Probation Officer Trainee

State-of-Nebraska; North Platte (NE); On-site; USD 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental & vision insurance

Disability insurance

EAP (Employee Assistance Program)

FSA/HSA eligibility

Paid holidays

Job summary

State of Nebraska in North Platte seeks a Probation Officer Trainee. This entry-level role provides orientation and training for one year under supervision to gain experience supervising offenders. Incumbents manage a caseload, conduct interviews, testify in court, and perform drug testing.

Location: 110 East 3rd Street North Platte, NE. Core hours Monday–Friday with on-call and occasional after-hours work to support community safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social services or criminal justice or progress toward degree within 120 days of application
• Knowledge of the Criminal Justice system, laws, codes, and court procedures
• Interview and assessment procedures and practices, and crisis intervention techniques

Responsibilities

• Become familiar with various types of pre-sentence/pre-disposition investigations for adults and juvenile offenders.
• Provide recommendations for sentencing to the court based on case findings and present information to the court.
• Perform risk assessments to determine supervision levels and monitor drug screens.
• Meet with probationers to provide counseling, complete case reporting, and manage caseloads.
• Prepare violation and compliance reports and update client information in systems; communicate with the court.
• Perform other duties of a similar nature as assigned

Skills

Criminal Justice

Interviewing

Risk assessment

Communication

Crisis intervention

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social services or criminal justice

Tools

Computers & software

Job description

The work we do matters! Hiring Agency: Supreme Court - Agency 5 Location: North Platte, NE Hiring Rate: $20.608 Job Posting: JR2026-00029163

Probation Officer Trainee (Open)

Applications No Longer Accepted On (If no date is displayed, job is posted as open until closed): 09-23-2026

Job Description

** The (Judicial Branch) does not sponsor STEM (form i-983) or non-immigrant work visas for this position. **

The Judicial Branch offers:

• Health & Wellness 79% employer-paid health and prescription insurance
• Dental and vision insurance plans available to purchase
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, available to purchase
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential support
• Flex Spending (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
• Financial Security 156% state-matched of the first 4.8% contribution to retirement plan
• FREE $20,000 Life Insurance Policy
• Optional Life Insurance and AD&D available to purchase
• Paid Time Off & Leave 13 paid holidays annually
• Paid vacation and sick leave that begin accruing immediately
• Military leave and Funeral/Bereavement leave
• Professional Growth Paid training to develop your skills
• Free continuing education credits to maintain professional certifications
• Access to specialized courses through Judicial Branch Education
• Opportunity for bilingual pay

Job Description: This entry level position involves job orientation and training under close supervision for a period of one year to afford the trainee an opportunity to gain experience and develop ability. Incumbents of this classification are trained in performing investigatory and supervisory responsibilities involving offenders, under direct supervision for an assigned district. Additional Training includes managing a caseload; preparing investigation reports; supervising offenders; conducting intake and detention interviews; testifying in courts; performing drug and alcohol testing; arresting or detaining defenders under directions; and managing and maintaining the electronic monitoring equipment.

Location: 110 East 3rd Street North Platte, NE

Travel Expectations: Regular travel within the district to conduct community visits and support operations as part of our commitment to active community supervision Occasional regional travel for orientation, training, and educational workshops.

Work Schedule: Core hours are Monday–Friday daytime. As part of our 24/7 commitment to community safety, occasional on-call, evening, weekend, and holiday availability is required.

Salary and Compensation: Starting Salary: $42,863.87 annually (Hiring Rate). Immediate Growth*: Earn a 2.5% pay increase after successfully completing your probation period. Starting Rate Flexibility: Higher starting pay may be considered based on education and experience, subject to final management approval. *Please Note: Candidates approved to start above the Hiring Rate (at or above the Minimum Permanent rate) are not eligible for the 2.5% post-probation increase. Future Increases: Annual cost-of-living adjustments (applied on July 1) are subject to State Legislature approval.

Job Duties

1. Become familiar with various types of pre-sentence/pre-disposition investigations for adults and juvenile offenders including conducting intake and assessment interviews with offenders, families, and others to gather information on the individual and determine environmental factors that led to delinquent behaviors.
2. Becomes familiar with providing recommendations for sentencing to the court based on case findings. Also be trained in presenting information verbally and in writing before the court and completing Intake paperwork.
3. Becomes familiar with performing risk assessments to determine proper supervision level of client; recommending incentives and/or sanctions based on assessment; monitoring drug screens.
4. Introduced and trained on meeting with clients on probation in order to provide counseling, complete case reporting, and other related functions of managing a caseload. This includes conducting assessments or follow-ups; providing direction to help clients accomplish court requirements; providing referrals to community resources including food, shelter, and work.
5. Introduced and trained on preparing violation reports, compliance reports and conducting record checks; Training also includes entering and updating client information into appropriate systems; determining reports to send to the court for updates.
6. Performs other duties of a similar nature or level. The above classification responsibilities represent only the key areas of responsibilities; specific position assignments will vary depending on the business needs of the department.

Requirements / Qualifications

• Minimum Qualifications:
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in social services or criminal justice
• Consideration will be given to candidates receiving their degree within 120 days of application
• All educational credits must be granted from an accredited institution approved by the U.S. Dept. of Education.
• Knowledge Customer service principles
• Criminal Justice system, laws, legal codes, and court procedures
• Interview and Assessment procedures and practices
• Intervention policies and procedures
• Signs of various forms of abuse, mental health issues, or neglect
• Crisis intervention technique.
• Modern office procedures and equipment
• Record-keeping principles
• Document review techniques
• Computers and related software applications
• Skills Making home visits
• Interviewing probationers
• Tracking probationers’ location(s)
• Utilizing probation and protective techniques
• Applying applicable laws, rules, and regulations
• Preparing activity reports and updating databases
• Operating computers and applicable software applications
• Utilizing communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, the general public and others to sufficiently exchange or convey information and to receive work direction

Physical Requirements

Incumbents may be subjected to environmental threats, odors, dusts, inadequate lighting, workspace restrictions, and travel. Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for Light Work.

Benefits We offer a comprehensive package of pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement and professional development opportunities to help you get the most out of your career and life. Your paycheck is just part of your total compensation. Check out all that the State of Nebraska has to offer! Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency and employment status. For more information on benefits, please visit: https://statejobs.nebraska.gov/index.html#benefits

Equal Opportunity Statement

The State of Nebraska values our teammates as well as a supportive environment that strives to promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job classifications and at all levels without regard to race, color, religion, sex. age, national origin, disability, marital status or genetics. We are seeking talented individuals to join our team in careers that make a difference in the lives of Nebraskans.

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Thank you for your interest in joining our team!

State Government is one of the largest and most diverse employers in Nebraska. Whether it's helping a vulnerable child, advancing public health, making highways safer, or preserving our natural resources, the work we do matters!