Education Sergeant - MEDC

State of South Carolina; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off (vacation) 15 days/year

Sick leave 15 days/year

Paid holidays 13 per year

State retirement plans

Job summary

The South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice seeks an Education Sergeant to oversee security operations in education buildings, supervise security staff, and manage youth movement during instructional hours. The role supports safe, structured learning and youth development.

The candidate should have a high school diploma, officer status with CLEE within six months, and demonstrated supervision and teaching skills. Knowledge of state laws and reporting requirements is essential.

Qualifications

• High school diploma is required.
• Must be an officer compliant with CLEE within six months and pass competency exam (80%).
• Must have supervisor and teaching skills.
• Knowledge of state laws, rules, and youth control procedures.
• Ability to supervise youth and maintain professional conduct.

Responsibilities

• Monitor school operations to address safety concerns and incidents.
• Supervise education buildings and ensure safe, structured learning environment.
• Direct and supervise school security staff and ensure policy adherence.
• Plan and supervise safe movement of youth within education buildings.
• Track attendance and maintain logs per agency standards.
• Perform other duties to support the agency's mission.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Verbal and non-verbal communication

Good judgment/initiative

Building relationships with youth

Education

High school diploma

Bachelor's degree in criminal justice or related

Job description

Job Responsibilities

If your goal is to build a career that makes a difference and you have a passion for making a difference in the lives of South Carolina's youth, consider joining the dedicated people of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).

MISSION

It is the mission of the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) to impact and transform young lives, strengthen families, and support safer communities through targeted prevention and rehabilitation.

Job Purpose

Under the supervision of the Administrative Captain, the Education Sergeant oversees security operations within the education buildings to ensure a safe, structured, and orderly learning environment. This position supervises assigned school security staff, coordinates youth movement, and maintains accountability of all youth during instructional hours. The Education Sergeant supports both security and rehabilitative goals by promoting a safe educational setting, ensuring consistent attendance tracking, and fostering an environment conducive to learning, positive behavior, and youth development.

Job Responsibilities

• Monitors school operations to identify and address safety concerns, responds to incidents as needed and ensures a secure environment that supports both education and rehabilitation.
• Provides direct supervision of the education buildings, ensures assigned security staff effectively maintains a safe, structured, and orderly learning environment.
• Directs and monitors school security staff, ensures proper coverage, adherence to policies, and consistent implementation of safety and security procedures.
• Plans, coordinates, and supervises the safe and efficient movement of youth within the education buildings, ensures accountability, and minimizes disruptions.
• Tracks daily school attendance, maintains accurate accountability of youth, and ensures all movement and assignment logs are completed in accordance with agency standards.
• Performs other job-related duties and tasks as assigned by the supervisor to further support the agency’s mission and values.

Minimum And Additional Requirements

STATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• A high school diploma.

Special Requirement

Must be an officer in compliance with and certified under CLEE (Continuing Law Enforcement Education) within six (6) months of employment. Must have an 80% rate on competency/proficiency exam and possess supervisor and teaching skills.

Additional Requirements

• Knowledge of state laws/institutional rules/regulations/requirements for the control of youth/Child Abuse Statutes.
• Knowledge of purpose/methods/practices of secure facilities.
• Knowledge of various methods of instructing/handling/supervising youth in various activities.
• Interpersonal skills, patience and both verbal and non-verbal communication skills.
• Ability to exercise good judgment/initiative in a variety of situations.
• Ability to build healthy relationships with youth and effectively communicate with them in order to promote respect and trust with them and manage challenging behaviors in a mature and professional way and in accordance with training.
• Ability to establish/maintain satisfactory working relationships with fellow employees/families/general public.
• Ability to maintain a valid state driver's license, and ability to operate a state vehicle.
• Ability to follow a daily schedule, be accountable to the facility processes, document events and activities, and supervise multiple youths effectively.
• This position performs job duties relating to the custody, control, transportation, or recapture of youth within the jurisdiction of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The employee may have direct and indirect contact with youth within the jurisdiction of the Department of Juvenile Justice. Training applicable to these duties will be provided.

Preferred Qualifications

PREFERRED AGENCY REQUIREMENTS:

• A bachelor's degree in criminal justice or related accompanied with experience supervising, mentoring and interacting with at-risk youth.
• Must be 21 years of age with a valid driver's license and a high school diploma or equivalent. Must also have 18 months of experience in correctional, security, military, or police work. Must attend, pass and maintain all required DJJ training courses.

Benefits

The South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice offers an exceptional benefits package for FTE positions that includes:

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Health, dental, and life insurance
• 15 days annual (vacation) leave per year
• 15 days of sick leave per year
• 13 paid holidays
• State retirement plans and deferred compensation programs
• Discount Programs such as TicketatWork and WeSave

Benefits For State Employees

The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.

Insurance Benefits

Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.

Retirement Benefits

State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.

Workplace Benefits

State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.

Note:

The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.