OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
OFFICIAL COURT REPORTER
ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER 21-WAW-29
ANNOUNCEMENT DATE August 1, 2021
CLOSING DATE Open until filled; preference given to resumes received by August 15, 2021
We are seeking a qualified, well-rounded, experienced individual to join our team of six court reporters. If you enjoy working as a court reporter, learning something new every day, and striving for excellence, this is your opportunity to work for the Federal Judiciary.
The Official Court Reporter records verbatim testimony of court proceedings via stenotype technology, produces high-quality transcripts, reads back as requested, provides real-time to the Bench for all court hearings, and delivers transcripts in a timely manner. A firm knowledge of your court reporting equipment is a must.
The Official Court Reporter is a highly visible position within the court and requires the ability to work well under pressure and work well with others. This position requires dedication, professionalism, flexibility, commitment, initiative, and discretion.
This position is located at the Federal Courthouse in Seattle, Washington, and requires travel to the Federal Courthouse in Tacoma, Washington or elsewhere, as needed. All applicants must provide their own equipment and have the knowledge and ability to provide real-time translation to the Bench via a reliable wireless connection. Technical troubleshooting is required.
QUALIFICATIONS AND REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES
Applicants must possess at least four years of court experience. A certificate of Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) is required, and Certified Real-time Reporter (CRR) is preferred. CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) certified is a plus. All Official Court Reporters are required to utilize real-time transcription and must have experience connecting wirelessly. The successful candidate will also possess:
• Strong communication skills and the ability to develop effective relationships and work with a variety of people tactfully and courteously
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team-based environment where the workload is shared
• Ability to consistently demonstrate sound ethics and judgment
• Professionalism
• Strong organizational skills and experience in handling multiple workload demands.
• Demonstrated ability to work without supervision.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
SALARY RANGE
Level 2: $95,050; requires merit certification**
Level 3: $99,577; requires real-time certification*
Level 4: $104,103; requires real-time certification and merit certification**
*Real-time certification = successful completion of Certified Real-time Examination Certificate by NCRA or equivalent exam.
**Merit certification = Registered Merit Reporter certificate from the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).
Upon appointment the qualified person shall, in addition to the starting salary, receive maximum allowable rates for transcripts as set by the Judicial Conference.
BENEFITS
The U.S. District Court provides a generous benefits package, competitive salary, and a dedication to work/life balance, including flexible schedules and telework opportunities. Judiciary employees participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System, Thrift Savings Plan (similar to a 401K), health and life insurance benefits, long term care options, annual and sick leave accrual, and eleven paid holidays per year. Judiciary employees are not covered by the Office of Personnel Management’s civil service classification system or regulations. For additional information on employment with the federal courts, please visit www.uscourts.gov
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
Qualified applicants should submit the following (Word or Acrobat .pdf format only):
• Cover letter
• Resume
• 20 pages of transcript
• Completed AO78, Application for Employment
Via e-mail to: seattle_personnel@wawd.uscourts.gov
or
Human Resources (#21-WAW-29)
U.S. District Court,
700 Stewart Street,
Suite 2218
Seattle, WA 98101
Only qualified applicants will be considered for this position. Applicants must be United States citizens or eligible to work in the United States. Employees of the United States District Court are considered “at will” employees. Applicants selected for interviews must travel at their own expense.
The United States District Court requires employees to follow a code of conduct which is available upon request. Reference checks with current and former employers will be conducted on top candidates. A background investigation with law enforcement agencies, including fingerprint and criminal record checks, will be conducted as a condition of employment. Any applicant selected for a position will be hired provisionally pending successful completion of the investigation. Unsatisfactory results may result in termination of employment.
The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages.
The United States District Court for the Western District of Washington is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and seek a diverse pool of applicants in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, disability, religion, and socio-economic circumstance.
The Court provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please notify human resources. The decision on granting reasonable accommodations will be made on a case by case basis.
The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, to withdraw the announcement, or to fill the position sooner than the closing date, any of which may occur without prior written or other notice. In the event that a position becomes vacant in a similar classification, within a reasonable time from the original announcement, the court may select a candidate from the applicants who responded to the original announcement without posting the position. More than one position may be filled from this announcement.
The United States District Court is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in the workplace.