Civics Education Specialist

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIRST CIRCUIT

Civics Education Specialist

Job Announcement: #26-10

Position Type: Full-time, Permanent

Location: John J. Moakley U.S. Courthouse, Boston, MA

Salary: CL 24 to CL 25 ($50,627 - $90,906) per annum
Depending on qualifications and experience.

Closing Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026

Organization: The United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit seeks applications for the position of Civics Education Specialist. The United States Courts for the First Circuit include the Court of Appeals, which is the court of review for decisions of the district courts within the First Circuit, including the Districts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico. The Court of Appeals also reviews decisions of federal administrative agencies, the United States Tax Court, and the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel.

Duties and Responsibilities: The Civics Education Specialist provides support to the Stephen G. Breyer Community Learning Center on Courts and the Constitution, located in the First Circuit's Headquarters Library in Boston, MA. The Center's mission is to increase the understanding of the principles and history of the Federal Judiciary, the First Circuit, and the courts' role in the democratic process among local teachers, students, and the general public. The Center employs a Director of Civics Education who develops, maintains, and delivers programs, educational materials, and online content focusing on the history, structure, and operation of federal courts and the judicial branch of government, and the First Circuit in particular. The Civics Education Specialist will support the Director of Civics Education in these functions. Representative duties of this position include, but are not limited to:
• Assisting the Director of Civics Education with educational programs, civic engagement events, courthouse tours, and off-site presentations.
• Working closely with judges, court unit executives, and support staff of the First Circuit Court of Appeals to contribute to the smooth and efficient delivery of educational programs.
• Maintaining an accurate master calendar of programs and receiving and responding to requests for new programs.
• Processing program registrations, sending confirmations, and responding to requests for information.
• Creating promotional materials and promoting opportunities with local K-12 schools, law schools, and Bar organizations.
• Maintaining and expanding mailing lists for programs and promotions and communicating regularly with stakeholders via email newsletters and social media platforms.
• Creating surveys and evaluation forms and collecting responses and other data.
• Assisting the Director of Civics Education with researching and creating instructional materials.
• Performing other related duties as assigned. Some travel may be required.

Special Notice: The First Circuit Court of Appeals is a hybrid work environment. The selected candidate will work in-person at the Moakley Courthouse during the initial training period. After successful completion of training, telework on certain days of the week will be available, depending upon office needs.

Qualifications:
• Candidates must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. Coursework in education and/or experience with teaching, coaching, or mentoring K-12 students is highly desired.
• A passion for education, legal studies, and a solid understanding of the U.S. government and civics are required.
• Excellent communication (both written and verbal) and interpersonal skills are essential. Candidates must possess effective presentation skills with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint) is required. Familiarity with Google Workspace applications, Canva Presentation software, and basic web building applications is a plus.
• Candidates must also possess strong organizations skills; the ability to be flexible and adapt to unanticipated needs and problems and to manage multiple tasks and priorities, often with conflicting deadlines; the ability to work both independently, with limited supervision, as well as in a team environment; and a commitment to public service.
• The successful candidate must have the ability to occasionally support programs and events outside standard business hours.
• The position also requires the ability to reach, bend, kneel, lift, and occasionally move boxes, files, etc.

Benefits: Federal benefits for this position include paid vacation and sick leave, health benefits, life insurance, retirement benefits, and flexible benefits programs. Federal Judiciary employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. Further details regarding benefits can be found here:
Benefits | United States Courts (uscourts.gov)

Background Check: The successful candidate is subject to a background check or investigation, which includes an FBI fingerprint check as a condition of employment. Employee retention depends upon a favorable suitability determination.

How to Apply: Submit the following documents: (1) cover letter, (2) resume, and (3) a signed and completed AO-78, Application for Federal Judicial Branch Employment (version dated 5/24) to:

Andrew Burke, Human Resources Director
Office of the Circuit Executive
John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse
1 Courthouse Way, Suite 3700
Boston, MA 02210

Applications will also be accepted via email, in pdf format only, to: ojobs@ca1.uscourts.gov

The application form (AO-78) is available at AO078-08-2024.pdf (uscourts.gov). The AO-78 must be signed and filled out completely. Attaching a resume in lieu of the AO-78 or answering the questions on the AO-78 by simply referencing an attached resume is not sufficient.

Note: Applications that do not include all requested information will be deemed incomplete and will not
be considered.

Additional Conditions of Employment:
An applicant must be a United States citizen or permanently eligible to work in the United States. The Federal Financial Management Reform Act requires direct deposit of federal wages. All court employees are required to adhere to a Code of Conduct. Successful completion of a six-month probationary period is required. All Court of Appeals employees are "at will" employees and serve at the pleasure of the Court. The Court will only communicate with those qualified individuals who will be invited for an interview. The Court reserves the right to modify the conditions of this job announcement, or to withdraw the announcement, either of which may occur without prior written or other notice. If a subsequent vacancy of the same or similar characteristics to this position becomes available within a reasonable time of the original announcement, the Court may elect to select a candidate from the original qualified applicant pool.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER