Court Reporter Job in Buffalo, NY

Vacancy No. 25-14 Department U.S. Courts
Salary $98,829.00 to $113,653.00 Grade 1 to 4
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/3/2025 Close Date 12/3/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Buffalo, NY


Summary

The United States District Court for the Western District of New York is seeking a Court Reporter to support United States District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. To apply, please visit: https://www.nywd.uscourts.gov/employment-opportunities.

Duties

Court reporters are involved in the day-to-day business of justice with the Federal Courts through supporting court program services and operations. The position requires the ability to record verbatim testimony of courtroom proceedings, to read back all or any portion of the court record, to work well under pressure, and to work extended court and transcription production hours within strict time limitations.

Responsibilities

The position requires the ability to record verbatim testimony of courtroom proceedings, to read back all or any portion of the court record, to work well under pressure, and to work extended court and transcription production hours within strict time limitations. At the request of a party or by order of the Court, the Official Court Reporter provides transcripts within the time frames and cost requirements of the Judicial Conference of the United States. The incumbent must also comply with the Court's Court Reporter Management Plan and is prohibited from contract work outside of the Court.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Employees must adhere to a Code of Conduct. The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Veterans' preference is not a factor used in Judicial Branch appointments. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents seeking U.S. citizenship. Positions with the U.S. Courts are excepted service appointments, which are "At-Will" and may be terminated with or without cause. Employees are required to use electronic funds transfer for payroll deposit.

Qualifications

  • At least one (1) year of prime court reporting experience.
  • Successfully tested for listing on the registry of professional reporters of NCRA.
  • Skill in the use of computer-aided transcription equipment.
  • Possess and provide all necessary personal equipment and software.
  • Merit and/or Realtime Certification preferred.

Education

Please read the "Qualifications" section.

Additional information

Court reporters serve the Court en banc. This position is assigned to Hon. Lawrence J. Vilardo.

This is a sensitive position within the Judiciary. Employment will be considered provisional pending successful completion of an Office of Personnel Management background check and a favorable suitability determination.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants who meet the mandatory qualification requirements will also be rated and ranked based on the extent to which they meet or exceed the competencies and knowledge, skills, and abilities as identified in the vacancy announcement, including any court preferred qualifications or skills.

Required Documents

Please read the "How to Apply" section.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter, resumé, and AO78 Application for Judicial Branch Federal Employment (found at https://www.nywd.uscourts.gov/sites/nywd/files/AO78with78B.pdf) as a single PDF attachment by email to: applications@nywd.uscourts.gov - subject line "Court Reporter, Reference No. 25-14." Save the documents as one PDF, using your firstname_lastname. When the AO78 is filled out electronically and returned by email, the fillable form must first be resaved and submitted as a non-fillable PDF before submission, otherwise the form will appear blank. Applicants are required to complete the AO78, page 5, Optional Background Information.

Agency contact information

Human Resources
Address
US District Court, Western District of New York
2 Niagara Square
Buffalo, NY 14202
US

Next steps

Only candidates selected for an interview will be notified and must travel at their own expense.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.