Federal Public Defender - Western District of Missouri

Position Announcement

Posted: April 17, 2024

The Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Missouri is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Diversity and dignity are central to our work. We hire without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, height, weight, veteran status, military obligations, or marital or parental status. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination or harassment in any personnel decisions or employee interactions.

About Us: We work to keep people who are charged with federal crimes out of prison. Our clients are people who cannot afford private counsel. We take a holistic approach, designed to protect our clients’ rights, and center their humanity at every stage of the criminal case. The Western Missouri FPD is a high-energy workplace that promotes diversity, collaboration, and fairness.

The Job: Social workers or mitigation specialists help our clients share their life experiences as they navigate through the federal criminal legal system. This work is crucial to pretrial release plans, negotiations, trial strategy, sentencing outcomes, and reentry plans. You will build trust with clients, families, and other life-history witnesses; gather and digest historical records (birth, education, health, employment, and so on); formally interview and informally consult with both laypeople and specialized professionals; connect clients with needed services; and collaborate with attorneys and investigators. Travel within the state and occasionally elsewhere will be required (office cars are available). You may sometimes be asked to testify in court. Attorneys with MSWs are encouraged to apply, as are MSWs with capital mitigation experience. Spanish fluency is a plus.

You must:

Have a master’s degree in social work or social services
Be a US citizen or have work authorization
Be committed to our mission and work well in a team
Be committed to client confidentiality
Be comfortable working closely with a diverse set of clients (often in jail and prison settings) and their families
Have a valid driver’s license

You should:

Demonstrate cultural competency and have experience or interest in working with marginalized communities
Have strong writing skills
Have strong computer and technological skills
Be able to travel overnight for work and training

Salary & Benefits: The salary ranges from $59,966 – $122,198, depending primarily on experience and primary office location. The FPD also offers generous benefits:

11 paid holidays, including Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and Juneteenth
Public Service Loan Forgiveness if qualified
Thrift Savings Plan – up to 5% Employer Match
Health, dental, and vision insurance (100+ options)
Life Insurance (basic, standard, additional, family)
Flex Spending Accounts
Long Term & Short Term Disability
Long Term Care
Employee Assistance Program (confidential counseling and assistance)
WorkLife4You (living well)
Nationwide leave transfer program
Worker’s Comp
Disability Retirement
Family and Medical Leave
12-weeks paid parental leave
Education and training

This position will be filled in one of our three offices: Kansas City, Springfield, or Jefferson City, depending on where the successful candidate lives or wants to live.

Apply: Send a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references in a single pdf document to MOW_Jobs2@fd.org. Preference will be given to applications received by May 17, 2024. We may fill current and future positions from this position announcement. The selected candidate will be subject to an FBI fingerprint check as a condition of employment. Position is subject to funding. No phone calls.

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