Protestant Chaplain

Job Description and Duties

Under direction, to provide spiritual and moral guidance to State institution residents; to conduct Protestant religious services; to provide pastoral care; to give instruction; and to do other related work.

Interviews and counsels mental patients, juvenile or adult offenders, or Veterans Home members on ethical and moral problems and spiritual matters; prepares and conducts Protestant religious services, and administers the Sacraments and other Protestant religious rites as needed by institution residents; organizes and instructs classes in Protestant religion, ethics, and sacred music; cooperates with other staff members in carrying out the institution treatment program; supervises the arranging of programs conducted in the institution by visiting religious and allied groups; assists in problems involving welfare agencies where family help is needed; visits the sick; works with residents in their group and club activities; counsels with families on problems involved in rehabilitation; explains and interprets the institution's religious program to community groups; serves, when designated, as a member of or consultant to the institution classification committee.

Individuals who are eligible for a Training and Development assignment may also be considered for this position(s). Individuals must specify on their application that they are applying for a Training and Development assignment.

This recruitment may be used to fill any additional vacancies in this classification for the life of the recruitment.

CDCR/CCHCS employees are encouraged to use their existing CDCR email address on their job application.

Main communication for this position will be through email. Please ensure you have a valid email address on your application.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to check their email inbox, to include junk emails, for any correspondence regarding their application status.

You will find additional information about the job in the .

Special Requirements

• The position(s) require(s) completion of educational courses as specified in the Class Specification (link available in the Minimum Requirements section).

Do not include any confidential information on any documents you submit for a job vacancy, such as your State application, resume, or educational transcripts. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number (SSN), birthdate, student identification number, driver’s license number (unless required), basis of eligibility, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age. Confidential information on the first page of applications submitted electronically online, such as Easy ID number, SSN,

examination related information, and driver’s license number will automatically be redacted upon submission.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. If you are meeting Minimum Qualifications with education, you must include your unofficial transcripts/diploma for verification. Official transcripts may be required upon appointment. If it is determined an applicant does not meet the Minimum Qualifications, the candidate will be withheld from the eligibility list, rendering them inactive and ineligible to be hired for the position. Candidates who have been withheld may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board.

Applicants who completed their education outside of the US (with foreign degrees/transcripts) must obtain and submit verification of U.S. course/degree equivalency. Foreign education credential evaluation services can be found at

Candidates new to CDCR or the Division of Juvenile Justice are required to submit to a background investigation process utilizing Live Scan Fingerprinting, and Tuberculosis testing prior to appointment followed by department annual Tuberculosis testing/evaluation thereafter.

When submitting supporting documents, PDF file format is preferred.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

Willingness to create and promote an equitable and inclusive workplace where diversity is celebrated and valued.

Knowledge of: Human development, particularly of aberrant behavior and the elements of emotional maturity; purposes of mental and correctional institutions; methods of rehabilitation.

Ability to: Provide Protestant religious services and instruction in ethics, religion, and sacred music; counsel institution residents and their families on moral and ethical problems; establish rapport with institution residents from a variety of denominational backgrounds; analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.

Demonstrated aptitude for working effectively with the socially abnormal; interest in the welfare and spiritual needs of institution residents; emotional stability; firmness; patience; self-control; tact; neat personal appearance; good judgment in moral, ethical, and religious matters.

Benefits

Benefit information can be found on the California Department of Human Resources .

Information on benefits afforded by membership in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System can be found on the .

Information on the benefits and protections provided to public employees by the State Civil Service Act can be found on the .

Additional benefit information can be found on the website.

This webpage is intended to provide general information. Benefit eligibility may be based on job classification, bargaining unit, time base and length of appointment.

Minimum Qualifications

Currently ordained, duly accredited by, and in good standing with a nationally recognized Protestant denomination. and

Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with a minimum of 12 semester units in counseling, psychology or a related field. and

Either one or a combination of the following:

1. Completion of twelve months or four quarters of full-time resident clinical pastoral education certified by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education. or

2. Completion of the equivalent of two years of full-time supervised clinical or field training in pastoral care, social work, psychology, counseling and guidance, or other related fields. (Full-time graduate study, beyond graduation from college if in counseling, psychology, or a related field may be substituted for a maximum of six months of the clinical pastoral education or one year of the supervised clinical or field training on the basis of one year of graduate study for three months of clinical pastoral education or one year of graduate study for six months of supervised clinical or field training.) and

Experience: Two years of experience following ordination in one or a combination of the following:

1. As a chaplain in the armed services, or in a public or private institution. or

2. As either a minister or assistant minister of a church, or as a missionary. or

3. As an ordained minister, in a specialized field, such as church and community, counseling, guidance or education.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is required and must be included.
• Other -

  Proof of Ordination and a Letter of Good Standing with a nationally recognized Protestant denomination is required. 

• Other -

  All applicants are required to submit a copy of their Performance Evaluation dated within the last twelve (12) months. If not available, please attach a Letter of Recommendation dated within the last twelve (12) months.