Federal Public Defender's Office

THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER for the District of Arizona is accepting applications for the position of full-time administrative secretary to be stationed in Tucson. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of Title 18, United States Code, Section 3006A(g)(2)(A), to provide federal criminal defense services by court appointment to individuals unable to afford counsel.

Requirements. To qualify for an administrative secretary a person must be a high school graduate or equivalent and have two years of general experience and one year of specialized experience. Some higher education may be substituted for experience. Computer literacy, data entry and customer service skills are required. Experience with Word, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, and other Windows-based application is preferred. Preference will be given to candidates who have handled multiple phone lines and/or have law office experience. Spanish language fluency is required for this position. Applicants selected for interview will be tested for Spanish fluency. The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or Lawful permanent resident (i.e., green card holder) who is seeking citizenship as outlined in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3)(B). Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation. 

Duties. Primary duties of an administrative secretary include answering, screening and routing telephone calls; taking and delivering messages; greeting visitors; posting daily court calendar; opening case files; preparing weekly open case report and sending to attorney and assistant paralegals; assist with closing case files; scan documents; receive and process flip flop packets; take inventory, submit requests for, receive and store supplies and ensure receipts are forwarded to finance and procurement; deliver received packages; keep current log of books and resources in library; file room maintenance; running documents to/from the courthouse; handle maintenance/repairs, weekly car washes and monthly mileage reports for GSA vehicles assigned to office; and other duties as assigned.

Salary and Benefits. Starting salary for the administrative secretary will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant, within a range from Grade 6, Step 1, to Grade 8, Step 1, and currently yielding $46,270 to $56,942 per annum. This position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does include regular Government employee benefits including health and life insurance, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit). All positions are at will and are subject to the availability of funds.

Items to include: Please include a letter of interest along with resume. References will be required from candidates selected for an interview.

The Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age, are encouraged to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer. The Federal Public Defender for the District of Arizona is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals from groups underrepresented in national projects within the defender community are encouraged to apply.