On-Call Juvenile Custody Services Specialist

Multnomah County; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 43,000 - 56,000; Part time

Job summary

Multnomah County is seeking On-Call Juvenile Custody Services Specialists to supervise and care for youth in the Juvenile Detention Facility in Portland, OR. The role focuses on safety, guidance, and pro-social development, including group activities and record-keeping.

On-Call JCSS must complete a 144-hour paid training in 30 days and may work up to 40 hours per week as essential personnel. A valid driver’s license and background check are required.

Qualifications

• Education: Associate's degree or equivalent in child psychology, sociology, or a related field.
• Experience: Two years working with at-risk youth (12-18) in detention or youth settings.
• Physical ability to respond to crisis situations, including using restraints if necessary.
• Must pass a thorough background investigation and have a valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Conduct behavior observations and assessments of youth detainees and groups.
• Prepare detailed incident reports and daily behavior summaries.
• Assist with intake and support preliminary hearings; manage youth belongings.
• Ensure safety and security of the detention facility.
• Deliver pro-social skill-building activities for youth and groups.
• Supervise volunteers and contractors during activities.
• Explain facility rules and behavior level system to new admitted youth.
• Introduce youth to daily routines and available programs and services.
• Respond to crisis situations and de-escalate as needed; may involve restraints.
• Staff are Essential Personnel and may work up to 40 hours per week.

Skills

De-escalation

Crisis response

Teamwork

Education

Associate's degree or equivalent in child psychology/sociology or related field

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field

Job description

Job Details

Pay Range: $31.18 - $41.51 Hourly

Department: Department of Community Justice (DCJ)

Job Type: On-Call

Exemption Status: United States of America (Non-Exempt)

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified): October 01, 2026

Opportunity Overview

Do you have a passion to help youth involved in the juvenile justice system? Do you want to make a difference in their lives and the lives of their families? Do you believe that all youth are capable of turning their lives around? Are you passionate about helping others? Do you thrive when working on a team? If you answered "yes" to these questions, we want you to join our team as an On-Call Juvenile Custody Services Specialist!

The Department of Community Justice Juvenile Detention is seeking committed, enthusiastic and compassionate On-Call Juvenile Custody Services Specialists (JCSS) to serve a critical, operational role within the Juvenile Detention Facility. Working with culturally diverse juveniles, you will be responsible for the guidance, supervision, security, safety and general care of youth who present a variety of behavioral, cognitive, emotional and intellectual challenges. This work includes group and recreational programming, facilitation of cognitive skill groups, and fostering pro-social behavior. Documentation, accurate record keeping, and report writing are critical to this role. The Detention Facility Using an interactive model of supervision, we place particular emphasis on skill development, engaging youth in prosocial development, cognitive restructuring programming, leisure time activities, personal hygiene, and enrichment activities.

Duties

• Conduct behavior observations and assessments of individual youth detainees and groups of detained youth through active supervision which is the intentional and focused monitoring of youth in custody utilizing the components of movement within the environment, situational awareness, and frequent pro-social youth interactions.
• Prepare detailed incident reports for incidents that occur, daily individual behavior summaries of youth, and both verbal and written daily unit and shift reports, individual youth records, and for juvenile counselors/workers and/or court purposes.
• Assist with the intake process of juveniles into the facility and support preliminary hearings. Staff may be expected to collect and secure youth’s personal belongings, supervise and manage juveniles prior to screening to determine if youth will be admitted into the detention facility.
• Ensure the safety and security of the detention facility at all times.
• Expected to deliver pro-social role modeling and facilitate skill-building activities for individual youth and groups of detained youth through skill groups with an emphasis on developing pro-social behaviors and skills.
• Supervise volunteers and/or contractors while they facilitate skill-building activities for individual youth and groups of detached youth.
• May assist with orientation of newly admitted youth to the juvenile detention facility by explaining facility rules and the facility behavior level system.
• Staff are expected to introduce youth to the structure of daily routines, outlining the expectations for behavior and providing information to youth on available programs and services.
• Staff will also ensure youth understand the importance of their safety, rights, and responsibilities within the detention facility.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• All On-Call Juvenile Custody Services Specialists must have the ability to use verbal skills to de-escalate volatile situations. You must also be able and willing to respond to crisis situations, including physically intervening with youth who may be violently acting out; this may involve the use of restraints.
• All On-Call Juvenile Custody Services Specialists must have the ability to regularly go up and down stairs.
• All JCSS staff are Essential Personnel that are required to be at work when scheduled, regardless of inclement weather or building closures. On-Call JCSS are eligible to work up to 40 hours per week.

Training Program

• All new On-Call JCSS complete a robust 144-hour paid training program during their first 30 days:
• Classroom & Hands-On Instruction (80 Hours): Master the fundamentals during an intensive, 10-day consecutive onboarding program (8 hours per day) blending theory with practical, hands-on safety skills.
• On-the-Job Training (56 Hours): Transition smoothly into the facility by shadowing designated, veteran trainers who will guide you through real-world scenarios. Must be completed within your first 30 days.
• Digital Onboarding (8 Hours): Complete essential computer-based learning required for all Juvenile Service Division (JSD) personnel.
• Come Find Your Why! (video)

Workforce Equity

At Multnomah County we are committed to maintaining an effective, respectful and inclusive workplace. We value collaborative problem solving and strive for continuous improvement. We strongly believe in workforce equity, diversity and inclusion. Visit our Workforce Equity Strategies Plan (WESP) to see where Multnomah County is headed with these values.

Department of Community Justice

Vision: Community Safety through Positive Change. The Department of Community Justice (DCJ) is recognized as a national leader in both adult and juvenile community justice. DCJ routinely consults and makes use of evidence-based practices in our program and policy development. The Department's commitment to data-informed decision-making has led DCJ to make smart investments of taxpayer dollars in supervision, sanctions, and services for the county's highest risk and highest need justice-involved individuals. DCJ makes long-term investments in its employees through the provision of education and training. The Department believes that in order to enhance public safety we must work collaboratively with the judiciary, law enforcement, schools, treatment agencies, and the community. The Department shares information with community members, partners, and staff to keep communities safe by preventing and reducing crime and routinely evaluating which local policies support best practices. DCJ operates 24 hours a day, with nearly 650 regular, on-call, and temporary employees. DCJ supervises justice-involved individuals and those defendants requiring pretrial services. DCJ's Juvenile Services Division operates the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Facility and is responsible for youth on formal and informal community supervision. More general information about the Department of Community Justice including our mission, vision, and strategies can be found at: www.multco.us/dcj.

To Qualify

We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant.

Minimum Qualifications / Transferable Skills

• Education: Associate's degree or equivalent with major coursework in child psychology, sociology, or a related field, AND; Required Experience: Two (2) years of responsible experience working with at-risk youth (12-18) in one of the following environments (Bachelor's degree may substitute for 1 year of the required experience): Detention or youth correctional facility Youth residential setting Setting that provides programming for at-risk youth Successful completion of a battery of psychological tests / psychological evaluation.
• Physical ability to respond to crisis situations with the youth, including violent exchanges, and must regularly climb up and down stairs.
• Must pass a thorough background investigation which includes, but is not limited to, a review of applicant’s criminal, civil, driving, military, educational and employment history prior to employment.
• Valid driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications / Transferable Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Group facilitation skills.
• Experience working in an alcohol and drug treatment facility or program.
• Experience working with justice involved youth (12-18).
• Experience working in a mental health treatment facility or program.
• Exceptional skill with Google calendar / documents and electronic record keeping.
• Training or education in trauma informed care and adolescent brain development.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.

Screening and Evaluation

The Application Packet: Please be sure to provide all the required materials below in your application submission: A completed online application ( *If you have worked or volunteered on an on-call or part-time basis, please include the total number of hours worked for each position*) Resume - Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant and how you meet the qualifications.

The Selection Process: For details about how we typically screen applications, review our overview of the selection process page. We expect to evaluate candidates for this recruitment as follows: Initial review of minimum qualifications Phone screen, oral exam or written exam may be used to determine the most qualified candidates Consideration of top candidates/interviews. Background, reference, and education checks Psychological Evaluation.

Equal Pay

Pay range listed for this position is intended to provide general guidance on the earning potential for the role. However, actual compensation will be determined in accordance with the Oregon Equal Pay Law and will consider factors such as the candidate's relevant experience and education. Candidates should expect that initial offers will be made within the listed pay range and may not be at or near the top of the range.

Additional Information

Type of Position: This hourly On-Call position is eligible for overtime. Type: Represented - Local 88-6 AFSCME AFL-CIO (Juvenile Custody Services Specialists Unit) FLSA: Non-Exempt Schedule: 24/7 operation; variable schedules including weekends, swing, night or relief schedules, or a mixture of these.

Location: Onsite at the Juvenile Justice Complex-Detention Center @ 1401 NE 68th Ave Portland, OR 97213

This recruitment will be used to fill any current and future On Call positions while the eligible for hire list is active. In accordance with Oregon Law, Multnomah County is not collecting school attendance dates in the initial application process; please do not include these dates in your resume, cover letter and other application materials.

Diversity and Inclusion

We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals. Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process.

Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711.

Career At Multnomah County

We provide a wide array of essential services including health, community justice, roads, elections, libraries, jails, bridges, tax and assessment, marriage licenses, animal services, mental health and addiction services and more. Our organization’s top priority is to meet the many needs of our residents. Learn more about who we are, what we do, and why it matters.