Juvenile Justice Specialist Trainee - North East Secure Treatment Unit, Luzerne County

Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania; Langdon (PA); On-site; USD 44,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Department of Human Services, Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services, invites applications for Juvenile Justice Specialist Trainee at the North East Secure Treatment Unit in Pittston. The six‑month program provides classroom instruction and hands‑on experience under close supervision to build skills supporting adjudicated youth.

Starting salary is $21.22 per hour; after successful completion you become a Juvenile Justice Specialist at $27.69 per hour, with full

Qualifications

• Must be at least 21 years old at time of application.
• PA residency requirement is waived for this title.
• Must be able to perform essential job functions.
• Conditional offer requires satisfactory criminal history reports (PA State Police, PA Child Abuse history, FBI).
• Medical exam and drug screening required before employment.

Responsibilities

• Attend formal classroom sessions and complete learning activities.
• Assist adjudicated youth in hygiene, meals, recreation, and programs.
• Follow safety procedures for security and crisis response.
• Participate in meetings and contribute to planning.
• Complete logs, forms, and progress reports.
• Act prudently in crisis situations and maintain order.

Skills

Youth support

Crisis response

Team engagement

Record keeping

Safety procedures

Job description

Salary

$44,273.00 - $57,772.00 Annually

Location

Luzerne County, PA

Job Type

Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

Job Number

CS-2026-58695-41785

Department

Department of Human Services

Division

HS Bur Juv Jus Srvs Estrn Rgn

Opening Date

09/16/2026

Closing Date

9/29/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Code

41785

Position Number

Multiple positions may be filled from this posting.

Union

AFSCME

Bargaining Unit

N1

Pay Group

ST03

Bureau / Division Code

00210783

Bureau / Division

Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services / Eastern Region

Worksite Address

North East Secure Treatment Unit

City

Pittston, Pennsylvania

Zip Code

18640

Contact Name

HHS Intake Section

Contact Email

[e-mail]

THE POSITION

Join the North East Secure Treatment Unit as a Juvenile Justice Specialist Trainee with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services. This is your chance to build strong skills while helping young people make better choices. In this role, you will learn from experienced staff and grow into a trusted support for youth in need. Take the first step toward a meaningful career that creates real change.

Successful completion of the six-month training program results in a promotion to a Juvenile Justice Specialist with an increase in salary!

Watch this video to see how you can make a difference!

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This role prepares you to grow into a Juvenile Justice Specialist through 6 months of classroom instruction and hands‑on experience. You will build the skills needed to support and guide young people while working under close supervision.

As a Juvenile Justice Specialist Trainee, you will perform the following duties:

• Training Participation: Attend formal classroom sessions and complete assigned learning activities
• Youth Support: Assist adjudicated youth in hygiene, meals, recreation, work tasks, and structured programs
• Safety Practices: Follow procedures for security, crisis response, and safe facility operations
• Team Engagement: Participate in meetings and contribute to group planning and discussions
• Record Keeping: Complete logs, forms, and reports to document daily observations and progress
• Crisis Response: Act prudently in crisis situations and apply trained techniques to maintain order

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding the duties of this position may be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment.
• The current starting salary for the Juvenile Justice Specialist Trainee position is $21.22 / hour. Upon successful completion of the six month trainee program you will be promoted to a Juvenile Justice Specialist with a salary of $27.69 / hour.
• Department of Human Services provides excellent benefits, contractual pay increases, paid holidays and leave entitlements, opportunity for advancement and shift selection in addition to a great work environment.
• Shift work in a 24/7/365 operation, including holidays and weekends. 8-hour shifts with no duty-free lunch. Shifts normally consist of 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM, 3:00 PM - 11:00 PM, and 11:00 PM - 7:00 AM.
  • 5-day work week with 2 days off.
• Must be willing to work in Pittston, Luzerne County
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $44,273.00 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS

Necessary Special Requirement:

• You must be at least 21 years old at the time of application.

Other Requirements:

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.
• A conditional offer of employment will require satisfactory completion of a medical examination and a drug screening test.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. *7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.

• Your results will be provided via email.