ABOUT THE COURT

The U.S. District Court for the 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. Additionally, U.S. Probation has satellite offices in Eagle Butte, Kyle, McLaughlin, Mission, and Winner.

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.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota is seeking a full-time Probation & Pretrial Services Officer in Pierre, SD. U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Officers play an integral role in the administration of justice, community safety, conduct objective investigations, supervise defendants and persons under supervision, interact with collateral agencies, prepare reports, maintain a detailed written record of case activity, and present recommendations to the Court. Officers investigate and prepare bail and presentence reports for the Court and/or supervise defendants and persons under supervision to reduce risk to the community and foster lawful self-management.

*Open to considering candidates who live in the areas of Rosebud, Eagle Butte, Standing Rock, Crow Creek, Lower Brule or other surrounding areas. However, this position will be supervised out of the Pierre office, so occasional travel will be required.

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Establishes a working alliance with persons under supervision by developing a genuine helping relationship and providing unconditional positive regard, empathy, and a shared agreement on goals.
• Conducts investigations and prepares reports for the Court to assist with detention and sentencing decisions.
• Provides accurate, thorough, and objective information along with best judgment to the Court for the issuance of individualized, fair, and equitable court orders.
• Implements and uses behavioral-based change work methods to achieve the goals of the case plan.
• Interacts with defendants and people under supervision using values such as affirmation, non-judgment, openness, care, and respect.
• Assesses and identifies general risk, risk to do harm, needs, strengths, level of motivation, and imminence for defendants and people under supervision.
• Collaborates with community resources utilizing referrals when necessary.
• Monitors a person’s compliance with the conditions of release and/or supervision and reports to the Court any allegations of non-compliance.
• Develops collaborative strategies and/or interventions to promote lawful self-management.
• Communicates clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Document and maintain detailed written records of meetings and case activity.
• Participates in annual safety training and adheres to the district’s safety policy.
• Embraces diversity among colleagues and communities served.
• At times, extensive travel to other locations within the district may be required.
• May be requested to perform additional duties and/or projects as assigned.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTIC REQUIREMENTS

• Exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, adhere to high ethical standards, and demonstrate integrity in fulfilling the district’s vision, mission, values, and strategic plan.
• Prioritize competing demands while maintaining a positive and professional demeanor.
• Exercise impartiality and discretion with defendants, persons under supervision, courts, justice partners, and communities.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule if needed, including nights, weekends, or holidays.
• Promote and maintain a positive work environment which encourages integrity, respect, individual and organizational growth, and a fulfilling work life.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Qualifications for a Probation Officer

Required Education: Applicants must possess a completed bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university. The degree must be from a field of academic study related to human relations and where knowledge was gained in understanding the legal requirements necessary to succeed as a probation officer.

In addition to the minimum required education, classification levels are determined based upon additional education or specialized experience* as indicated below:

• Level
  • Minimum Additional Education and/or Experience
• CL 25: 
  • Completion of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and one of the following academic achievement requirements:
  • An overall “B” grade point average equaling 2.90 or better of a possible 4.0;
  • Standing in the upper third of the class;
  • “3.5” average or better in the major field of study, such as business or public administration, human resource management, industrial relations, or psychology; or
  • Election to membership in one of the National Honorary Scholastic Societies meeting the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies, other than Freshman Honor Societies or
  • Completion of one academic year (30 semester credits of 45 quarter hours) of graduate work in a field of study closely related to the position.
• CL 27:
  • Two years of specialized experience* or completion of a master's degree in a field of study closely related to the position, or a Juris Doctor (JD) degree.
• CL 28
  • Two years of specialized experience.

*Specialized experience is defined as progressively responsible experience in fields such as probation, pretrial services, mental health, substance abuse, social work, criminal law, parole, corrections, criminal investigations, public administration, or human relations. Experience as a police officer, custodial officer, or security other than criminal investigative experience, does not qualify.

All Probation Officer applicants must have a valid driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle for use when a government-issued vehicle is unavailable. Sufficient keyboarding skills (or alternative skills) to produce reports, documents, and other correspondence is necessary as well as the ability to use computers and local computer programs.

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 at all times.
• Employees of the United States District Court are hired under excepted appointments, are not covered by the Civil Service System, and are considered “at will” employees.
• The candidate hired for this position will be subject to a full background record check.
• This position is subject to mandatory electronic funds transfer participation for payment of net pay (direct deposit).
• The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota 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 Unit Executive reserves the right to select a candidate from the original applicant pool for the previous vacancy announcement.

Max Entry Age Limit

First time appointees to positions covered under federal law enforcement officer retirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday by the time of appointment. Applicants 37 years old and older who have previous law enforcement experience covered under the Federal Employees’ Retirement System (FERS) who have either a subsequent break in service or intervening service in a non-law enforcement officer position may be able to have previous federal experience deducted from current age to determine eligibility.

LEO Training Requirement

A 6-week training program at the Probation and Pretrial Training Academy in Charleston, South Carolina is required within the first year of employment for all law enforcement officer positions.

Medical Requirements and Background Checks

Prior to appointment and after an accepted offer, candidates must undergo a medical examination and drug screen. Upon successful completion, the candidate will be appointed under a provisional status, pending the outcome of a favorable background investigation. As a condition of employment, officers will be subject to ongoing random drug screens, updated background investigations every 5-7 years or as deemed necessary and may be subject to subsequent fitness-for-duty evaluations. Officers must possess, with or without corrective lenses, good distance vision in at least one eye with the ability to read normal size print. Normal hearing ability, with or without hearing aid(s), is also required. Any severe health problems, such as physical defects, disease, or deformities that constitute employment hazards to the candidate or others, may disqualify an individual from eligibility. See www.uscourts.gov for additional medical requirement information.

The District of SD is an Equal Opportunity Employer & complies with the Fair Chance to Compete Act.

Vacancy No: 11-26

Number of Vacancies: 1

Location: Pierre, SD

Salary:

     CL 25: $51,419-$82,322

     CL 27: $59,732-$97,098

     CL 28: $71,583-$116,394

Employment: Permanent, Full-time

Closing Date: Open until filled, priority given to applications received by September 4, 2026.

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)

How to Apply

Please submit the following:

• Completed AO78 Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment

• A current resume that includes three (3) professional references.

• An unofficial copy of your college transcript(s).

• A cover letter that specifically addresses the qualifications and relevant experience you possess which make you a good candidate for this position; include your knowledge, skills, and ability to facilitate behavior change.

• Mission critical value statement: Select one of the 4 values listed below and describe how that value has shaped who you are today and how you would demonstrate this value as a U.S. Probation Officer.

• (Optional) A completed AO78B Voluntary Race/Ethnicity, Gender, & Disability Identification form.

All documents must be emailed in pdf format with “Vacancy 11-26” in the subject line to: recruitment@sdd.uscourts.gov