Juvenile Justice Specialist Supervisor, Southeast Youth Development Center

Join the Department of Human Services (DHS) as a Juvenile Justice Specialist Supervisor and take a key leadership role at the Southeast Youth Development Center (SYDC). This position gives you the opportunity to guide staff, ensure safe and orderly practices, and support structured routines that help youth move toward positive change. You lead by example, encouraging responsible behavior, reinforcing clear expectations, and supporting consistent daily structure.

Your steady direction helps maintain a secure environment where both staff and residents can grow and succeed.

Watch this video to see how you can make a difference!

This position provides supervision and direction to staff while ensuring the safety, care, and daily structure of residents in the youth development center/youth forestry camp (YDC/YFC) system. As a Juvenile Justice Specialist Supervisor, you will perform the following duties:

• Safety Monitoring: Maintain secure living areas by supervising residents and preventing harmful behaviors
• Daily Guidance: Direct residents in hygiene, recreation, work tasks, and treatment activities to support their physical and emotional needs
• Case Support: Assist in implementing treatment plans by documenting behavior and participating in scheduled activities
• Staff Training: Coach and evaluate subordinate employees through observations and performance reviews
• Policy Compliance: Ensure adherence to procedures, and confidentiality rules for staff and residents
• Operational Leadership: Plan schedules, manage overtime, and oversee paperwork to maintain stable daily operations

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

• Full-time employment, 40 hours per week
• SYDC operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, including holidays and weekends.
  • You will work a 5 day work week with 2 set regular days off.
  • Shifts include: 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 11:00 PM. You will have no duty-free lunch.
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $63,093 (before taxes).
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• One year of experience as a Juvenile Justice Specialist (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• Three years of experience in the care, custody, activities, or personal guidance of adolescents or adults in a human services or social services program, law enforcement or correctional program, or an educational, community, or military organization; or
• One year of experience in the care, custody, activities, or personal guidance of adolescents or adults in a human services or social services program, law enforcement or correctional program, or an educational, community, or military organization; and an associate’s degree in social sciences, counseling, restorative justice, juvenile justice, child development, behavioral sciences, human services, criminal justice, education, or a closely related field;
  
  or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.

Special Requirement:

• You must be at least 21 years old at the time of application.

Other Requirements:

• PA residency requirement is currently waived for this title.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

• A conditional offer of employment will require a medical examination.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
  • Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant’s own experience, qualifications, and work.…