Juvenile Program Specialist : Long Creek Youth Development Center- EMPLOYMENT REGISTER

State of Maine; South Portland (ME); On-site; USD 57,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Pension Plan

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Job summary

State of Maine's Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland is seeking a Juvenile Program Specialist to supervise and support treatment, rehabilitation, and educational programs for youth in custody.

You will direct staff, coordinate activities, and model professional behavior while ensuring safety, security, and compassionate care within a structured juvenile facility. The role includes leading teams, evaluating progress, and maintaining documentation for treatment plans and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Education, training, and/or experience in correctional programs or supervision required.
• Basic Corrections Certification required prior to permanent status.

Responsibilities

• Direct care and supervision of juveniles in a correctional setting.
• Lead Juvenile Program Workers and volunteers to support treatment plans.
• Assist in educational and vocational programs for residents.
• Ensure safety, order, and compliance with facility rules and procedures.

Education

Basic Corrections Certification

Job description

CERT: Juvenile Program Specialist - Long Creek Youth Development Center, South Portland. EMPLOYMENT REGISTER.

Grade 19: $27.41/hr to $35.29/hr

(rate includes $1.00 Direct Care Stipend)
Job Class Code: 5217
Open: October 7, 2026
Close: October 21, 2026

MDOC is destigmatizing corrections for the betterment of all Maine communities. Through the ‘Maine Model of Corrections’, we promote the safety of our staff and residents while reducing barriers to meaningful rehabilitative opportunities. We facilitate restorative justice practices that equip justice-involved residents and clients with the skills they need to become contributing members of society upon release, including treatment, education, and job training. We are committed to rebuilding lives and are searching for great team players with a professional attitude, well-developed integrity, and ethics to join us in this mission.

The Bureau of Human Resources is accepting applications to establish a register to fill a vacancy at the Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland. This is paraprofessional support work as a working supervisor involving the interaction, care, security, treatment, and rehabilitation of juveniles committed to a correctional facility.

Responsibilities include providing direct care, modeling appropriate behavior, attitude, ethics, and morals, and implementing rehabilitative, protective, treatment, and behavioral health programs and services. As distinguishing characteristics from the Juvenile Program Workers, employees in the classification provide leadership to evaluate and supervise Juvenile Program Workers, assist in educational programs, and facilitate treatment groups.

This classification is distinguished from traditional correctional officers in that the primary focus of this work involves the treatment, rehabilitation, and behavior modification of troubled youth. Work is performed under limited supervision.

Typical Duties

• Directs, assigns, and supervises Juvenile Program Workers and volunteers in order to ensure proper care, custody, and follow-through on group and individual treatment plans and activities of residents assigned to the unit.
• Evaluates subordinates’ performance, examines task outcome against job standards, and discusses evaluation with employees in order to keep employee informed of progress, provide motivation, fairly and objectively document levels of achievement, recommend approval or denial of merit increase/promotion, recommend discipline (up to and including termination), and ensure maintenance of a competent and effective workforce.
• Accompanies and remains with students in classrooms and workshops and assists teachers/instructors in training/instructing students following established lesson plans, guidelines, and instructions in order to provide for the educational and/or vocational training needs of students and to intervene when necessary to control student behavior.
• Implements and actively participates in individual and group treatment programs and activities in order to promote resident rehabilitation and support treatment programs. Documents observations and prepares reports concerning individual and group interaction, participation, and progress made in treatment programs in order to provide professional and supervisory staff with accurate data for continuation or modification of treatment programs and activities.
• Communicates with residents exhibiting behavioral problems, interpersonal conflicts, and noncompliance with rules; and redirects behavior, deescalates situations, and describes possible consequences in order to engage in appropriate treatment intervention, and to assist residents in meeting appropriate standards of behavior.
• Mentors and acts a role model of appropriate behavior, attitude, ethics, and morals in order to encourage positive social change and promote a normative culture within the correctional facility’s total learning environment.
• Supervises, guides, and motivates residents to maintain living quarters in order to instill in residents a sense of responsibility and pride in proper care and to provide a pleasant, hygienic, and safe living environment.
• Attends and participates in unit treatment team meetings, and reports on observed resident behaviors, participation levels, and progress toward treatment plan objectives in order to provide information and assist in the rehabilitation process.
• Interprets situational requirements and implements approved intervention techniques in order to ensure safety, order, and security of the facility.
• Supervises and participates in searches and inspections of beds, lockers, living areas, buildings, and grounds in order to oversee subordinates; to ensure residents’ compliance with rules, regulations, and standards; and to prevent introduction and possession of contraband.
• Transports and accompanies residents to court and other appointments and activities in order to ensure residents arrive safely and securely at designated destinations at the appointed time.
• Attends and participates in in-service training sessions, workshops, and staff meetings in order to acquire additional knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Implements and complies with human resource laws, policies, procedures, and practices, such as: AA/EEO, recruitment, employment, position classification, performance appraisals, training, discipline, contract administration, human resource components of security protocols of agency information security and confidentiality policies, and employee safety in order to ensure fair and equal treatment of personnel.

A full description of the job, plus all of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for this work, can be found on the Bureau of Human Resources website.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

In order to qualify, you must have Education, training, and/or experience that would provide a working knowledge of correctional programs, adolescent treatment -OR- experience in the supervision of a team in a structured setting

LICENSING/REGISTRATION/CERTIFICATIONREQUIREMENTS:

(These must be met by all employees prior to attaining permanent status in this class). -Basic Corrections Certification.

REVIEW PROCESS:

The information you provide with your application (resume, cover letter, work history, supplemental questions etc.)will be compared to criteria developed by experts who are familiar with this job and its requirements to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for this position. If you have met the minimum qualifications, you will be placed on a register for this job classification with the Bureau of Human Resources. Certification to Vacancies: Eligibility lists for each classification are comprised of applicants who have successfully completed all phases of the examination process. When a request to fill a vacancy is received, the names of the eligible candidates will be sent to the requesting agency. The normal order of referral is: Employees on lay-off status from Maine State Government Current employees of the hiring agency Current Maine State Employees in other hiring agencies Candidates on reemployment status (former Maine State Employees) Candidates not currently employed by the State of Maine.

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

• Work-Life Fit– Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using13 paid holidays,12 days of sick leave, and3+ weeks of vacation leaveannually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
• Health Insurance Coverage– The State of Maine pays85%-95%of employee-only premiums ($11,857.68-$13,252.80 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find thepremium costsfor you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
• Dental Insurance– The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($365.28 annual value).
• Retirement Plan– The State contributes the equivalent of 19% of the employee’s pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).
• Parental leaveis one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including non-birthing parents and adoptive parents—receivesix weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under theFamily and Medical Leave Act.
• State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.

Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There’s a job and then there’s purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.