Psychological Services Specialist, Corrections - SCI Pine Grove

Full Job Description

Do you want to play a vital role that helps inmates reduce criminal behavior and adjust to incarceration? The Department of Corrections (DOC), State Correctional Institution (SCI) at Pine Grove is seeking a highly motivated Psychological Services Specialist, Corrections to join our Psychology Department. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase your skills by delivering essential therapeutic treatment to inmates. If the next step in your psychology career includes professional growth and making a lasting impact with rehabilitating offenders, then we want to talk to you. Apply today!

Requirements

As a Psychological Services Specialist (PSS), Corrections, you will independently provide psychological services and group therapy to inmates.

You will conduct individual interviews and select appropriate tests to measure intellectual capacity, personality, special aptitudes, and achievement levels.

You will also write psychological reports for classification, document information for counselors to treat released inmates, and refer special needs mental health cases for counseling, psychological, psychiatric, and medical services.

This role requires solid treatment skills to provide professional services that ensure individual mental health and general emotional needs are addressed efficiently and effectively during incarceration.

In addition, you will assist the Licensed Psychologist Manager in developing new educational therapeutic programs and serve as a member of the Program Review, Community Reentry, Parole, Crisis Intervention, and Mental Health Review committees.

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

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment, 37.5 hours per week
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch.
• This position is eligible for full retirement benefits at age 50 or 55.
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $67,736.00 (before taxes).

Additional pay will be considered for those who currently possess or obtain licensure as a Social Worker, Clinical Social Worker, or Professional Counselor issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselors.

Documentation will need to be provided at interview to receive additional pay consideration.

• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Two years as a Psychological Services Associate Corrections (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• A Master's degree in psychology or a closely related field which includes fifteen graduate level credits in psychology; and two years of experience in the field of psychology under the direct supervision of a licensed psychologist.

Other Requirements:

• Successful completion of basic training in Elizabethtown, PA is required.
• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

• You must pass a background investigation and meet Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliance requirements.

Commonwealth employees who wish to use their seniority rights must apply to the internal posting for their seniority rights to be considered.

How to Apply:

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. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only.

Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce.

The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania.

The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law.

All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

Additional Information

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.