This position is located at Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh, Oklahoma.

A Career with Purpose

The Office of Juvenile Affairs is seeking a Resident Care Specialist to provide care, custody, and security for at-risk youth at Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. As a Hope-centered agency the Office of Juvenile Affairs is focused on recognizing strengths, promoting resilience, and building a future-oriented mindset in both staff and residents. Previous security experience working with juveniles in a residential care and treatment facility is a plus.

SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL AVAILABLE - Earn an additional $2.50/hour

Shift Differential Opportunities:

• Earn an additional $2.50/hour when working 2nd or 3rd shift, Monday-Friday
• Earn an additional $2.50/hour when working any shift on Saturday or Sunday
• Shift differential applies to hours actually worked

Basic Purpose

Positions in this job family are involved in providing direct care, supervision and security, transportation, and role modeling to adjudicated youth in the custody of the juvenile justice system. This will include providing paraprofessional guidance and counseling to residents, interventions to control aggressive behaviors, documentation of behaviors and activities, and monitoring and moderation of resident behavior.

Education and Experience

RCS I

All direct-care staff shall be at least 21 years of age and possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.

RCS II

Requirements at this level consist of those identified at Level I and the completion of thirty semester hours from an accredited college or university: or one year of security experience

Work Schedule

Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center is a 24-hour facility. This position is subject to shift work and applicants must be willing to work any shift as needed to provide coverage. Overtime may be required if necessary to maintain the facility.

1st Shift 6:00am to 2:00pm

2nd Shift 2:00pm to 10:00pm

3rd Shift 10:00pm to 6:00am

Additional Pay Opportunities

Employees working 2nd or 3rd shift, Monday-Friday receive an additional $2.50/hour shift differential. Employees working any shift on Saturday or Sunday also receive an additional $2.50/hour shift differential.

Typical Functions

• Provides security and supervision to adjudicated residents in a variety of situations and activities.
• Performs routine duties in care, custody, education, and treatment of residents; observes, records, and reports health symptoms, behavior, and activity of residents.
• Manages aggressive and non-aggressive behavior through verbal and physical intervention using prescribed and approved techniques; quickly responds to physical assaults, riots, and other emergency situations.
• Conducts count of residents and enforces institutional rules and regulations; observes resident and staff activities on multiple surveillance monitor screens.
• Provides paraprofessional counseling and instruction to residents by directing their daily activities, maintaining order, providing support, and helping them develop and achieve personal goals; serves on a treatment team to review residents’ progress, treatment and educational plans; serves as a group leader by reviewing and assessing the adjustment and functioning of a group of residents.
• Inspects the facility's living areas and work locations to ensure health and safety standards are being met, conducts searches for unauthorized objects, materials, and contraband; maintains security in an assigned area or post; controls movement of residents to and from living quarters for activities and off-campus appointments; maintains order and discipline during programs, meals, and recreation periods by utilizing empathic verbal communication skills.
• Patrols facility grounds, juvenile living quarters and work areas on an assigned shift while observing the activities and movements of residents; checks authorized persons in or out of buildings and grounds area while assuring unauthorized persons are denied access.
• Checks the physical security of the facility, including doors, windows, and lighting.
• Completes written and/or typed reports on a variety of incidents and residents' behaviors; sends and receives verbal transmissions over a hand-held radio; maintains a written log of daily facility activities; communicates by telephone with emergency responder agencies in crisis situations.
• Provide safe and secure transport services for OJA custody youth to and from placement, juvenile detention centers, court hearings, and various other appointments such as medical, dental and mental health evaluations.
• Will have responsibility for GPS monitoring, tracking, inventory and documentation in assigned areas.
• Other high risk transportation duties as assigned and specified through the Performance Management Process (PMP).
• Assists other OJA employees as needed/other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Competencies

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required at this level include knowledge of security methods; of basic human physical and psychological needs; of basic first aid methods; of crisis intervention techniques; of simple health and safety precautions; of behavioral problems typically found in delinquent residents; of methods and practices of household management; of environments and events that impact the problems of youth in custody; and of state statutes and agency policies concerning care of residents in secure facilities. Ability is required to interact with juveniles; to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; to follow written and oral instructions; to gather facts and effectively communicate those facts in reports; to positively interact with residents of various racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; to remain alert and act quickly and appropriately in emergency situations; to physically and appropriately handle escapees and violent or unruly juvenile residents; and to exercise good judgment in the evaluation of situations and in making decisions.

Why you’ll love it here!

HOPE. COMPASSION. COMMITMENT. As a Hope-centered agency the Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs (OJA) strives to provide Oklahoma youth and families the resources and support they need to reach their full potential. Our mission is to collaborate with youth, families, and community partners to create pathways for success through prevention and treatment for all Oklahoma Youth. Check out why we are passionate about juvenile affairs and believe it is the career for you!!!

Extensive Benefits: We know that benefits matter and that is why we offer a competitive benefits package for all eligible employees.

• Generous state paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums.
• A wide choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations.
• Flexible spending accounts for health care expenses and/or dependent care.
• Retirement Savings Plan with a generous match.
• 15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave the first year for full time employees.
• 11 paid holidays a year.
• Student Loan repayment options
• Employee discounts with a variety of companies and venders.
• Longevity Bonus for years of service

Special Requirements

Applicants must be willing and able to perform all job-related travel normally associated with this position, possess a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at time of appointment and be willing to be on-call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The Office of Juvenile Affairs has determined that some positions in this job family are safety sensitive as defined by 63 O.S. § 427.8.

Must be able to pass background check, fingerprints, and drug screening.

A trial period of 12 months will be required.

About Us: Our vision is that all Oklahoma youth and families have the resources and supports they need to reach their full potential. We collaborate with youth, families, and community partners to create pathways for success through prevention and treatment for all Oklahoma youth.

Ready to make a difference? Apply today and help change the lives of Oklahoma’s most at-risk youth!

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer