JUVENILE DETENTION SPECIALIST I

Salary: $67,433.60 - $87,651.20 Annually
Location : Reno, NV
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 60013750 (04/2026)
Department: Juvenile Services
Opening Date: 04/07/2026
Closing Date: 9/28/2026 11:59 PM Pacific


Position Information
Under close supervision, is responsible for the direct observation, supervision, guidance, and general custodial care of juveniles in residence in a secure detention facility; and performs related duties as required.

This is an Open Competitive/Countywide Promotional recruitment being conducted to fill a current full-time vacancy in the Washoe County Juvenile Services department. The list established from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur.

For more information on this position, please see the Job Specification at

Minimum Qualifications


500 hours of on-call services as a Juvenile Detention Specialist (intermittent); OR a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in behavioral sciences, criminal justice, human services, social work or closely related field; OR an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Must be at least 21 years of age at the time of application.


License Or Certificate

• A valid Class C driver's license is required at the time of appointment and must be maintained for continued employment.
• A CPR/First Aid and Blood Borne Pathogens certificate is required at the time of appointment and must be maintained for continued employment in this classification.

Conditions of Employment
After the interview, top candidates must pass a background investigation which includes:

• Submit a set of fingerprints
• Complete and submit a personal history statement

Must submit to a TB test at own expense upon offer of employment.

Washoe County requires its employees to reside in the state of Nevada or neighboring California communities such as Truckee, South Lake Tahoe or Susanville as of their first day of work.

Washoe County hires all new employees at the minimum rate of the salary range and eligible employees may receive an annual merit increase of 5% until they reach the maximum salary for the classification. Upon promotion, current Washoe County employees are placed at the minimum rate of the salary range for the higher classification of the new position OR a promotional calculation, whichever is greater.


Juvenile Services falls under the direction of the District Court, and as such, Juvenile Services is not a part of Washoe County's merit personnel system, and Juvenile Services employees are not members of a bargaining unit. However, full-time or part-time permanent employment with the Department of Juvenile Services offers the same attractive benefit package and salary schedule as any other Washoe County Department.

What Happens Next


1. After your application is screened, you will be notified via the email you provided whether you have met the minimum requirements for the position. Those applicants who do not meet the qualifications have one (1) business day to file an appeal and request a review of their qualifications.

2. Applicants who meet the minimum requirements will receive an email invitation to take the Professional Level online exam administered remotely; Please note there will be one exam per month for this recruitment. You will be notified at least three business days prior the exam period. This exam link will be delivered via email and qualified candidates will have a time limit to complete the exam, within 4 calendar days. **You will be notified if you are eligible to transfer an exam score**

The exam will evaluate your expertise, knowledge, skills and abilities in the following areas:

• Reading Comprehension
• Written Communication
• Analytical Ability
• Business Math
• Interpersonal and Customer Service Skills

Pursuant to the Washoe County Personnel Handbook, the Department of Human Resources does not administer an exam when there are less than 20 qualified candidates. Once the recruitment has closed, if there are less than 20 qualified candidates, the exam will be waived and all qualifying candidates will be placed on an unranked eligible list which will be referred to the hiring department. If the exam is scheduled to move forward and less than 20 candidates take the exam as determined by the Department of Human Resources, the exam will be waived. Only those candidates who took the exam or have a transfer score will be placed on an unranked eligible list which will be referred to the hiring department.

3. After the exam is completed, you will receive an additional email notifying you of the results. If you pass the examination, you will receive your score and rank. This rank will be used to determine which candidates will be interviewed by departments trying to fill a vacancy.

4. Hiring departments schedule interviews from a list of top scoring candidates. If your name is not sent to the hiring department, it will remain on the list for future opportunities as they become available.

5. Please be advised you can log in to your NeoGov account and select:

• "Applications" to view a list of the recruitments which you have applied for, your submitted application for each recruitment, a copy of the job listing, and your applicant history for each recruitment.
• "Inbox" to view the notices which have been sent to you for each recruitment
• "Account" to update your contact information. Please note to update your phone number on previously submitted applications you must contact

If you have any questions regarding the Online Application Process you can find additional information at the following link:


Questions: Alicia Agrella

View phone number on click.appcast.io

Veteran Point
Eligible veterans who were honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces shall receive one (1) bonus point upon passing Open Competitive examinations only. In order to be given a bonus point, applicants must attach proof of Honorable Discharge (DD-214 with Classification of Discharge) to the Online Application at time of submission.
Washoe County is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce that creates a sense of belonging for all employees and citizens, thereby encouraging persons from all backgrounds and experiences to apply for employment.

Washoe County will recruit, hire, train and promote into all job levels without regard to race, religion or belief, gender, marital status or domestic partnership, familial status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, genetic information (GINA), veteran status, political affiliation, membership in an employee association or union or any other protected class under applicable federal or state law.

• Nevada PERS Retirement - Washoe County pays 100% of the PERS contribution for each benefit eligible employee.
• Health, Dental, Life and Vision Insurance - Washoe County contributes 100% of the premium for each employee. Washoe County also contributes 50% of the premium for dependent coverage. Note: New employees are automatically enrolled in the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account. Washoe County contributes up to $2,500 annually (based on benefit effective date and coverage tier) into the employee's Health Savings Account (HSA). Newly hired employees become eligible for health benefits after 30 days of employment. Benefits Link -
• Deferred Compensation plans available
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Vacation Accrual (120 hours per year, increasing with continued employment)
• Sick Leave (120 hours per year, increasing with continued employment)
• Longevity Pay
• Merit Increases - Full-time employees eligible to receive an annual merit increase of 5% until the position classification's maximum salary is reached.
• Cost-of living adjustments - historical annual COLA increases for 2017-2025 have ranged from 2.5% - 5.0%
• There are no Social Security deductions (although a 1.45% deduction for Medicare is required)
• Nevada does not have state or local income tax*

01


Human Resources evaluates your eligibility for the position by assessing the minimum qualifications based on the experience you describe in your application. A resume cannot be substituted for a complete application, and writing "See Attached Resume" is not acceptable. To be considered, you must thoroughly document your qualifying education and experience in the designated sections of the application, including: the "Education" section; the "Work Experience" section; and the "Certificates and Licenses" section (when applicable). For each job listed, provide a detailed and specific list of duties. These responsibilities will be carefully reviewed to determine whether you meet the minimum requirements of the position. Applicants who do not clearly demonstrate they meet these qualifications or who submit a blank or incomplete application may not be considered for employment. Please certify you have read and understand the above statement.

• Yes
• No

02


Are you at least 21 years old?

• Yes
• No

Required Question