Juvenile Correctional Specialist (Salaried)

Title: Juvenile Correctional Specialist (Salaried)

State Role Title: Security Officer IV

Hiring Range: Minimum $44,100 (Sign on incentive for eligible hires)

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Department of Juvenile Justice

Location: Bon Air JCC

Agency Website: www.djj.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Join Our Team as a Juvenile Correctional Specialist (JCS).

The Department of Juvenile Justice is currently recruiting full-time/salaried Juvenile Correctional Specialists for 12-hour shifts at the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center. This recruitment is open until filled. Multiple positions will be filled from this announcement. A continuous review of applications will take place until the position is filled. Anticipated hire dates are February 25th and March 25th.

Why DJJ?
Do you have a passion for making a positive impact on the lives of committed youth? A DJJ career provides an opportunity to make a difference.

The Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice, Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center offers competitive salaries and generous benefits such as health coverage, paid vacation, and retirement for full-time positions. There are also excellent promotional and staff development opportunities.

About the job:
The Juvenile Correctional Specialist (JCS) position is located at the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional facility which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with various shifts available. As a JCS, you will provide direct care to residents in a secure correctional environment and be assigned to designated security posts to ensure orderly facility operations and the safety of the youth, visitors, and staff. The roles and responsibilities of the JCS directly impact the resident’s quality of institutional life and foster rehabilitation.

Duties/Responsibilities:
The JCS will implement best practices in the supervision, security, and treatment of juveniles in a correctional setting. This role will provide residents with a safe living environment that fosters growth and change. As a JCS, you will oversee and monitor all activities within an assigned housing unit to maintain security and control, ensuring the safety and well-being of both residents and staff.

JCS will conduct and document regular security and safety checks and intervene during behavioral crises. All administrative and program documentation, including time sheets, leave forms, incident reports, logbook entries, and various other forms will be completed in a legible, comprehensive, timely, and accurate manner. Activities, observations, and interactions with residents, staff, and the public will be thoroughly documented.

If hired, you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary treatment team dedicated to helping committed youth achieve their goals while in a secure environment and preparing them for successful reentry into the community. Additionally, we will foster a therapeutic environment by serving as role models and mentors for the residents, while ensuring 24-hour safety and security.

Additional Information:

Take advantage of this opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people while pursuing a fulfilling career in public safety.


Read Carefully: Juvenile Correctional Specialists will be assigned a regular shift but may be required to work other shifts, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays as required by staffing and operational needs. This role also will require mandatory overtime following your shift during staffing shortages, peak workload times, or in bona fide emergencies. Mandatory drafting beyond the assigned shift is a condition of employment. Our hiring priority is based on the needs of the Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center operations at the time of hire.

Attention all new hires to the Commonwealth of Virginia! If selected for the Juvenile Correctional Specialist role, you may be eligible for a sign-on bonus of up to $6,000. The bonus will be paid in two installments which will be outlined in a Sign-On Bonus Agreement. More information about this exciting recruitment incentive will be provided during the interview process.

Minimum Qualifications

DJJ is in search of individuals who have a working knowledge of conflict resolution and the use of verbal intervention techniques; of safety and security procedures and practices, and of crisis intervention in a residential or secure setting. Demonstrated ability to quickly assess situations and provide the appropriate response; to effectively supervise and work with residents, serving as a positive role model. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing; to maintain records and documentation and prepare reports. Ability to perform physical intervention (restraint) techniques in accordance with procedure and training.

Additional Considerations

Experience supervising and interacting with at-risk or adjudicated juveniles is preferred.

Additional considerations include a working knowledge of:
• Safety and security procedures and practices,
• Crisis intervention in a residential or secure setting,
• Facilitating and/or implementing treatment programs,
• Adolescent development.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

All new hires will be required to complete a mandatory three-week basic skills training located at the Virginia Public Safety Training Center in Hanover, Virginia. Training is typically held Monday through Friday beginning at 8:00 a.m. and ending at 5:00 p.m. each day.

Please note that the shift work does include holidays and weekends. 

Application Process:
Individuals desiring to be considered for this position must submit a completed employment application or you may attach a resume. Applications sent through postal mail, email, or fax will not be considered.

Applicants are encouraged to be specific regarding job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities. You will be provided an email confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application.

Background & Pre-employment Screenings:
Selected applicants are subject to a background investigation and pre-employment drug screen. Investigations may include fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI); local agency checks; employment verification; verification of education (if required and relevant to employment); credit checks; and other checks based on the position.

Pre-employment medical screenings are required of the selected applicants.

Driver License: A valid driver’s license is required of the Juvenile Correctional Specialist.

Supplemental Questions:
You may be required to respond to position-specific questions at the end of this application. This information may help us evaluate your credentials and qualifications for the job. Failure to respond to any questions may disqualify you from further consideration.

DJJ Welcomes Veterans:
DJJ is committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining qualified Veterans and their spouses. Veterans who are hired into state positions may be eligible to receive additional leave accruals based on their total years of service in the military, National Guard, or Reserve. If applicable, please submit form DD-214 with your state application.

The Commonwealth of Virginia welcomes all applicants authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship is not provided; therefore, applicants must be a citizen or national of the U.S., a Lawful Permanent Resident, or an alien authorized to work.

Reasonable Accommodations: Reasonable Accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact our Human Resources Department for further assistance.

Equal Opportunity Employer: The Department of Juvenile Justice fosters a culture that demonstrates the principles of civility, diversity, opportunity, and inclusion.

Contact Information

Name: DJJ Talent Acquisition

Phone: 000-000-0000

Email: Recruit@djj.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.