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Texas Juvenile Justice Department seeks a senior Juvenile Correctional Officer to oversee a residential unit, mentor correctional staff, and ensure safety for youth and staff. The role includes training, dorm management, and coaching youth development in alignment with treatment plans.
Responsibilities include incident response, records management, and collaboration with Youth Service Teams to support behavioral change and program compliance.
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.
Performs highly complex (senior-level) work overseeing correctional staff who provide direct care to juveniles in a correctional residential facility.Work involves overseeing the daily operations of a juvenile residential unit; supporting and mentoring correctional officers on their unit; ensuring the safety and security of youth and staff; and working directly with youth, coaching their personal development in accordance with their treatment plans.May plan, assign, and/or supervise the work of others. Responsible for the development of the JCOs on the dorm and for ensuring JCOs are trained appropriately on dorm and youth management.
Provides on the job training to new JCOs assigned to their unit. 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.Responds appropriately to youth grievances.May act as Campus Shift Administrator.
Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgement. Works assigned shift; and may be required to work in excess of 40 hours per work week, be on-call, and occasional travel.
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 will not have to attend the pre-service academy and will be placed in full-time status on their date of employment.
Provides on the job training to Juvenile Correctional Officers on their assigned unit. Teaches dorm operations and role models appropriate methods and interventions.
Responsible for ensuring Juvenile Correctional Officers complete dorm modules and are ready to be sole supervision certified.
Coaches and models appropriate youth engagement and dorm management techniques to other JCOs and staff.
Works along with the dorm leadership to identify retention trends and applies retention and support strategies for JCOs on their unit.
Provides behavior change strategies with youth to increase youth positive, skillful behavior.
Holds youth accountable by working with youth on behavior protocols and to coach the youth to use identified DBT Skills. Models intervention strategies for other staff on the dorm.
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. Coaches youth on how to resolve conflict with other youth and staff as appropriate.
Practices and models appropriate regulation and situational awareness skills and is able to remain calm during times of stress and crisis. Helps JCOs identify and utilize their own self-regulation skills so they are equipped to co-regulate youth.
Fully understands the youths target behavior, reinforcers, specific skill focus, behavior change strategies, and safety needs. Supports staff to have a working knowledge of these factors.
Participates in the Youth Service Team and provides input into each youth's treatment plan
Observes and keeps staff informed daily of significant behavioral and treatment-related conditions and events known about a youth and/or the group.
Performs all essential duties of a juvenile correctional officer and models competency for JCOs on their unit.
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.
Approves/denies timesheets by deadline to ensure staff are paid timely and accurately.
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:
Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency attendance and leave policies.
Expected to have an understanding of TJJD's treatment programs for the youth including Texas Model 2.0 and be able to evaluate application of the Model by TJJD staff when visiting/auditing facilities and positions where youth are supervised.
Must be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent. One year of full-time wage-earning experience supervising or providing rehabilitation/treatment services to youth or adults in a treatment program, correctional program, or a residential setting (e.g., correctional officer, case manager, counselor, or probation or parole officer).
OR
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
College degree or coursework.
Two years of full-time wage-earning experience supervising or providing rehabilitation/treatment services to youth or adults in a treatment program, correctional program, or a residential setting (e.g., correctional officer, case manager, counselor, or probation or parole officer)
Experience and Education Substitutions:
Note:Any degree, diploma, high school equivalent, or course hours required to meet minimum qualifications must be obtained from an accredited educational institution.
Applicants with the following will not be considered:
Convicted or received deferred adjudication for any felony.
Convicted or received deferred adjudication for domestic violence involving a family member including non-spouse partners.
Convicted or received deferred adjudication for official oppression.
Current requirement to register as a sex offender.
Arrested for a disqualifying offense that was not expunged before the statute of limitations expired.
Outstanding warrant.
Applicants with other arrests, deferred adjudications, and convictions may be reviewed on a case-by‑case basis to determine suitability for employment.
Pre-employment conditions require acceptable results from mandatory:
pre-employment drug test;
finger printing, criminal records check, and driving record check;
Fitness-for-Duty Assessment which may include both physical and behavioural evaluations.
Requirements for Continued Employment:
Obtain and maintain certification in TJJD 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.
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
Pulling
Pushing
Prolonged standing and walking
Walking
Standing
Repeated bending
Reaching above shoulder
Dual simultaneous grasping
Twisting
Kneeling
Stooping
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, and career ladder advancements.
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.
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.
Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls.
If you submitted your application through the CAPPS Career Center you may also check the status of your application by accessing your profile and selecting My Job Applications on the three-dot menu in the top right corner.
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
Thank you for considering employment with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
SPONSORSHIP
Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship.