Parole Agent 1 - Mercer District Office

Parole Agent 1 Position

Start your career as a Parole Agent 1 with the Department of Corrections and make a meaningful impact every day. This position offers hands-on learning as you help individuals overcome barriers and succeed in the community. Your efforts will help people stay on track and support safer neighborhoods across the Commonwealth—apply today! NOTE: Senate Bill 411 merged the Department of Corrections and the Board of Probation and Parole. This position is within the Department of Corrections.

This role focuses on learning how to supervise parolees and probationers as they work toward successful adjustment in the community. As a Parole Agent 1, you will perform the following duties:

• Case Support: Help individuals address personal challenges that affect their adjustment to society
• Service Referrals: Connect parolees and probationers with specialized programs for employment, health, and treatment needs
• Investigation Tasks: Gather information through interviews and complete various investigative reports
• Conduct Monitoring: Meet with individuals in homes, workplaces, and the community to review their progress
• Documentation Work: Prepare written reports and maintain accurate records of daily contacts and activities
• Court Participation: Provide information and testimony during hearings and support legal processes

Field Operations: Agents are assigned state vehicles to ensure they can meet with parolees where they live and work. They work within the community to supervise and guide the transition and integration of parolees. Parole supervision is much more than working one-on-one with a parolee. It encompasses coordination and consultation with a parolee's employer, counselors, and family members.

Successful completion of the 12-month training and probationary period will result in a promotion to Parole Agent 2 with an increase in salary! Join the Department of Corrections in their important mission to promote public safety and reduce recidivism!

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment, 40 hours per week
• Work schedule and hours are to be determined. You will work holidays and weekends as required.
• You must be willing to travel.
• This position is eligible for full retirement benefits at age 50 or 55.
• This posting may be used to fill multiple positions within the Mercer District Office at one of the locations below. Your actual work location will be determined based on operational needs.
• Mercer District Office, 8362 Sharon-Mercer Rd, Mercer, PA (Mercer County)
• Franklin Sub Office, 50 Gibb Rd, Franklin, PA (Venango County)
• Butler Sub Office, 207 Sunset Dr, Butler, PA (Butler County)
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• 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:

• Four years of paraprofessional experience which includes two years of paraprofessional social services, human services, corrections, or law enforcement experience; or
• Two years of paraprofessional social services, human services, corrections, or law enforcement experience, and an associate's degree; or
• A bachelor's degree in criminal justice, law enforcement, legal studies, political science, behavioral science, or a related field; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Special Requirements:

• You must be in possession of an active non-commercial Pennsylvania Class C driver's license or equivalent.
• You must obtain CLEAN certification within two months of employment and maintain this certification for the duration of employment in this job.

Other Requirements:

• Successful completion of the Parole Agent 1 basic training program at the Training Academy 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:

• A conditional offer of employment will require a medical examination and drug screening.
• You must pass a background investigation and meet Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliance requirements.
• A conditional offer of employment requires review of prior law enforcement employment records as required by Pennsylvania Act 57 of 2020.

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 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.