LICENSING SPECIALIST - CHILD CARE - 60034862 1

Florida; Ocala (FL); On-site; USD 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

Children and Families in Ocala, Florida is seeking a Licensing Specialist for the Child Care Regulation Program. The role involves acting as a technical advisor to childcare providers, ensuring compliance through inspections and handling inquiries, with collaboration across state agencies on health, safety and environmental matters.

The position requires travel and a mandatory pre-service training period out of town, reflecting the program’s commitment to rigorous licensing standards and

Job description

LICENSING SPECIALIST - CHILD CARE - 60034862 1

Date: Oct 19, 2026

Requisition No:885959

Agency: Children and Families

Working Title: LICENSING SPECIALIST - CHILD CARE - 60034862 1

This position will work in Hernando County. The office location is in Ocala, Florida.

The licensing counselor is the authorized agent of the Department responsible for performing the day-to-day regulatory activities of the Child Care Regulation Program. The duties of the licensing counselor are many and varied and include (but are not limited to): serving as a technical advisor/consultant to prospective and existing child care providers, ensuring compliance with licensing standards by conducting regular inspections and those resulting from a complaint, and handling those inquiries not completed at the clerical level. Each licensing counselor is expected to be fully familiar with those laws (state and federal), administrative rules, and policies that affect the Child Care Regulation Program (described in this chapter). The licensing counselor will often be required to coordinate and collaborate with staff of other programs within the Department and with staff of other agencies that have regulatory authority relating to childcare providers. Examples of this include environmental health issues, inspections by community health nurses, fire inspections, resource and referral functions, background screening, and complaint referrals and investigations. The licensing counselor is responsible for maintaining a complete and accurate file for each licensed childcare facility and family day care home (registered or licensed) assigned to his or her caseload. Finally, it is the responsibility of each childcare licensing counselor to inform his or her supervisor in a timely manner of any issue that may be elevated to their level of responsibility. State Bi-weekly pay is 1396.81.

Position requires travel and mandatory 3 weeks of pre-service training out of town for a week at a time to attend pre-service.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes,candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here . All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.

Location

OCALA, FL, US, 32674 BROOKSVILLE, FL, US, 34602 OCALA, FL, US, 34470 BROOKSVILLE, FL, US, 34604 OCALA, FL, US, 34473 HERNANDO, FL, US, 34442 OCALA, FL, US, 34479 BROOKSVILLE, FL, US, 34601 OCALA, FL, US, 34474 BROOKSVILLE, FL, US, 34609 SPRING HILL, FL, US, 34606 BRYCEVILLE, FL, US, 32009 OCALA, FL, US, 34472 OCALA, FL, US, 34475 OCALA, FL, US, 34478 OCALA, FL, US, 33474 OCALA, FL, US, 34482 BROOKSVILLE, FL, US, 34614 OCALA, FL, US, 34471

For assistance, call the People First Service Center at [phone] Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time. Pursuant to Florida Law, 110.211 F. S., the State of Florida is an EEO employer.