YOUTH CORRECTIONS OFFICER - (ENTRY LEVEL) - KAILUA, OAHU

State of Hawaiʻi; Hawaii; On-site; USD 58,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The State of Hawai‘i, Department of Human Services, seeks a Security Officer at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in Kailua to maintain care, custody, and control of juvenile wards and perform security duties on an assigned post.

The role requires 24‑hour rotating shifts, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and a valid Hawaii driver’s license; minimum education is a high school diploma with English proficiency; extensive suitability background checks apply.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or equivalent with English proficiency.
• Ability to follow instructions and work with others.
• Good oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintains care, custody and control of juvenile wards in a correctional setting and performs security duties.
• Assists in adjustment and redirection of wards and ensures safety on assigned posts.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Follow instructions

Written communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Driver's license

Job description

Recruitment Information

Recruitment Number 26-0361

This vacancy is with the Department of Human Services and is located at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in Kailua

Salary: $5,752 (Effective July 1, 2026)

Rotating Shift Work: All applicants must be available to work rotating shifts, including evening, weekends and holidays.

Duties Summary

Maintains care, custody and control, and assists in the adjustment and redirection of juvenile wards in a youth CORRECTONAL setting and performs security duties for an assigned post, and performs other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule

Applicants must be able to work 24-hour rotating shifts, including weekends, evenings, holidays, and mandatory overtime. The work shifts are 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Minimum Qualification Requirements

To qualify, you must meet all of the following requirements:

Legal Authorization To Work

The State of Hawaii requires all persons seeking employment with the government of the State shall be citizens, nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United States, or eligible under federal law for unrestricted employment in the United States.

Education

Graduation from high school or equivalent, with satisfactory completion of courses demonstrating knowledge of spoken and written English, including grammar.

General Experience

One (1) year of progressively responsible work experience that demonstrated the ability to follow instructions, learn and apply work procedures, work effectively with other people, and communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Specialized Experience

Six (6) months of either A or B below

• Work experience (paid or unpaid) which demonstrated knowledge of adolescent behavior, concerns, interests and the ability to discuss with them their concerns and problems. Qualifying experience may have been gained through part-time or unpaid work. There must, however, be evidence that work was performed on a continuous basis but not necessarily on a full-time, normal-work basis, e.g., a part-time or volunteer coach for a football team.


• Work experience in an institution which involved maintaining security and effective relationships with residents.

Note: The Specialized Experience and General Experience may have been gained concurrently.

Substitutions Allowed

Relevant substitutions as described in the Minimum Qualification Requirements, will apply.

License

A valid driver's license is required at the time of appointment.

Special Requirements

For certain positions, applicants must be females per Bona Fide Occupational Qualification requirements.

Suitability Investigations

For this recruitment, the State Department of the Attorney General will conduct a thorough investigation of an applicants' personal suitability for employment before being hired. Only applicants selected for hire will be required to complete and submit the following forms prior to their employment start date:

• The Waiver of Liability and Release Form. (This form must be signed and dated by a witness.)


• The Applicant's Personal History Questionnaire Form. For this form, you must list 6 references (3 relatives and 3 non-relatives), provide complete names, addresses, and phone numbers for all references.

If you refuse to submit the above information or the completed forms, your selection for hire will be rescinded.

Other Requirements

• Be able to work 24-hour rotating shifts, seven days a week, including all holidays.


• Possess a valid State of Hawaii Driver's License, Type 3 at the time of appointment.


• Possess emotional and mental stability appropriate to the job duties and responsiilities and working conditions.


• Posses traits and characteristics required to perform the essential duties of the position.


• Attend work regularly.

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Requirement

As required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA), Federal law states that \"...an agency shall not hire or promote anyone who may have contact with inmates and who:

• Has engaged in sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility or other institution.


• Has been convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse.


• Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described in #2 above.


• Has been the subject of substantiated allegations of sexual abuse or sexual harassment or resigned during a pending investigation of alleged sexual abuse or sexual harassment.

Note: Pursuant to PREA and HRS 352-5.5, prospective staff members of the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility must receive clearances in the following areas prior to commencing employment: a) Fingerprint and name inquiries into the state and national criminal history files; b) Protective service registry checks; c) Employment background checks, including PREA institution employment checks; and d) Comprehensive background character reference checks.

Other Information

The State of Hawai'i complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations in completing an application, any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please call 808-587-1111 for assistance.

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF) PROGRAM

The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer. For more information, please click: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service

ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS

The Department of Human Resources Development (HRD) will use electronic mail (email) to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of their applications as part of our ongoing efforts to increase operational efficiency, promote the conservation of green resources, and minimize delays and costs.

Please ensure that the email address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails or fail to check your email-box in a timely manner. In addition, please be aware that you may no longer receive notification about applications submitted if you choose to disable the Job Application Emails feature in your Account Settings.

TESTING INFORMATION

The examination for this recruitment will be conducted on an unassembled basis where the examination score is based on an evaluation and rating of your education and experience. It is therefore important that your employment application provide a clear and detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of each position you held.

In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawaii may be required at the discretion of the hiring agency. If in-person interviews and/or further testing is a requirement, applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are referred to the vacancy must be available to participate in person and at their own expense in this required phase of the selection process.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. In addition to employment availability and score, the referral of qualified applicants may be based upon other factors including date of receipt of application.