Youth Specialist

Job Responsibilities

Would you like the opportunity to grow in the field of Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology, or another Social Science? Would you like to continue your education, kick-off your career path, and gain tuition reimbursement? A unique opportunity exists for individuals to work with at-risk youth. Kent County Juvenile Detention is a 98-bed secured facility where juveniles are held pending some form of court action. 24 of the 98 beds have been set aside for Residential programming. We are seeking candidates to work on a full-time basis, performing guidance, counseling, behavioral observation, and custodial care for residents of the facility. The successful candidate will have the aptitude to effectively interact with at-risk children in a positive, patient, and caring manner, while maintaining appropriate discipline and structure. We are currently hiring for 2nd shift, working the hours of 2:45pm – 10:45pm with a requirement to work every other weekend. Some employees on 2nd shift work in weekend-only positions, working every weekend with a double shift on either Friday or Monday. The following are typical daily tasks for a Youth Specialist:

• Provides individual and group orientations and guidance, ensuring that youth in detention participate in educational, counseling, treatment, and other programs.
• Inspects living and sleeping quarters to ensure that conditions are safe, sanitary, and appropriate.
• Organizes, supervises, and participates to a limited extent in recreational and other group activities, including work programs.
• Maintains logs of observed behaviors and participation in programs for review.
• Supervises residents in the care and maintenance of grounds and common areas and in other non-technical work incidental to the institution's operation.
• Responds to crisis situations with appropriate intervention techniques and restrains/secures individual residents as necessary to maintain the safety and security of all facility residents.
• Facilitate daily Learning Groups based on the Cognitive Behavior Training model, to include, effectively managing small and medium group dynamics.

Important additional information:

• Candidates selected for hire are required to satisfactorily pass a pre-hire physical and a background investigation including criminal history, driving record, MDHHS central registry clearance and fingerprint background check.
• Detention is a 24/7 operation and staff are considered essential workers.
• Employees in this position may be tasked with mandated overtime if necessitated by low staff-levels on a given day. Typically for a 2nd shift employee, this would require working the 3rd shift after completing your 2nd shift hours.

*Please note - the pay rate listed is reflective of our 2026 pay scale*

Minimum Qualifications

Requires a minimum of thirty semester credit hours or equivalent in Sociology, Psychology, Child Development, Criminal Justice or related field, or a High School Diploma/GED combined with a minimum of 2 years demonstrably successful work experience in a child/youth care facility.

Must be able to gain the respect and cooperation of youth and to interact in a positive, patient and caring manner. Must be able to respond to and reestablish order in crisis situations, which may include physically restraining youth. Requires knowledge of recreation leadership and a variety of games, sports and crafts.

Requires valid, unrestricted driver's license.

Additional Information

*Notices will come via email so please be sure to monitor the email address indicated on your application* Don't take our word for it that Kent County is a great place to work and thrive. Watch this video on why our staff have made us their employer of choice.

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