Juvenile Correction Officer II/III/IV

Texas A&M International; Gainesville (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan

Paid holidays

Paid vacation leave

Health & life insurance

Hazardous duty pay

Job summary

Texas Juvenile Justice Department seeks a Juvenile Correctional Officer to supervise and support youth in a residential setting. You will apply trauma-informed methods, maintain safety, and guide youth through learning and behavior management.

The role includes shift work, potential on-call, and up to 25% travel. Career ladder promotions depend on eligibility, experience, and performance, with salary adjustments at each level.

Qualifications

• Must meet TJJD safety policies and demonstrate sound judgment.
• Ability to monitor youth behavior and maintain boundaries.
• Experience in counseling and guiding adolescents is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide supervision and direct care in a residential facility.
• Apply trauma-informed approaches to support youth learning.
• Maintain safety; respond to incidents with appropriate intervention.
• Supervise activities, manage transitions, and document observations.
• Travel up to 25% and participate in on-call duties.

Skills

Safety procedures

Counseling adolescents

Team collaboration

Crisis intervention

De-escalation

Communication skills

Youth development

Boundary setting

Stress management

Decision making

Education

High school diploma or GED

First Aid & CPR certification

Tools

Use of Force training

Job description

We are committed to transforming lives and building safter communities by working collaboratively, communicating openly, and upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Our team models accountability, transparency, and respect, taking proactive steps to ensure the physical and emotional safety of youth, staff, and the community. We strive for excellence through continuous growth, thoughtful decision making, and mission driven collaboration, supporting one another while embracing challenges that lead to meaningful, long-term impact.

Job Description

Provides supervision and direct care for youth in a residential correctional facility. Works to help youth to achieve progress in learning and applying methods to identify and manage reactions to stress and trauma and react in more socially appropriate ways. Uses appropriate intervention methods in response to behavioral issues that seeks to aid in learning and correcting behavior. Maintains a consistent effort to ensure safe environments and employs security measures when youth, staff, or others are in danger. Interacts and engages with youth in ways that both maintain appropriate structure and exercise understanding of brain development in youth with complex trauma. Maintains healthy relationships and boundaries with youth and consistently recognizes progress and good choices made by youth.

Work involves facilitating youth rehabilitation, supervising youth, and coaching their personal development in accordance with individualized treatment plans. Works assigned shift, is subject to being on-call, and may be required to work in excess of 40 hours per work week. Occasional travel may be required.

Career Ladder Promotion Opportunity :This position is in the approved TJJD career ladder for Juvenile Correctional Officers. Personnel in this career ladder have the working title of Juvenile Correctional Officer (JCO).JCOs receive career ladder salary adjustments upon meeting established eligibility criteria per agency policy ( PRS.15.08 ) until they reach the top level of the ladder. Placement on the career ladder is dependent upon experience and education. Progression to the highest pay level on the career ladder is dependent upon experience and performance.

Pre-Service Training Academy Requirement:Newly hired JCOs or rehired JCOs who have been separated more than 18 months will be required to attend the pre-service training academy and complete on-the-job training on a full-time basis.JCOs who have worked for TJJD and return to employment within 18 months of their separation date are not required to attend the pre-service academy and will be placed in full-time status on their date of employment.

Levels of Work Performed by Career Ladder Level:

Juvenile Correctional Officer II:Performs moderately complex (journey-level) work under general supervision with limited latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Juvenile Correctional Officer III:Performs complex (journey-level) work under general supervision with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Juvenile Correctional Officer IV:Performs highly complex (senior-level) work under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

Engages in competency-based training in the techniques and capabilities needed to coach youth under the Texas Model of trauma-informed corrections.

Holds youth accountable in ways that fit the level of behavior, seeking to help youth to learn socially acceptable responses and approaches.

Uses good judgment in determining when safety is at risk and higher levels of intervention are required.

Helps youth to identify their responses to stress, fear, and other triggers and works with the youth to learn ways to increase emotional self-regulation skills.

Practices and models appropriate self-regulation skills and is able to remain calm during times of stress and crisis.

Gain a basic knowledge of each youth¿s treatment plan and provide support in learning the skills needed to meet those goals.

Coaches youth on how to resolve conflict with other youth and staff as appropriate.

Participates in the Youth Service Team and provides input into each youth¿s treatment plan; and is a responsible and supportive team member, who understands that an effective team is composed of reliable people who provide backup and support for their fellow team members and the facility as a whole.

Provides for a predictable schedule for youth that is transparent to them and provides warnings and prompts for all movements and transitions; and exercises independent judgment when the need arises to alter a schedule (while still maintaining transparency and warnings).

Implements and monitors youth activities, programs, and behaviors on an individual and group basis, to ensure healthy youth engagement and to provide appropriate role modeling for all youth.

Observes and keeps staff informed daily of significant behavioral and treatment-related conditions and events known about a youth and/or the group.

Provides services to potentially aggressive/combative youth in a correctional setting with a wide variety of temperaments (volatile, mentally ill, suicidal) and specialized needs (chemically dependent, sexual offenders, emotionally disturbed, etc.).

Physically restrains and secures, if necessary, sometimes aggressive youth and participates in follow up debriefing conversations to assess the relationship and determine alternative strategies to avoid future physical restraints.

Maintains security in buildings, grounds, and other posts; intervenes during emergencies or altercations to prevent escapes and protect the safety of all youth.

Conducts searches for contraband and health/safety hazards; performs room, property pat, and strip searches of youth as required.

Supervises assigned youth during all of their daily activities, including on the dorm, at school, during meals, and other activities; manages all movements between activities; conducts periodic headcounts; ensures youth engage in required activities; and transfers and transports youth, on foot, in vehicles, and other forms of transportation.

Maintains privacy and follows all policies, regulation, and laws in regards to youth records.

Completes and maintains required records, files, and forms in a timely and accurate way.

Performs a variety of related duties not listed, to be determined and assigned as needed.

Performs all duties in compliance with agency safety policies and procedures:

• Reports safety hazards and corrects hazards when possible.
• Completes required documentation in the event of an accident/injury within requested timeframes.

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency attendance and leave policies.

Will be required to travel up to 25% of the time.

Actively embody and support the Texas Model by demonstrating its core values in daily tasks and interactions with others.

Qualifications

Performs all duties in compliance with agency safety policies and procedures:

• Reports safety hazards and corrects hazards when possible.
• Completes required documentation in the event of an accident/injury within requested timeframes.

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency attendance and leave policies.

Will be required to travel up to 25% of the time.

Actively embody and support the Texas Model by demonstrating its core values in daily tasks and interactions with others.

Obtain and maintain certification in TJJD¿s Use of Force techniques, which requires physical restraint of juveniles.

Obtain and maintain certification in First Aid and CPR.

Failure to maintain required certification will result in termination of employment.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Knowledge of safety and security procedures and practices.
• Knowledge of general counseling and guidance techniques with adolescents.
• Knowledge of facility rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of individual and group behavior.
• Knowledge of child development and the role of the family.
• Knowledge of causes of juvenile delinquency and current methods of juvenile offender treatment.
• Ability to remain calm and regulate one¿s own behavior while helping to serve as a role model for youth who are learning to self-regulate their own behavior.
• Ability to maintain healthy and engaging relationships with youth while maintaining appropriate boundaries important for healthy development.
• Ability to work with youth in an empathetic and understanding manner with sustained positive interactions.
• Ability to communicate effectively with youth to foster youth cooperation in the treatment process.
• Ability to plan and implement youth programs.
• Ability to facilitate group discussions and activities.
• Ability to set limits on youth behaviors when appropriate in a consistent, firm and fair manner.
• Ability to intervene and redirect behavior.
• Ability to appropriately respond to abusive language and behavior in a manner consistent with instructions received in training.
• Ability to remain alert, observant, and physically able to respond appropriately to work situations or emergencies including, but not limited to, physical restraint of youth.
• Ability to learn verbal and physical crisis intervention/de-escalation techniques and emergency treatment procedures.
• Ability to maintain order and discipline.
• Ability to physically restrain youth, when necessary, in a manner consistent with instructions received in training.
• Ability to explain the progress of the youth to their family members and other treatment staff.
• Ability to interpret rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to accept and adapt to changes in assignments, methods, policies, etc.
• Ability to work collaboratively with all stakeholders and maintain a professional, courteous demeanor.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments; and meet deadlines.
• Ability to process information logically, make decisions, and demonstrate the soundness for those decisions.
• Ability to document observations and incidents and maintain written files and records.
• Ability to transport youth and travel as necessary.
• Ability to work a variety of shifts, weekends, holidays, and be on-call.
• Ability to work more than 40 hours per workweek, and travel, when required.

Physical Requirements

The following physical demands and working conditions are representative of those encountered when performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Analyzing

Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing

Ability to see

Ability to hear (with or without aid)

Ability to perform tactile discernment

Identifying colors

Depth perception

Operate motor equipment

Heavy lifting, 45 lbs. & over

Heavy carrying, 45 lbs. & over

Restraining combative youth

Pushing

Pulling

Repeated bending

Reaching above shoulder

Prolonged standing and walking

Walking

Standing

Twisting

Kneeling

Stooping

Dual simultaneous grasping

Climbing ladders

State of Texas Benefits and Retirement Information can be found at https://www.ers.texas.gov .Benefits include: Retirement plan, paid group health & life insurance for employee, paid holidays, paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, longevity pay, educational assistance program, employee assistance program. Optional add-on benefits include: Dental, Vision, Optional Life Insurance, Voluntary AD&D Insurance, Dependent Health & Life insurance, Health & Dependent care flexible spending accounts, etc. Additionally, certain designated positions are eligible for hazardous duty pay, career ladder advancements, and free meals while on duty.

In order to receive veteran¿s preference, a copy of your DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), VA disability rating (if applicable), or a DD Form 1300 (Report of Casualty) must be attached to your application.

Additional Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Code or Crosswalk information is available from the Texas State Auditor¿s Office at Administrative Support

Information Technology MOS Codes.

Planning, Research, and Statistics MOS Codes.

Education MOS Codes.

Accounting, Auditing, and Finance MOS Codes.

Inspectors and Investigators MOS Codes.

Program Management MOS Codes.

Human Resources MOS Codes.

Information and Communication MOS Codes.

Property Management and Procurement MOS Codes.

Engineering and Design MOS Codes.

Safety MOS Codes.

Employment MOS Codes.

Legal MOS Codes.

Medical and Health MOS Codes.

Criminal Justice MOS Codes.

Social Services MOS Codes.

Public Safety MOS Codes.

Custodial MOS Codes.

Maintenance MOS Codes.

If you are scheduled for an interview and require any reasonable accommodation in our interview process, please inform the hiring representative who calls you to schedule your interview. Whenever possible, please give the hiring representative sufficient time to consider and respond to your request.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Thank you for considering employment with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services.

SPONSORSHIP

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.