DATE: June 23, 2025
POSITION TITLE: Clerk of Court
VACANCY NUMBER: 25-08
CLASSIFICATION LEVEL: JSP-17
SALARY: $206,336 - $238,964
CLOSING DATE: Open until filled; preference given to
applications received by July 31, 2025
POSITION OVERVIEW
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, which
serves more than 3.4 million people residing within its twenty-eight counties,
seeks a dedicated and experienced administrator to be the clerk of court. The
clerk of court is the most senior non-judicial officer of the court, who supports
the judges of the district by overseeing and leading the court’s extensive
administrative and operational functions. The clerk also assists in resolving
complex and sensitive issues having a significant impact on the day-to-day
functioning of the court. The clerk reports directly to the chief United States
district judge, and communicates regularly with the district and magistrate
judges and clerk’s office staff; the General Services Administration; other court
executive units; federal, state and local law enforcement agencies; the district’s
United States attorney and Federal Defender; the Administrative Office of the
U.S. Courts; the Office of the Circuit Executive for the Seventh Circuit; the
Federal Judicial Center; bar associations; and the media. Occasional travel and
public speaking are required.
The Eastern District of Wisconsin is one of two federal districts in Wisconsin.
The Eastern District has two divisions; the Milwaukee division serves twelve
southeastern counties, including the Milwaukee metropolitan area, and the
Green Bay division serves the sixteen northeastern counties. The main office of
the clerk of court is located in the Milwaukee courthouse, but the clerk must
travel to the Green Bay courthouse as required. The district has five authorized
district judges (four in Milwaukee and one in Green Bay), three full-time
magistrate judges, and approximately fifty clerk’s office staff. The clerk also
supports senior status and recalled judges.
Duties include, but are not limited to:
• Directing staff responsible for the processing of civil and criminal cases,
the issuance of process, and the maintenance of official records in the
custody of the court;
• Assisting judges in supervising pro se staff attorneys, who are
responsible for managing litigation filed by incarcerated persons;
• Overseeing the management of the jury operations of the court and
making recommendations as required to improve juror utilization;
• Overseeing the preparation of an annual budget and submitting the
annual budget to the chief judge for approval; managing and
monitoring the budget throughout the fiscal year;
• Managing staff responsible for human resources and overseeing the
hiring, assigning, managing, and disciplining of personnel; designing
and managing training programs; serving as EEO officer for the court;
• Directing staff responsible for the court’s financial functions, including
purchasing, juror payments, and accounting;
• Directing staff responsible for space and facilities management and
planning, including representing the court’s interests in court
renovation and construction projects;
• Managing staff responsible for information technology services,
statistical analysis and reporting requirements, inventory control,
space planning, and facilities maintenance;
• Supervising the preparation of special studies requested by the court
and preparing statistical and narrative reports;
• Overseeing public ceremonies and educational events, such as
investitures, naturalizations, and retreats; and
• Working with members of the bar, the public, and government agencies
on a variety of issues related to the delivery of court services.
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Qualifications: To be qualified for appointment as clerk of court, a
candidate must have a minimum of ten years of relevant experience in public
service or private sector that provides the candidate with a thorough
understanding of organizational, procedural and human aspects of managing an
organization. At least three of the ten years must have been in a position that
required substantial management responsibility. The candidate should have
demonstrated skill in leading, motivating and overseeing a diverse workforce.
The candidate should have a proactive, positive approach to managing change
and a creative, innovative approach to planning and problem-solving in an
institutional setting. The active practice of law in either the public or private
sector in a position that had administrative or management responsibilities may
substitute for the management experience required on a year-for-year basis.
Minimum education is a B.A. or B.S. The District Clerks Manual §1.01 Statute
Establishing the Office of the Clerk requires the clerk to live within the judicial
district in which the clerk is employed.
Required Experience: The candidate must be experienced in managing multiple
complex tasks with competing deadlines and must have excellent
communication and interpersonal skills with a wide range of persons. The
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candidate must be fluent in the use of technology, including mastery of Microsoft
Office Suite, Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
HOW TO APPLY:
1. To be assured consideration, please submit a cover letter (include
vacancy number 25-08), resume, narrative statement (see below), and
completed application form AO-78 (visit the uscourts.gov website at:
https://www.uscourts.gov/forms/human-resourcesforms/application-judicial-branch-federal-employment).
Application materials may be submitted via email to:
employment@wied.uscourts.gov or by mailing to the following
address: Sarah Gunn, Director of HR/Training, 362 U.S. Courthouse,
517 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI, 53202. Mailed applications
should be marked “Confidential”. Preference will be granted to
applications received by July 31, 2025. Incomplete submissions may
not be considered. E-mail documents must be in PDF format. Zip files
and faxes will not be accepted.
2. Applicants also must submit the following narrative statement, or the
application will be rejected:
Describe (1) your abilities and work experiences that
exemplify your oral and written skills, and (2) your
experience managing multiple priorities and a high volume
of work.
The narrative statement should be separate from the resume and cover
letter, include a concise description of demonstrated experience that is
directly related to the duties and responsibilities for this position, and
be no more than one page in length.
As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must successfully complete
a ten-year background investigation, will be subject to subsequent reinvestigations every five years as well as regular performance assessments and
will be required to file an annual financial disclosure report.
Due to the volume of applications anticipated, the court will communicate only
with those applicants who will be interviewed. Applicants scheduled to interview
should advise the Human Resources staff if any accommodation will be
necessary. Interviews likely will take place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in August
or early September 2025. The judges prefer in-person interviews but are willing
to consider interviews by Teams or Zoom.
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INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
The successful candidate for this position is subject to an FBI fingerprint check
and background investigation. Employment will be provisional and contingent
upon the satisfactory completion of the required background investigation. The
successful candidate also will be required to adhere to The Code of Conduct for
Judicial Employees, which is available upon request. Travel expenses and
relocation expenses may be reimbursed in accordance with the Guide to
Judiciary Policy. No private law or ADR practice is permitted concurrent with
the position.
Interviewing Non-Citizens and Making Offers of Future Employment
Non-citizens may be interviewed and considered for employment, but
employment offers will be made only to individuals who qualify under one of the
exceptions in 8 U.S.C. §1324b(a)(3)(B). In most cases, this means that an offer
of employment cannot be made unless the candidate is a lawful permanent
resident who is seeking U.S. citizenship as explained below.
Under 8 U.S.C. §1324(a)(3)(B), a lawful permanent resident seeking citizenship
may not apply for citizenship until he or she has been a permanent resident for
at least five years (three years if seeking naturalization as a spouse of a citizen),
at which point he or she must apply for citizenship within six months of
becoming eligible, and must complete the process within two years of applying
(unless there is a delay caused by the processors of the application).
Where appropriate and necessary, the court provides reasonable accommodation
to applicants with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation for any
part of the application or hiring process, please notify the clerk’s office at 414-
297-3130. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be
made on a case-by-case basis.
BENEFITS
• An opportunity to serve in a rewarding public service position,
providing support to judges and helping ensure equal access to the
judicial system;
• Paid vacation and sick leave; eleven paid holidays per year. Vacation
is determined under the Leave Act and would begin with two weeks for
employees with no federal experience;
• Extensive health, life, dental, vision, disability and long-term care
insurance plans;
• Both a defined benefit pension plan and a matching and tax-deferred
401K plan;
• Extensive on-line training options. Travel reimbursement for in-person
training and professional conferences available, funds permitting; and
• The option of joining the Federal Court Clerks Association, a national,
professional court organization founded in 1922.
The United States District Court is a smoke-free environment.
THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
EMPLOYER, AND ENCOURAGES ALL QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO APPLY
