Resident Care Specialist

Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs•Shawnee, OK

12d•$19 - $22•Onsite

About The Position

The Office of Juvenile Affairs is hiring a Resident Care Specialist at Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center in Tecumseh, Oklahoma. The position provides care, custody, supervision, and security for adjudicated youth in the juvenile justice system. It also involves transportation, role modeling, paraprofessional guidance and counseling, behavior documentation, monitoring residents, and intervening to manage aggressive behavior. The agency describes its approach as Hope-centered, emphasizing strengths, resilience, and a future-oriented mindset for staff and residents. This is a shift-work position at a 24-hour facility. Staff must be willing to work any shift to provide coverage; overtime may be required to maintain facility operations. Shifts are 6:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.–10:00 p.m., and 10:00 p.m.–6:00 a.m. Eligible employees may receive a $2.50-per-hour shift differential for second or third shifts Monday through Friday, or any shift on Saturday or Sunday. A $5,000 sign-on bonus and a $6,000 continuous service bonus are available, subject to eligibility. The role requires job-related travel, a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at appointment, and willingness to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Applicants must pass a background check, fingerprinting, and drug screening. A 12-month trial period applies. The position is designated safety sensitive, and applicants who test positive for marijuana will not be hired, even if they hold a valid medical marijuana license.

Requirements

Direct-care staff must be at least 21 years old.
RCS I requires a high school diploma or equivalent.
RCS II requires the RCS I qualifications and either 30 semester hours from an accredited college or university or one year of security experience.
Applicants must be willing and able to perform job-related travel, hold a valid Oklahoma driver’s license at appointment, and be willing to be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Applicants must be willing to work any shift; overtime may be required to maintain facility coverage.
Applicants must pass a background check, fingerprinting, and drug screening.
Applicants must be able to interact with juveniles; establish and maintain effective working relationships; follow written and oral instructions; gather facts and communicate them in reports; and interact positively with residents of different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
Applicants must be able to remain alert and act quickly and appropriately in emergencies, physically and appropriately handle escapees and violent or unruly juvenile residents, and use good judgment in evaluating situations and making decisions.
Knowledge required includes security methods, basic human physical and psychological needs, basic first aid, crisis intervention, health and safety precautions, behavioral problems common among delinquent residents, household management practices, environments and events affecting youth in custody, and state statutes and agency policies for care of residents in secure facilities.

Nice To Haves

Previous security experience working with juveniles in a residential care and treatment facility is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide security and supervision to adjudicated residents in a variety of situations and activities.
Perform routine care, custody, education, and treatment duties; observe, record, and report residents’ health symptoms, behavior, and activities.
Manage aggressive and non-aggressive behavior using prescribed and approved verbal and physical intervention techniques; respond to assaults, riots, and other emergencies.
Count residents, enforce institutional rules and regulations, and monitor resident and staff activities on surveillance screens.
Provide paraprofessional counseling and instruction by directing daily activities, maintaining order, supporting residents, and helping them develop and achieve personal goals.
Serve on treatment teams to review residents’ progress, treatment plans, and educational plans, and lead groups by assessing residents’ adjustment and functioning.
Inspect living areas and work locations for health and safety, search for unauthorized objects and contraband, and maintain security at assigned posts or areas.
Control resident movement to activities and off-campus appointments, and maintain order during programs, meals, and recreation using empathic verbal communication.
Patrol facility grounds, living quarters, and work areas; monitor resident activity and movement; check authorized persons in and out and deny access to unauthorized persons.
Check facility physical security, including doors, windows, and lighting.
Complete written or typed incident and behavior reports, maintain a daily activity log, communicate over a hand-held radio, and contact emergency responder agencies by telephone during crises.
Safely transport youth in OJA custody to and from placements, juvenile detention centers, court hearings, and medical, dental, mental health, and other appointments.
Handle GPS monitoring, tracking, inventory, and documentation in assigned areas.
Perform other assigned high-risk transportation duties and assist other OJA employees as needed.

Benefits

$5,000 sign-on bonus available, subject to eligibility.
$6,000 continuous service bonus available, subject to eligibility.
$2.50-per-hour shift differential for eligible second or third shifts Monday through Friday, or any shift on Saturday or Sunday.
Generous state-paid benefit allowance to help cover insurance premiums.
Choice of insurance plans with no pre-existing condition exclusions or limitations.
Flexible spending accounts for health care and/or dependent care expenses.
Retirement Savings Plan with a generous match.
15 days of vacation and 15 days of sick leave during the first year for full-time employees.
11 paid holidays a year.
Student loan repayment options.
Employee discounts with a variety of companies and vendors.
Longevity bonus for years of service.