U.S. Probation Officer
UNITED STATES PROBATION & PRETRIAL SERVICES OFFICE
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
POSITION: U.S. Probation Officer (more than one position may be filled)
VACANCY NUMBER: 2019-10
LOCATION: Benton, Illinois
SALARY RANGE: CL 23 ($39,249) to CL 28 ($96,999), depending on qualifications*
DATE POSTED: September 27, 2019
CLOSING DATE: October 18, 2019, at 4:00 p.m.
** Transfers will be considered with the potential for a match to current classification level.
Applicants are encouraged to discuss their interest with their current chief and supervisor.
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The District
The Southern District of Illinois geographically consists of a 38 county area in the southern part
of the state. The headquarters office is located in East St. Louis, Illinois, with a divisional office in
Benton, Illinois. The district consists of 50 staff, including the Chief U.S. Probation Officer
(CUSPO), Deputy Chief U.S. Probation Officer (DCUSPO), management staff, probation officers,
and administrative staff.
Position Overview
Under the general supervision of the CUSPO, DCUSPO, and Supervisory Probation Officer, the
U.S. Probation Officer (USPO) supervises people placed on probation, parole, and supervised
release to maximize adherence to court-ordered conditions, reduce risk to the community, and
provide correctional treatment. The supervision process involves maintaining personal contact
with people under supervision through community visits and office/telephone contacts;
investigating employment, sources of income, lifestyle, and associates to assess risk and
compliance; detecting substance abuse through urine collection and other methods; referring
people under supervision to agencies for treatment; etc. The USPO also submits reports to the
court and provides testimony during court hearings.
Duties may include conducting presentence investigations, interpreting and applying the U.S.
Sentencing Commission guidelines and relevant case law, and preparing reports for the court
with recommendations for sentencing of individuals convicted of federal offenses.
Duties also may include conducting pretrial investigations that contain background information
and preparing pretrial reports for the court with recommendations regarding risk of flight or risk of
danger to the community pending trial/court resolution of the unresolved charge. The USPO
gathers comprehensive factual information and verifies with collateral resources, and provides
written and/or verbal assistance to the court regarding pretrial procedures in a clear, logical, and
concise format.
Qualification Standards
To qualify for the entry level position at CL 23, applicant must have 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, or business/public administration, which provides
evidence of the capacity to understand and apply the legal requirements and human relations
skills involved in the position. For CL 25 and progressively higher levels, greater academic
achievements or varying years of specialized experience are needed. A master’s degree is
desirable.
Specialized experience is 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. Unless previous positions included
criminal investigative experience, time spent as a police, custodial, or security officer are not
creditable.
Additional Preferences
To qualify for this position, applicant also must demonstrate that s/he possesses:
• a thorough knowledge of the philosophy, theories, and practices of the correctional field,
with a knowledge of law, psychology, sociology, criminology, and evidence-based
practices.
• a devotion to the protection of the community.
• the ability to develop rapport with people, inspire confidence, and secure cooperation.
• unquestioned integrity and exemplary character.
• the ability to exercise initiative in conflict resolution while performing assigned duties.
• the ability to conduct investigations of cases and make sound evaluations and
recommendations.
• a knowledge of available community resources and the understanding and skill to identify
additional resources.
• a history that demonstrates strong organizational skills and the ability to effectively meet
deadlines.
• the ability to perform effectively in a team-oriented work environment.
Benefits
Judiciary employees serve under excepted appointments (not civil service). Federal benefits
include paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, and retirement benefits. Optional benefits
include health, life, and long-term care insurance, flexible spending accounts for health and
dependent care, dental and vision insurance, and a tax-deferred savings plan. This position is
subject to mandatory electronic fund transfer (direct deposit) participation for payment of net pay.
Physical Requirements and Maximum Entry Age
This is a hazardous duty position that requires the investigation and management of people who
allegedly committed a crime or have been convicted of a crime, who present physical danger to
officers and to the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of these people, these duties
require moderate to arduous physical exercise, including prolonged periods of walking and
standing, a physical dexterity and coordination necessary to operate a firearm, and use of selfdefense tactics. On a daily basis, 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 and arduous physical exertion, applicants must
be physically capable. Officers must possess, with or without corrective lenses, good distance
vision in at least one eye and the ability to read normal size print. Normal hearing ability, with or
without a hearing aid, is also required. In most instances, the amputation of an arm, hand, leg,
or foot will not disqualify an applicant from appointment, although it may be necessary for the
applicant to use prosthesis to compensate for the amputation. Any severe health problems,
however, such as physical defects, disease, and deformities 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 a truss), organic heart disease (whether or not
compensated), severe varicose veins, serious deformities or disabilities of the extremities, mental
or nervous disease, chronic constitutional disease, and marked speech abnormalities. First time
appointees to positions covered under law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not
have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. The position of the probation officer
is classified as hazardous duty allowing for retirement at age 50 with 20 years of service and
mandatory retirement at the age of 57
Background Investigation, Drug Screening, and Medical Standards
Prior to appointment, the selectee considered for this position will undergo a medical examination
and drug screening. 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. In addition, as conditions of employment, employees are subject to on-going random
drug screening and updated background investigations every five years. The medical
requirements and the essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation
officer assistants (and probation officers) are available for public review at
http://www.uscourts.gov/.
Procedures for Applying
Application packets should include the following:
• Cover letter consisting of no more than two pages describing why you would like to
become a USPO and a description of your qualifications, skills, and abilities that are
relevant to the field of probation, court services, corrections, or counseling
• Résumé with three professional references and contact numbers
• AO 78 Application Form including announcement number (preferred form located
at http://www.ilsp.uscourts.gov)
• Last two performance evaluations
• College transcripts (with grade point average)
Application packets should be sent via email as one PDF document to
Recruitment1@ilsp.uscourts.gov. The subject line should state “USPO Application 2019-10.”
Receipt will be acknowledged by the Human Resources Department by return email. If you do
not receive email confirmation within three business days, please contact the Human Resources
Administrator at (618) 482-9425. Application packets must be received by 4:00 p.m. on the
closing date. Incomplete and late application materials will not be considered.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Selection will be made
consistent with the provisions of the Equal Opportunity Plan adopted by the U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of Illinois. Due to the volume of applications received, the U.S. Probation
Office will only communicate with those applicants who will be tested or interviewed. Applicants
selected for interviews must travel at their own expense. Relocation expenses will not be
reimbursed.
The U.S. Probation Office reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or
to withdraw the announcement, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. In
the event a position becomes vacant in a similar classification within 90 days of the original
announcement, the Chief U.S. Probation Officer may elect to select a candidate from the
applicants who responded to the original announcement without posting the position. Employees
are required to adhere to a Code of Ethics and Conduct, which is available to applicants for review
upon request.
The United States Courts is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
OUR MISSION
It is our mission to strive for excellence as we serve the Courts and community
by providing quality supervision, promoting community safety,
inspiring positive changes in those we serve, and
administering justice with fairness and integrity.