Vacancy No.: 06-26 

Number of Vacancies: 1 

Location: Rapid City, SD 

Salary: $49,361 - $88,366 CL 25-26 with promotion potential to CL-27 

Employment: Permanent, full-time 

Closing Date: Open until filled, priority given to applications received by June 22, 2026

ABOUT THE COURT

The U.S. District Court for District of South Dakota was established in 1889 when the Dakota Territory was divided into North and South Dakota.   The Court handles issues pertaining to federal law within the State of South Dakota and has courthouses in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Pierre, and Aberdeen.   

The U.S. District Court consists of federal court chambers, a clerk’s office, and a probation and pretrial services office.  The district has three Article III district judges, two senior district judges, and three full-time magistrate judges.  Additionally, U.S. Probation has satellite offices in Eagle Butte, Kyle, McLaughlin, Mission, and Winner.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota is seeking a full-time deputy clerk in the Rapid City office. The deputy clerk maintains accurate court records through the entirety of criminal and civil court cases through the court’s electronic case management system (CM/ECF), handles cashiering duties with the public, provides a high level of customer service at all times, provides jury operations support, and courtroom support. This position reports to a member of the clerk’s office management team. 

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES    

• Perform complex case management transactions such as opening and closing cases while ensuring the appropriate statistical data.
• Prepare and process appeals, warrants, subpoenas, notices, and form orders. 
• Answer inquiries from attorneys as well as the public regarding case status and procedural rules.
• Act as a courtroom deputy for civil and criminal case proceedings. Assist with the orderly flow of proceedings including setting up the courtroom, assuring the presence of all necessary participants, and operating all courtroom technology equipment. Take notes of proceedings and rulings and prepare and docket minute entries. 
• Communicate with outside agencies, counsel, and the public to facilitate orderly case management and case progression.
• Coordinate the presence of court reporters and court interpreters when needed.
• Process attorney admission applications, prepare certificates, attend admission ceremonies, and maintain record of admitted attorneys.
• Assist with jury administration by processing juror summonses and assisting with jury selection/empanelment.

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES CONTINUED

• Organize and arrange naturalization ceremonies. Representative duties include preparing programs, sending press releases, and attending ceremonies to assist as needed.
• Perform records management duties including requesting, maintaining, and returning records to the Federal Records Center, and filing and archiving documents using electronic imaging.
• Perform cashier functions as outlined in the Internal Control Manual.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Travel to other locations within the district as required.
• Other duties as assigned. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Applicants must be a high school graduate (or equivalent) and possess at least two years of general experience.
  • To qualify at a CL 25 – CL 26, applicants must possess the education and general experience stated above, plus a minimum of one-year specialized experience. 
• General experience is considered progressively responsible clerical, office, or administrative work that provided an opportunity to gain specific knowledge and skills related to the functions of a deputy clerk. 
• Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible clerical or administrative experience which includes regularly applying rules, regulations, directives, or laws in the workplace and routinely utilizing specialized terminology and automated software systems or equipment for word processing, data entry, and report generation. Such experience is typically found in law firms, legal counsel offices, banks, credit firms, educational institutions, social service organizations, insurance companies, real estate firms, or title companies. 
• Excellent customer service and problem-solving skills with a high level of technical and computer aptitude is required. Able to communicate effectively (orally and in writing).
• Experience and knowledge with electronic case management systems and basic knowledge of federal and local guidelines is required.

EDUCATIONAL SUBSTITUTION

• Education above the high school level may be substituted for required general experience on the basis of one academic year (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) equals one year of general experience.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible to work in the United States.
• Judiciary employees must adhere to the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees.
• Employees of the United States District Court are hired under excepted appointments and are considered “at will” employees.
• The candidate hired for this position will be subject to an FBI fingerprint record check.
• This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer participation for payment of net pay (direct deposit).
• The U.S. District Court reserves the right to amend or withdraw any vacancy announcement with or without written notice to applicants.  If a subsequent vacancy of the same position becomes available within a reasonable amount of time after the original announcement has closed, the Court has the right to select a candidate from the original applicant pool of the original vacancy announcement.

THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH DAKOTA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND COMPLIES WITH THE FAIR CHANCE TO COMPETE ACT

BENEFITS

• Paid Annual & Sick Leave
• Paid Paternal Leave
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Employer Subsidized Health Insurance
• Group Life Insurance
• Supplemental Vision/Dental Insurance
• Retirement Benefits Plan (FERS)
• Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Pre-tax benefit programs
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Telework opportunities

How to Apply

Please submit the following: 

• Cover letter that supports your work experience as it relates to this position
• Resume that includes three (3) professional references
• Completed AO 78 Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment
• Forms | United States Courts (uscourts.gov)
• (Optional) A completed AO78B Voluntary Race/Ethnicity, Gender & Disability Identification Form.

All documents must be emailed in PDF format with “Vacancy 06-26” in the subject line to recruitment@sdd.uscourts.gov.

SELECTION PROCESS

The most qualified applicants will be invited to one (or more) personal interview with the court.  Applicants selected for interview(s) must travel at their own expense and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed.   

Prior to appointment, the person selected for this position will be required to undergo an FBI fingerprint check as a condition of employment and may be subject to periodic updates.  Employment is considered provisional until the background check is successfully completed. 

JUDICIARY BENEFIT DETAILS

Employer Contributions

FERS eligible employees receive judiciary-paid Basic Benefit contributions each pay period

Optional Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) enrollment for pre- or post-tax (Roth) withholdings

Optional TSP catch-up contribution for employees age 50+

Participating TSP employees receive 100% match for first 3% contributed to the plan and $.50 per dollar on the next 2%

TSP eligible employees also receive an automatic 1% contribution to their TSP plan each pay period

Social Security benefits contributed at 6.2% of employee earnings up to annual SS Wage Base

On average, 72% of an employee’s total health insurance premium is paid by the judiciary with enrollment choices of Employee, Employee +1, and Family coverage

Over 20 different FEHB plan options available with varying deductible and co-pay limits 

Judiciary pays 1/3 of the cost for employee’s Basic Life Insurance

Free Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available to employees, spouse, and/or dependents 24/7

Time Off

• Annual leave
• 0-3 years of service accrue 4 hours/pay period
• 3-15 years of service accrue 6 hours/pay period
• 15+ years of service accrue 8 hours/pay period
• Sick leave: accrue 4 hours/pay period with no limit cap
• Bereavement Leave: up to 104 hours of paid bereavement leave per year paid from sick leave bank
• Paid Parental Leave: up to 12 weeks of paid leave for childbirth or adoption (eligibility conditions apply)
• Bereavement Parental Leave: up to 2 weeks paid for loss of child
• Compensation time earned based upon employee classification level
• Administrative Leave: discretionary leave granted for voting, emergency closures, etc.
• Paid Holidays – minimum of 11 paid holidays per year: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veteran’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day

Other Judiciary Benefits

• 10 different vision insurance plans
• 16 different dental insurance plans
• Flexible benefit health care reimbursement
• Flexible benefit dependent care reimbursement
• Paid employee parking
• Supplemental life insurance for spouse and children
• Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance coverage
• Long-term care insurance
• Disability insurance
• Disability retirement (eligibility conditions apply)
• Professional liability insurance reimbursement
• Employee referral bonus
• Flexible scheduling/telework opportunities (eligibility conditions apply)
• National Leave Transfer Program - donated paid time off for employees needing extended leave due to medical complications, childbirth, or other emergencies
• Continuing education and local/national training and informational opportunities: 
• Judiciary Online University virtual learning + monthly benefit webinars

In Retirement

• Full continuation of health insurance for employee and spouse with continuation of judiciary-paid premiums (eligibility conditions apply)
• If FERS-eligible, receive a monthly paid Basic Benefit annuity with survivor annuity option
• Monthly-paid FERS annuity supplement (“social security bridge”) paid by OPM if retiring under age 62
• TSP participant withdrawal options via monthly, annual, or as needed basis with additional options to purchase TSP annuities
• Optional continuation of life insurance coverage (eligibility conditions apply)
• Fully paid out unused annual leave hours
• Unused sick leave hours are converted and added to service credit time increasing monthly FERS payment

See the Total Compensation Estimator to see how the judiciary contributes to the benefits of every employee.