Correctional Officer 1, (CO2), Washington State Penitentiary, Walla Walla, WA

Full Job Description

Correctional Officer 1 (CO2), Washington State Penitentiary

Full- time and on-call positions available

Washington State Penitentiary (WSP), Walla Walla, WA

SAVE THE DATE!

Qualified candidates will be invited to an in Person Hiring Event to interview

Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026

Successful candidates for this recruitment would attend the earliest Training Academy available.

About Prison Facilities:

The Washington legislature has established a comprehensive system of corrections for convicted law violators within the state of Washington to accomplish a primary objective of ensuring public safety.

The system is designed and managed to provide the maximum feasible safety for the persons and property of the general public, the staff, and the inmates (RCW 72.09.010).

The Department of Corrections (DOC) has 11 prison facilities with custody levels ranging from minimum to maximum security.

Salary Information:
Corrections & Custody Officer 1 (TEAMSTERS Range 45 Step J-M)

Corrections & Custody Officer 2: (TEAMSTERS Range 48 Step J-M)

To qualify at the Corrections and Custody Officer 2 (CO2) level you must meet the following qualifications:

OR

On-Call Positions

On-call staff may have the opportunity to work an average of 32-40 hours per week, although the positions have no minimum hour guarantee.

Incumbents will be required to attend 6 weeks of full-time paid training immediately upon hire and will be considered for full time permanent and/or temporary vacancies as they occur.

All correctional officers, including those in on-call positions, are provided with a benefits package including medical, dental, vision and retirement as well as well as paid sick leave, holiday pay and paid vacation; provided they work at least 20 hours or more each week.

Please note: if you recently applied to this location within the last 90 days, no need to reapply.

Facility information: Washington State Penitentiary

1313 North 13th Avenue Walla Walla, WA 99362

The Washington State Department of Corrections is seeking highly motivated and talented individuals for the positions of Correctional Officer 1 and/or 2, at the Washington State Penitentiary, Walla Walla, WA.

WSP is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The on call/intermittent positions have no minimum hour guarantee.

Custody Level: Maximum, Close, Medium, Minimum

Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) is a 2.439- bed multi-custody facility. WSP opened in 1886 and has changed over its years of operation. WSP is the oldest standing prison in Washington State.

WSP structures its operations and programs around practices that show sustainable reductions in incarcerated individuals returning to prison while also enhancing security for the facility and safety for communities across Washington.

To learn more, click on the link: Washington State Penitentiary (WSP) | Washington State Department of Corrections

Whether the work is inside a prison, in community corrections, or in an administrative office, the Washington State Department of Corrections professional staff experience a high degree of personal satisfaction knowing they are creating environments in which all incarcerated individuals can learn to make choices that contribute to a safer society.

Click here to learn more about the Correctional Officer hiring process.

Requirements

This job class is designated as in-training. The employee will advance to CO2 after satisfactory completion of the CO1 training requirements.

In an adult correctional facility, Correctional Officers provide safety and security, and assist in controlling, directing, and monitoring the activities and movement of incarcerated individuals.

This includes maintaining security of the institution and controlling movement into, out of and within the institution in accordance with established department methods and procedures.

Correctional Officers are expected to be a positive role model and work with the incarcerated individuals to help them become productive members of society from the day they arrive under supervision.

Correctional Officers use interpersonal skills and good communication skills to correct and counteract criminal thinking while maintaining safe confinement environments for the individuals to pursue a successful re-entry into communities.

The successful candidates for Correctional Officer 1 will possess creative thinking, self-confidence, strong role-modeling and good physical and mental conditioning.

Overtime is an essential function of this position.

Correctional Officers must successfully complete Correctional Worker Core (CWC), a six-week academy for all correctional workers employed in DOC prison facilities.

We know that managing difficult people takes more than force. It takes observation, knowledge, skills, and continual practice.

Every DOC employee is provided with initial training designed to help assure safe working conditions and will continue to get on-the-job training throughout their employment.

Click here to learn more about Training & Development at DOC.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school or GED

• Valid Driver's license

• The legal (Constitutional) right to carry a firearm

Note: Pre-employment process includes drug testing and psychological evaluation.

To qualify at the Corrections and Custody Officer 2 (CO2) level you must meet the following qualifications:

Additional Information

• The work of a Correctional Officer, and the required training, can be physically demanding at times. Click here to review a description of the training you'll receive, and the associated requirements.
• Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position.
• Employees may work directly with or in close proximity to incarcerated individuals in a potentially hazardous setting. Please consider this when deciding whether to apply.

We are committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol-free work environment, and our employees are expected to comply with all state and federal laws.

A pre-employment drug test will be administered as part of the selection process, and applicants who test positive for any controlled substances, will be disqualified from consideration.

• Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is an aerosol pepper spray made available as a means of self-defense and/or de-escalation. Applicants with sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.
• Animal care projects are a common component of most Washington State prisons, including dog and cat programs. Applicants with animal sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a priority health issue for DOC employees. The successful candidate will be required to provide valid proof of a baseline TB skin test within 60 days from the date of hire.

When positive tests result, further information, testing and treatment may also be required. Employment is not contingent upon test results.

• This position is included in a union shop.
• Salary is based on experience and is determined at the time a final offer of employment is made. The salary range listed in the job posting includes steps A-M. Step M is a longevity step and is typically gained six years after being assigned to step L in your permanent salary range.
• Requires respirator medical evaluation questionnaire, fit testing, training, and use of respiratory protection as required by the WA Industrial Safety & Act standards. Refer to WAC 296-842 to learn more.

What We Offer:

As an employee of the Department of Corrections, your work-life integration is a priority.

Washington State employees are offered one of the most inclusive and competitive benefits packages in the nation.

Besides comprehensive family insurance for medical, dental, and vision, these perks also may include:

• Up to 25 paid vacations days a year
• 8 hours of paid sick leave per month
• 12 paid holidays a year
• Generous retirement plan
• Flex Spending Accounts
• Dependent Care Assistance
• Deferred Compensation
• Visit our benefits page to see more!

We are committed to hiring individuals who possess core diversity competencies:

• Foster a positive attitude and openness toward the ever changing social and cultural makeup of the workplace.
• Work effectively with people of different perspectives, abilities, disabilities, races, religions, ages, lifestyle preferences and social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Respectfully acknowledge people's differences and recognize these differences as important and valuable.
• Promote inclusiveness.
• Be culturally sensitive and appropriate.
• Respect and value diverse backgrounds and traditions.

DOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, honorably discharged veteran, veteran status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.

Many DOC jobs are covered by the Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS).

If someone moves from a Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) eligible position to a PSERS eligible position, they may retire under two different systems/plans:

PSERS: Many DOC jobs are covered by the Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS).

If someone moves from a Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) eligible position to a PSERS eligible position, they actually retire under two different systems/plans.

For more information, please contact the Department of Retirement System at: 1-800-547-6657.

Or

• PERS: State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

For questions about this recruitment, or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email: anne.krueger@doc1.wa.gov or call 509-954-0790.