Chaplain I

Adult Correction; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 43,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance options

Retirement plans

NCFlex

Paid vacation, sick, and community/vol

Paid Parental Leave

Job summary

The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction is seeking a Chaplain I at Browns Creek Correctional Facility in Polkton to provide spiritual care, religious education, and interfaith support to inmates and staff. Ordained or endorsed candidates from diverse faiths are encouraged to apply, with experience in pastoral counseling and program coordination valued.

The role requires collaboration with health services, security staff, and community clergy; the successful candidate will supervise

Qualifications

• Master of Divinity degree or equivalent; transcripts accepted.
• CPE certificates or transcript required.
• Ordination or ecclesiastical endorsement required.
• Ability to work with diverse religious groups in an interfaith setting.
• Must communicate effectively with staff, volunteers, and offenders.

Responsibilities

• Plan and coordinate interfaith religious services in the facility.
• Assess inmates for pastoral/spiritual care needs.
• Supervise religious services provided by volunteers.
• Lead and arrange religious rites and sacraments.
• Provide counsel on morale and religious issues to staff and administration.

Skills

Pastoral care

Interfaith programming

Volunteer supervision

Religious education

Education

Master of Divinity (or equivalent)

CPE certificates

Ordination certificate

Endorsement letter

Job description

Agency Adult Correction Division COO - OPS - Institutions Operations Job Classification Title Chaplain I (NS) Position Number 65015605 Grade NC10

About Us

The NC Department of Adult Correction is one of the largest state agencies with more than 14,000 employees. It is responsible for safeguarding and preserving lives and property through prevention, protection, and preparation as well as the care, custody, and supervision of all adults sentenced for violating North Carolina laws. This department includes state prisons with custody, healthcare, and facility operations staff as well as probation/parole officers who supervised sentenced people in the community. Other divisions include Administration, Health Services, Rehabilitation & Reentry, Special Operations and the Post-Release Supervision & Parole Commission. We have a mission that matters!

Description of Work

This position is located at Browns Creek Correctional Facility in Polkton, NC. The NCDAC is seeking professional clergy from a wide variety of religious traditions to offer spiritual care and religious programming as a Chaplain I. Ordained or endorsed candidates from Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Humanist, American Indian Traditionalist, or other groups are encouraged to apply. The individual chosen for this opportunity must communicate effectively with interdisciplinary staff, officers, community clergy, mental health services providers, volunteers, offenders, and their families. Chaplains conduct and coordinate religious education, worship, pastoral care, grief support, and other activities for incarcerated participants. The individual in this position must be comfortable supervising offenders and working with a broad diversity of people. Chaplains provide advice and counsel to the facility head and other administrators on religious and theological matters, as well as issues of staff and offender morale when appropriate. The chaplain shall be involved in research and data collection on a wide range of issues: pastoral, programmatic, and interfaith. The individual must have basic knowledge to apply constitutional principles, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), and key court decisions pertaining to religious practices for equal treatment on an interfaith basis. The selected candidate must be able to comprehend and abide by policy, standard operating procedures, memoranda, legal documents, and other directives governing departmental and facility activity.

Key Duties

• Work in this position involves planning, conducting, coordinating or facilitating programs for inter‑faith religious services in psychiatric hospitals, developmental disabilities centers, or correctional facilities. The programs may include: worship services, faith group studies, bible studies, individual or group pastoral/ spiritual care or counseling.
• Employees assess patients/inmates upon admission or transfer to determine if there are pastoral/spiritual care needs.
• Employees may supervise religious/spiritual services provided by volunteers and inmate faith helpers as well as recruit and coordinate religious/spiritual volunteers and services on a continual basis.
• Employees may visit patients in community hospitals; lead or arrange approved religious rites and sacraments such as blots, communion, equinox, baptism, or holy days.
• Chaplains may coordinate pastoral volunteers.

Salary Range $43,267.00 - $75,718.00

Salary Grade 10

This position is full‑time, 40 hours a week, which includes one late night shift and monthly weekend duty.

Pre‑Interview Criteria Step - Required Documents

• A copy of your Master of Divinity degree or equivalent Master’s Degree / or transcript
• A copy of your Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Certificates/ or CPE transcript
• A copy of your Ordination Certificate, or equivalent.
• A current Letter of Good Standing from endorsing faith group/ ecclesiastical endorsement
• A current Resume

Other Considerations To establish an equivalency to the one‑year residency in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), candidates must complete Level One, Unit One of CPE along with one year of supervised ministerial experience or have two years of professional prison chaplaincy experience. As a chaplain, you will provide faith‑based support to offenders who follow a variety of religious beliefs and may be at different custody levels, depending on the facility or institution. To better understand the custody levels at the Department of Adult Correction, please refer to the descriptions below:

Minimum Custody Level: Offenders require minimal oversight and are allowed to enter and exit their cells during specific times. Medium Custody Level: Offenders require more supervision than those in Minimum Custody but less than those in Close Custody. Close Custody Level: Offenders are under strict supervision, with their movement within the facility closely controlled.

State Benefits Information

• Health Insurance options
• Retirement Plans
• NCFlex
• Supplemental Benefits
• Paid Vacation, Sick, and Community Service Leave
• Paid Parental Leave

North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections (NCDAC) uses the Merit‑Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position. For more information about NCDAC, please visit us at our website.

Education Equivalency Verification

The State of North Carolina/Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) uses the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) as a referral resource for applicants who need to have their credentials certified as equivalent. For a list of organizations that perform this specialized service, please visit the NACES membership website at https://www.naces.org/members.

Veterans’ and National Guard Preference

Applicants seeking Veteran's Preference must attach a DD‑214 Member‑4 Form (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) to their applications. Applicants seeking National Guard Preference must attach an NGB 23A (RPAS), along with the state application, if they are a current member of the NC National Guard in good standing. Applicants who are former members of either the NC Army National Guard or the NC Air National Guard, with honorable discharge and six years of creditable service, must attach a copy of the DD 256 or NGB 22, along with the state application.

PREA Requirement

The NC Dept. of Adult Correction must adhere to the US Dept. of Justice Final Rule on the "National Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Prison Rape." PREA Hiring and Promotion Prohibitions ADA Accommodations consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), NCDAC is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact the person indicated below.

Minimum Education and Experience

Master of Divinity degree from a school of theology or seminary accredited by The Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and one year of residency in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) or Equivalent professional chaplaincy/clergy experience and Ordination or membership in a recognized religious governed body. OR Master’s degree in related field from an appropriately accredited institution and one year of residency in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) or equivalent professional chaplaincy/clergy experience and Ordination or membership in a recognized religious governed body or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

EEO Statement

The State of North Carolina is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and dedicated to providing employees with a work environment free from all forms of unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. The state provides reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants with disabilities; known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; and for religious beliefs, observances, and practices.