Each district administrative judge is authorized to hire a full-time assistant adequately trained in the duties of court administration. The assistant shall assist in the duties of the district administrative judge, provide general court administrative services to the district council, and otherwise perform such duties as may be assigned to him by the district administrative judge. Each assistant shall be an employee of the judicial branch of the state government and shall be in the unclassified service of the State Merit System of Personnel Administration. The assistant shall be compensated in an amount and manner to be determined by uniform rules adopted by the ten administrative judges. Each assistant shall be compensated out of funds made available for such purposes within the judicial branch of the government. Additional funds shall be made available for needed clerical and other office operating costs of the assistant.