FLMP United States Courts

Position:                          U.S. Probation Officer Assistant

Date Opened:                 September 30, 2025

Closing Date:                  Until filled with a preference for applications received on or before October 14, 2025

Location:                         Cocoa, FL

Classification Level & Salary Range:  $48,305 - $82,085 (CL 24/1 – CL 25/61) **Starting salary depends entirely upon qualifications and eligibility**

Introduction:

The United States Probation Office for the Middle District of Florida is seeking qualified applicants for the position of United States Probation Officer Assistant in our Cocoa Office. The Middle District of Florida is a progressive district that values continual growth and development and collaborative learning through shared experiences.  We believe that leadership is a shared responsibility of all team members, and we expect staff at all levels of the organization to lead from where they stand. We encourage creativity and ingenuity in problem solving.

Geographically, the district covers thirty-five counties from the Georgia border in the northeast to south of Naples on Florida’s southwest coast.  There are five divisional offices located in Tampa, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, and Fort Myers, and satellite offices in Cocoa and Sarasota.

Probation Office Mission Statement:

The Middle District of Florida Probation Office will protect the public, promote the fair and impartial administration of justice, and facilitate meaningful positive changes in the lives of others.

Probation Office Vision Statement:

The Middle District of Florida Probation Office will be the gold standard for community corrections agencies. We will set the benchmark for best practices and continually seek to raise the bar. We will provide superior service, complete superior investigations, engage in superior supervision, and have the greatest positive impact on others, the community, and society. We will do so by equipping, empowering, and engaging a highly developed, talented, and motivated staff, one in which all members collaboratively cultivate a culture that embodies our core values and guiding principles.

Position Overview:

U.S. Probation Officer Assistants serve in a judiciary law enforcement position and provide technical support and assistance to probation officers in a wide range of areas, including assisting with compiling information for investigations; assisting with and supervising defendants and/or offenders; preparing and drafting reports and correspondence; and assisting with similar operational duties.

Representative Duties:

• Under the direct guidance of a supervisory officer or senior officer, supervise select lower-risk caseloads of offenders/defendants, which may include placing telephone calls, making home/office contacts and community/field contacts with an experienced officer, and maintaining files and case records.
• Under direct guidance, participate in select investigations as needed for pre-release/furlough, pre-sentencing, and bail reports. Draft and submit select reports and maintain related investigative files and case records. Observe and report to officers/supervisors on the lifestyle, personal problems, and needs of offenders/defendants.
• Assist officers by compiling criminal histories/profiles, running record checks through local and national databases and files, conducting inquiries with collateral agencies, and performing other 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 reports and assist in identifying 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.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

CL-24 Must be a high school graduate or equivalent with one year of specialized experience.  Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience requiring the regular and recurring application of keyboard skills and use of specialized terminology which demonstrated the ability to apply a body of rules, regulations, directives, or laws.  Valid driver’s license is required.

CL-25 Must be a high school graduate or equivalent with two years of specialized experience.  Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience requiring the regular and recurring application of keyboard skills and use of specialized terminology which demonstrated the ability to apply a body of rules, regulations, directives, or laws.  Valid driver’s license is required.

Court Preferred Skills:

Bachelor’s degree. Applicants must possess excellent oral and written communication skills. Proficiency in typing and computer usage is highly desirable. Strong problem resolution skills with ability to meet recurring deadlines.

Desirable Personal Characteristics:

The successful candidate must be able to maintain a professional demeanor, work harmoniously with others, and be responsive, courteous, and polite.  Incumbent must be a perennial learner with the desire to be an expert in our changing field.

Physical Requirements and Maximum Entry Age: 

On a daily basis, these officers face unusual 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. Due to the potential danger posed by these offenders, applicants must be in top physical and mental condition, including good distance vision, physical dexterity and stamina, and the ability to work effectively in stressful situations.

As provided for in the Federal Employees Retirement Act of 1986 (hazardous duty provisions), first time appointees to a covered law enforcement position must not have reached his or her 37th birthday at the time of appointment. The position allows for retirement at age 50 with 20 years of service and mandatory retirement at the age of 57.

Conditions of Employment:

All selected candidates for appointment as an assistant probation officer will be required to undergo a thorough background investigation, pre-employment drug testing and a medical examination. 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 continued employment, the incumbent will be subject to ongoing random drug screening, updated background reinvestigation every five (5) years and, as deemed necessary by management for reasonable cause, may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluation.

The medical requirements and the essential job functions derived from the medical guidelines for probation officers and officer assistants are available for public review at http://www.uscourts.gov/.

All court employees, including U.S. Probation Officer Assistants, are in the excepted service and are required to adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees which is provided to each employee. Fully appointed U.S. Probation Officer Assistants may be removed by the Court for an unacceptable performance, misconduct, or other cause.

All information provided by applicants is subject to verification and background investigation. Applicants are advised that false statements or omission of information on any application materials or the inability to meet the following conditions may be grounds for non-selection, withdrawal of an offer of employment or dismissal after being employed.

Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident seeking citizenship. 

The U.S. Probation Office provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

The position(s) will be filled in accordance with the Employment Dispute Resolution Plan (EDR) as adopted by the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida.

Benefits:

• 13 days of vacation for the first three years (increases with tenure)
• 13 days of sick leave per year
• 11 paid holidays
• Choice of employer-subsidized federal health and life insurance plans, with optional dental, vision, and long-term care coverage
• Federal Employees Retirement System and employer-matching Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401K)
• Salary progression based on acceptable performance
• Mandatory Electronic Fund Transfers

How to Apply:

Applicants must submit a complete application packet to include all of the required documents listed below:

• Application (AO-78) https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/human-resources-forms/application-judicial-branch-federal-employment
• Cover Letter (including location preference)
• Resume

Incomplete application packets will not be considered.

The United States Probation Office reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or to withdraw the announcement without written notice to the applicants. If a subsequent vacancy of the same position becomes available within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the United States Probation Office may elect to select a qualified candidate from the original applicant pool.

Due to the volume of applications received, the United States Probation Office will only communicate to those individuals who will be selected for an interview. The Probation Office will not reimburse candidates for travel in connection with interviews or pay for relocation expenses.

UNITED STATES PROBATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER