Child Welfare Clinical Social Worker III, Grade 24

Salary : $80,070.00 - $128,198.00 Annually
Location : 1301 Piccard Dr Rockville MD 20850 USA
Job Type: State/County
Job Number: 2026-00313
Department: Department of Health and Human Services
Division: HHS 60 Child Welfare Services
Opening Date: 05/29/2026
Closing Date: 6/26/2026 12:00 AM Eastern
FLSA: Exempt


About the Position
Please note: The salary range above represents this position's earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $80,070 to $122,569, based on the candidate's qualifications and experience.
WHO WE ARE

Montgomery County is located adjacent to Washington, D.C., and with over one million residents, is the most populous County in the State of Maryland. The County is also the most diverse County in the State and ranks among the top ten most diverse Counties in the nation. Montgomery County contains many major U.S. government offices, scientific research and learning centers, and business campuses.
The is responsible for delivery of the County's public health and human services that meet the needs of our community's most vulnerable children, adults and seniors. The Department provides services through more than 120 programs at more than 20 locations. With over 2,000 employees, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest County Department.
As a department, we believe health and wellness of the county can only be achieved by ensuring that every resident has fair opportunities to reach their fullest potential. This means access to quality housing, transportation, education, employment, health care, human services, safe neighborhoods, and healthy food. HHS provides critical services for residents who face a variety of obstacles in achieving their full potential. HHS plays an essential role in building a healthy and strong community.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

If you are interested in working for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, we invite qualified candidates to apply for our positions within Child Welfare Services.
What You'll Be Doing
CWS provides a variety of supportive services to children and families to reduce the risk of child maltreatment and ensure safety for children. When it is not possible for children to remain in their own homes, temporary placement in foster care, with relatives or with an adoptive family may be arranged.
Social Worker IIIs provide clinical and case management services including child safety assessments, service planning, case coordination, and direct support to children and families involved with child welfare.
The following units within CWS provide these services:

• ASSESSMENT UNIT: investigates and assesses reports of alleged child abuse and neglect.

• OUT OF HOME PLACEMENT SERVICES: provides case management and permanency planning for children who have been placed in foster care or kinship/relative placement.

Bilingual applicants in the Spanish/English languages are encouraged to apply . If the candidate selected for this position possesses multilingual skills, they will be required to successfully pass an examination assessing oral communication, reading comprehension, and interpreting skills. For Advanced proficiency, the candidate must also pass an examination requiring translating text from Spanish to English and vice versa.
Work Schedule: Although the normal hours for CWS are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., staff providing direct services to children and families may need to work earlier or later to respond to case needs such as home visits, emergency removals, extended court hearings, or other time-sensitive situations.
Driver's License: This position REQUIRES a valid driver's license and the ability to drive a County vehicle to conduct home, school, and community visits. The role also requires the ability to lift and carry children, equipment, and supplies and to safely navigate stairs and various home environments during fieldwork.
Selected candidates for this position will be subject to a pre-employment medical exam, drug screening, and criminal history records check through the Maryland State Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Candidates will also be checked through the Maryland Registry for Child Abuse and Neglect and federal and state sex offender registries. Any applicant who fails the medical exam, background check, or whose name appears on either of the registries may be disqualified from employment for this position.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Possession of a master's degree in social work (MSW) from an accredited college or university that meets the criteria of a graduate social work program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
Experience: Two (2) years, to include a minimum of 3,000 hours, of professional experience rendering social work services under the supervision of a LCSW-C in accordance with Maryland Board Requirements.
Equivalency: See Maryland Board requirements.
License:

• Must be licensed as a Licensed Certified Social Worker - Clinical (LCSW-C) by the Maryland State Board of Social Work Examiners prior to appointment. Note : There will be no substitutions for this requirement.

• Possession and maintenance at all times of a valid Class C (or equivalent) driver's license from the applicant's state of residence.

Medical Protocol: This position requires successful completion of a pre-employment medical evaluation, which includes a physical examination and drug screening.

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences
All Applicants will be reviewed by the Office of Human Resources (OHR) for minimum qualifications. Those applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated "Qualified," placed on the Referred List, and may be considered for an interview.
Preference for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:

• Experience providing social work services to children and families and managing child welfare, foster care, or protective services cases
• Experience completing safety assessments, risk assessments, or family evaluations
• Experience preparing court documentation or participating in court proceedings
• Bilingual proficiency in Spanish

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.

Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at View email address on click.appcast.io. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.

MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.

All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.

This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.

Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.
Leave Benefits

Our generous leave package starts with non-MLS permanent and term employees earning 15 days of sick leave and 15 days of annual leave in their first year, as well as up to three additional personal days each calendar year. Positions in MLS earn 35 days of paid time off each year. In addition, we offer all employees 10 paid holidays. Our leave policies adhere to the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993, and we provide six weeks of paid parental leave for new parents.

Retirement Benefits

All permanent and term positions are eligible for robust retirement plans. Public safety positions are eligible for a defined benefit pension plan in which they are vested after only five years. Employees in non-public safety positions can participate in retirement plans that contribute up to 12 percent of their annual salary. All employees can also participate in a supplemental retirement plan, the 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, to contribute even more to their retirement goals.

Tuition Assistance & Student Loan Forgiveness

Montgomery County employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Participants who meet all requirements may qualify for forgiveness on the remaining balance on their Direct Loans after making 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time in a qualifying public service position. To learn more about PSLF, please visit the Student Loan Repayment Benefits page. Our tuition assistance program allows you to receive up to $2,130 annually in tuition assistance to help you achieve a degree that supports your career path.

Free Mass Transit Benefit

County employees are entitled to use the RideOn Bus service for free with a valid County-employee ID. This benefit can be used any time of the day or evening, including weekends. We also offer a pre-tax flexible spending account to reduce the cost of other mass-transit options such as MARC trains and Metro.

Reduced Child and Health Care Costs

Working for Montgomery County also entitles permanent and term employees to participate in healthcare and childcare Flexible Spending Accounts. These plans allow eligible employees to save on a pretax basis for healthcare and dependent care costs incurred during the plan year.


Employee Wellbeing

We deeply care about your holistic wellness. Our award-winning wellness program, LiveWell, will support you in improving and maintaining your physical, mental, financial, social, and intellectual well-being.

Learn more about our wonderful benefits available to you once you join our team. Montgomery County Benefits
01


MQ Question SOCIAL WORKER III (002806)

Do you have a Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) from an accredited college or university?

• Yes
• No

02


MQ Question SOCIAL WORKER III (002806)

How many years of professional experience do you have rendering social work services?

• No Experience
• 1 Year Experience
• 2 Years Experience
• 3+ Years Experience

03


MQ Question SOCIAL WORKER III (002806)

Do you currently hold a License as a Licensed Certified Social Worker/Clinical (LCSW-C) by the Maryland State Board of Social Work Examiners?

• Yes
• No

04


MQ Question SOCIAL WORKER III (002806)

Please provide your Maryland LCSW-C License Number and Expiration Date. If you do not have this license, indicate "N/A."
05


MQ Question SOCIAL WORKER III (002806)

Do you possess and currently maintain a VALID driver's license from your state of residence?

• Yes
• No

06



Do you have experience providing social work services to children and families and managing child welfare, foster care, kinship care, or protective services cases?

• Yes
• No

07


Please describe the types of services you provided, the populations served, the types of cases managed, and the assessments or casework activities you completed, and identify the position(s) on your resume where this work was performed. If you do not have experience in this area, indicate "N/A."
08



Do you have experience completing child safety assessments, risk assessments, or family evaluations?

• Yes
• No

09


Please describe the types of assessments you conducted, the tools or frameworks used, and the populations or case situations involved, and identify the position(s) on your resume where this work was performed. If you do not have experience in this area, indicate "N/A."
10



Do you have experience preparing documentation for court or participating in court proceedings related to child welfare or protective services?

• Yes
• No

11


Please describe the types of court documents prepared, the nature of your involvement in hearings, and the types of cases addressed, and identify the position(s) on your resume where this work was performed. If you do not have experience in this area, indicate "N/A."
12



Are you bilingual in Spanish?

• Yes
• No

13


Please describe your Spanish speaking, reading, and writing proficiency, the types of client interactions handled in Spanish, and identify the position(s) on your resume where this work was performed. If you are not bilingual in Spanish, indicate "N/A."
Required Question