Probation Officer Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $51,419.00 - $82,322.00 Annually
Location : New Bern, NC
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 26-07P
Agency: Probation Office
Unit: Court Services Unit
Opening Date: 03/10/2026
Position Overview
The U.S. Probation Office in the Eastern District of North Carolina is seeking qualified applicants for a full-time probation officer position. This position will be assigned to the Court Services Unit.
This position is being advertised at a grade CL 25 and has promotional potential to a CL 28. Applications that are received by the initial cut-off date of July 31, 2026, will be given first consideration.
Representative Duties
U.S. Probation Officers perform a variety of functions to assist in the administration of justice and promote community safety. Incumbents are assigned to either the Court Services Unit or Supervision Services Unit depending upon unit availability and candidate qualifications. In order to effectively manage assigned cases, all probation officers conduct fieldwork including but not limited to community, home, and employment visits with clients and collateral sources. U.S. Probation Officers perform duties and responsibilities which include, but are not limited to, the following:
Court Services Unit (Presentence): The incumbent conducts investigations and prepares reports for the court with recommendations for sentencing of individuals convicted of federal offenses. The preparation of these reports requires interviewing offenders and their families, investigating the offense, prior record and financial status of the offender, and contacting law enforcement agencies, attorneys, victims of the crimes, schools, churches, and civic organizations. An integral part of this process is the interpretation and application of the U.S. Sentencing Commission Guidelines and relevant case law. The incumbent testifies in court as to the basis for factual findings and guidelines applications, and serves as a resource to the court to facilitate proper imposition of sentence. Performs other duties as assigned.
Supervision Services Unit: The incumbent supervises defendants/offenders to maximize adherence to imposed conditions, reduce risk to the community, provide correctional treatment, and facilitate long-term positive changes in offenders. This is accomplished through personal contact with defendants/offenders in office and community settings. Officers provide risk-based supervision services consistent with district goals for evidence-based practices, complete and utilize risk assessment tools to determine offender risk, needs, and compliance, conduct pre-release planning and investigations, develop viable case plans, detect substance abuse through urine collection and other methods, and refer offenders to appropriate agencies to assist with education, employment training, cognitive-based programming and treatment. Written reports of detected violations are prepared with appropriate court testimony and disposition recommendations. Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
To qualify at the CL 25 level: A four-year degree from an accredited college or university in a field of academic study such as criminal justice, criminology, psychology, human relations, social work, accounting, education, business or public administration and one year of specialized, progressively responsible experience gained after the completion of a bachelor's degree, in criminal or financial investigations, report writing, probation, pretrial services, human services, parole, corrections, counseling, or work in substance abuse/addiction treatment. Experience as a police, custodial, or security officer, other than any criminal investigative experience, does not qualify as specialized experience.
Educational Substitutions: Completion of the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and one of the following requirements may be substituted for one year of specialized experience: 1) An overall "B" grade point average equaling 2.90 or better; 2) Standing in the upper 1/3 of class; 3) A "B+" (3.5) average or better in the major field of study; or 4) Election to membership in Phi Beta Kappa or other acceptable national honor society. Completion of academic year of graduate work (30 semester or 45 quarter hours) in a field of study closely related to the position equates to one year of specialized experience.
Successful candidates must possess excellent written and oral communication, proofing and grammatical skills, as well as excellent computer skills, in particular, word processing. Candidates must have the ability to exercise initiative in handling assignments; perform thorough investigations; analyze and evaluate varied information from multiple sources and form conclusions; and write clear, concise, grammatically correct reports while meeting strict deadlines. In addition, successful candidates must possess unquestioned integrity, maturity in judgment, and trust, as well as have demonstrated ability to meet people, inspire confidence, and secure cooperation and teamwork.
Physical Requirements and Maximum Entry Age:
Applicants must meet the age and physical standards established under the Federal Employees Retirement System and its provisions for law enforcement personnel.
The duties of probation officers require the investigation and management of convicted criminal offenders who present physical danger to officers and the public. In the supervision, treatment, and control of these offenders, these duties require moderate to arduous physical exercise, including prolonged periods of walking and standing, physical dexterity and coordination necessary to operate a firearm, and use of self-defense tactics. On a daily basis, officers face unusual mental and physical stress because they are subject to danger and possible harm during frequent, direct contact with individuals who are convicted of federal crimes.
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.
First time appointees to positions covered under law enforcement officer requirement provisions must not have reached their 37th birthday at the time of appointment. Applicants 37 or over who have previous law enforcement 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 law enforcement officer experience subtracted from their age to determine whether they meet the maximum age requirement.
Conditions of Employment
Applicants must be United States citizens or lawful permanent residents actively seeking citizenship. Judicial Branch employees are considered "at will" employees and are not subject to the employment regulations of competitive service. Salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) for payroll deposit is required.
Applicants will be required to submit to a background investigation (including references, criminal history, and credit history) prior to an offer of employment being made. The person selected for this position will also be required to submit fingerprints for an FBI background check. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete a ten-year background investigation with periodic updates every five years thereafter.
Application Procedures:
All interested persons should apply online by visiting https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/nced and submit an application package which is to include: the completed application and supplemental questionnaire, a cover letter, resume, a copy of the last two performance evaluations, and a copy of transcripts for a bachelor's degree and any advanced degree.
Travel and relocation expenses will not be reimbursed. The court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. All employees are required to adhere to the "Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees" which is available for review upon request. The court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the job announcement, or to fill the position at any time before the closing date, any of which actions may occur without any prior written or other notice. More than one position may be filled using this vacancy. Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates in consideration for this position will be contacted.
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The Federal Judiciary offers a wide range of benefits and choices so employees can create a package that best suits their individual needs.
Health Insurance
The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) offers employees more than ten (10) health plan options to choose from that provide comprehensive medical benefits including preventative care, doctor's office visits, hospitalization, surgery, and prescription drugs with no pre-existing condition limitations. FEHB has a few plan types with several health carriers in each plan: Fee-for-Service (FSS- equivalent to a PPO), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Consumer Driven Plans and High-Deductible Plans.
On average, the federal government pays 70% of health plan premiums while employees pay the remaining premium through payroll deductions.
Supplemental Dental & Vision Insurance
Employees are eligible to participate in dental and vision coverage through the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). The supplemental dental and vision program provides a selection of dental and/or vision plans for federal employees and their families at a group rate. Employees are responsible for the full group rate premium which is paid through pre-tax payroll deductions.
Life Insurance
Life Insurance can provide peace of mind and financial protection for employees and their loved ones. By way of the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program, employees are offered Basic Life Insurance with options to increase coverage and elect coverage for eligible dependents. The federal government pays approximately 1/3 of the Basic Life premium and employees are responsible for paying the remaining 2/3, which is paid via post-tax payroll deductions.
Long Term Care Insurance
Long-term care insurance (LTC) can protect an employee's financial future by helping to pay the high cost of long-term care. Long-term care insurance programs include coverage for nursing home care (all levels received in a licensed facility), community-based care (assisted living facilities, adult daycare and home health services), hospice center, caregiver support and alternative plans of care.
Flexible Benefits Program
The Flexible Benefits Program allows employees to increase their take home pay by using the Judiciary's pre-tax options for health care, dependent care, and health insurance premiums. The program has three key components: the Healthcare Reimbursement Account, the Dependent Care Reimbursement Account and the Premium Payment Plan.
Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
Recognizing the importance of an employee's future, the federal government provides its employees a retirement program called the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). It is a three-tiered retirement plan that enables employees to take an active role in securing a strong financial foundation for their retirement. All federal employees are automatically enrolled and may file for retirement once they meet the eligibility requirements. The three components of the plan are the FERS Basic Benefit, Social Security, and Thrift Savings Plan.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
TSP is a savings and investment program designed to provide retirement income. It is an important component to the FERS Retirement Plan. It is comparable to a private-sector tax-deferred 401(k) plan, which offers both a traditional and a Roth contribution option, tax deferral on traditional contributions, agency matching, a choice of 5 investment funds, a loan program and a choice of post-separation withdrawal options.
Vacation/Sick/Other Leave
To assist eligible employees with maintaining a healthy work/life balance, the Judiciary offers a generous amount of leave through a combination of federal holidays, annual (vacation) leave and sick leave. Full time employees with less than three (3) years of service accrue approximately 2.5 weeks of annual leave per year. This increases to 4 weeks from years 3-14, and up to 5 weeks each year when an employee has reached 15 years or more of service.
In addition to annual (vacation) leave, full time employees also accrue approximately 2.5 weeks of sick leave each year and are given eleven (11) paid federal holidays.
Telework & Flexible Work Schedule
A flexible schedule affords employees the opportunity to create a schedule that accommodates the needs of the court while maintaining a flexible work environment. Employees may be eligible to establish a flexible schedule outside of the standard work hours and/or Telework. Telework is a working arrangement that allows eligible employees to perform their official work duties and responsibilities at home or some location other than the regular work site.
Wellness Program
The Judiciary recognizes that a positive sense of well-being amongst its employees is a key component of a healthy and productive employee. Wellness activities may include on-site fitness facility, wellness challenges and incentives, annual health fair, stress reduction and health eating programs.
Worker's Compensation
Employees are covered by the provisions of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, 5 U.S.C. § 8101 et seq., which allows compensation for injuries sustained while in the performance of duty or