Requirements
Conditions of employment
- Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States (i.e. a permanent resident. Permanent residents must be willing to apply for United States citizenship within two years of hire). Selection will be made consistent with the provisions of the Equal Opportunity Plan adopted by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana.
- The Federal Financial Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages for court employees.
- Employees are required to adhere to a Code of Ethics and Conduct, which is available to applicants for review upon request. Federal judicial employees are governed by certain ethical guidelines that prohibit engagement in any political activities, whether partisan or nonpartisan.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:
A minimum of three years of progressively responsible legal experience is required. This is a fast-paced and challenging position that requires the incumbent to always maintain a professional demeanor and to possess strong organizational, analytical, oral, and written communication skills. The successful candidate must be knowledgeable in the use of legal terminology; able to apply a body of rules, regulations, directives, or laws (including case law); able to identify legal issues in court filings requiring the judge's attention; adept at managing litigation so that cases progress efficiently; and proficient in the use of electronic case filing. The incumbent must exercise sound judgment, maintain confidences, work harmoniously with others, foster high ethical standards, and possess the ability to work independently and to collaborate effectively with other court staff.
Applicants must be detail-oriented, possess excellent problem-solving skills, and have the ability to work with multiple software applications in a fast-paced environment. Dependability, with a commitment to attendance and punctuality, is required. Applicants should have excellent administrative and organizational skills with the ability to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing. A professional appearance and demeanor is required, and applicants must be generally cordial, responsive, and helpful to others including litigants without counsel and family of litigants. The successful candidate should be public service oriented with the ability to create and maintain solid working relationships with other federal agencies. If selected, it is expected that applicants will be willing to adjust work hours to meet court schedules.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience in the courtroom.
- Knowledge of NextGen ECF.
- Knowledge of federal and local rules, legal terminology, and legal documents.
- Knowledge of courtroom proceedings and applicable requirements.
- Understanding of implications of judge's orders and decisions.
- Ability to adapt and learn new technologies.
Education
To qualify for this position the applicant must be a high school graduate or equivalent.
Additional information
- The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement or to withdraw the announcement, either of which may occur without notice.
- The Court is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
- The United States District Court is a smoke-free environment.
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.
Employees of the United States District Court are not included in the Government's Civil Service classification. They are, however, entitled to the same benefits as other federal government employees. Some of the available benefits are:
- Participation in the federal health, dental and vision programs of the employee's choice
- Participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), including the Thrift Savings Plan - similar to a 401(k)
- Participation in a group life insurance program
- Participation in a group long-term disability insurance program
- Participation in a long-term care insurance program
- Participation in a flexible spending account for medical and/or dependent care expenses on a pre-tax basis
- Credit for prior federal government service
- Paid annual and sick leave and applicable paid holidays per year, pro-rated for part-time employment
- Option for a flexible work schedule, including part-time telework
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Applicants are evaluated based on the information provided in their application to determine whether they meet the basic qualification requirements. Relevant professional, educational, and work experience are then assessed in relation to the fundamental competencies identified in the Qualifications section above that are required for this position.