or transport tests and materials to laboratories for confirmation. Maintain chain of custody of urinalysis testing materials. Maintain inventory of supplies. Enter data and information into the office’s computerized database system. Testify, as necessary, before the court or Parole Commission. Where applicable, may assist officers and non-English speaking offenders/defendants, family members, and witnesses in translating speech, documents, and correspondence.
- Participate in on-going training and development in order to remain abreast of advanced techniques.
Application Info
Consideration will only be given to those that apply through the court’s online applicant tracking system. To view openings and to apply, visit our applicant tracking system at https://forms.mad.uscourts.gov/recruitment/
Applicants must submit the following:
- A letter of interest that includes an outline of your skills and experience:
- A current resume that includes the names and contact information for three professional references and their current contact information;
- Your last two performance appraisals. If unavailable, please provide explanation in cover letter and,
- A completed AO-78, Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (submitted via applicant system).
Application packages will not be considered completed until all the items listed have been received by Human Resources.
The federal Judiciary is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.