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Posted: February 27, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Recreation Therapist

Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System

Department of Justice

Fresh

Salary

$69,534 - $89,726

per year

Closes

March 13, 2026More DOJ jobs →

SES Pay Grade

Base salary range: $147,649 - $221,900

Typical requirements: Executive-level leadership experience. Senior executive qualifications required.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves working as a recreation therapist in a federal prison, where you'll design and lead activities to help inmates improve their mental and social well-being, preparing them for life after release.

You'll collaborate with a team to create personalized treatment plans and ensure activities are safe and effective for those with health challenges.

It's a great fit for someone passionate about therapy and rehabilitation who can handle a secure environment and prioritize safety.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's or higher degree in therapeutic recreation, art therapy, drama therapy, dance therapy, music therapy, or a related field with at least 36 semester hours in therapeutic courses (18 in therapeutic recreation and 18 in areas like abnormal psychology, physiology, human anatomy, development, disabilities, or general recreation)
  • Education from an accredited program recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
  • Master's degree or equivalent in a relevant field, or two years of progressively higher graduate education leading to a master's
  • At least one year of specialized experience in assessing and treating patients for therapeutic recreation needs, including planning and facilitating activities
  • Experience documenting clinical information, updating treatment records, and evaluating program effectiveness
  • Ability to adapt therapeutic programs for inmates with acute illnesses or severe mental disabilities
  • Commitment to maintaining institutional security as a primary responsibility

Full Job Description

Corrections professionals who foster a humane and secure environment and ensure public safety by preparing individuals for successful reentry into our communities.

To be considered for the position, applicants must meet the following basic qualification requirements: Basic Requirements: Applicants must meet one of the following educational requirements: A.

Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in therapeutic recreation, art therapy, drama therapy, dance therapy, or music therapy; OR B.

Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in a related field involving therapeutic emphasis or concentration that included at least 36 semester hours in therapeutic courses as described below: a.18 semester hours of therapeutic recreation courses; AND b.18 semester hours that include a combination of abnormal psychology, physiology, human anatomy and development, disabilities and general recreation Education must have been obtained from an accredited program recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

AND In addition to having the above Basic Requirements, applicants must also meet the following: Education: Two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree OR master's or equivalent graduate degree.

OR Experience: You must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to the next lower grade level.

To be creditable, this experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and must typically be in or related to the position to be filled.

Some examples of this qualifying experience are: Experience in assessing and treating patients for therapeutic recreation needs and obtaining information through records or professional staff.

Experience in updating and documenting clinical information regarding the treatment process in medical records.

Experience in planning, coordinating, and facilitating a broad range of adult individual group therapeutic recreation activities.

OR Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements.

Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required to next lower grade may be combined with experience.

This experience must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the major duties of this position as described above.

If applicable, credit will be given for paid and unpaid experience. To receive proper credit, you must show the actual time (such as the number of hours worked per week) spent in activities.

**Your eligibility for consideration will be based on your responses to the questions in the application.** Major Duties:

Responsible for facilitating therapeutic recreation, leisure, social psychology, rehabilitation, and human development theories and concepts as related to the nature and scope of human service delivery systems, and integrates these in a variety of settings.

Responsible for providing comprehensive care and treatment to inmate patients through an inter-disciplinary team approach.

Maintains current records of treatment and programs, to include monitoring and determining effectiveness of interventions and revising plan as necessary.

Designs and administers therapeutic recreation programs when established treatment programs are not applicable; must substantially adapt programs for inmate patients who are acutely ill or have severe mental disabilities.

Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution.

The staff correctional responsibilities precede all others required by this position and are performed on a regular and recurring basis.

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Posted on USAJOBS: 2/27/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 2/28/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: RCH-2026-0034