Juvenile Correctional Counselor III - Promotional

Position Information

This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The Probation Department has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Juvenile Correctional Counselor III position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Probation employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

Juvenile Correctional Counselor IIIs (JCC IIIs) act in a lead capacity; are responsible for overseeing and directing the activities of residents detained in Juvenile Hall and Probation Camp; and collaborate with staff, supervisors, directors, Health Services, and Behavioral Health Services . They maintain the safety and security of the facility and provide supervision, care, and guidance to residents. JCC IIIs also facilitate cognitive behavioral interventions and use motivational interviewing and other evidence-based practices in addition to mentoring, counseling, and applying crisis intervention skills and making necessary referrals. Other responsibilities include:

• Supporting unit staff by facilitating programming activities and developing related curriculum
• Applying de-escalation techniques and/or engaging in use of force when necessary
• Providing intensive casework and developing short-term case plans for residents
• Collaborating with staff to determine and implement the best methods to address resident issues and enforce accountability through the Behavior Management System
• Documenting resident behavior and other necessary information and entering data into justice system databases

The ideal JCC III candidate is an excellent problem-solver who brings their knowledge and experience working with evidence-based programming practices/concepts and marginalized populations. In addition to a strong cultural competency for working with people of diverse backgrounds/ethnicities, they possess:

• Effective communication and technical writing skills
• Empathy and patience, and the ability to build rapport and develop quality interpersonal relationships with youth
• Excellent time management strategies
• A passion for helping and serving others, and the core belief that people can make positive behavior changes
• Basic computer skills to utilize the Microsoft Office suite

Training and/or completed coursework in the following areas is highly desired:

• Adolescent Brain Development or Positive Youth Development
• Cognitive Behavioral Interventions
• Cultural Considerations
• Gender Specific Programming
• Motivational Interviewing
• Trauma Informed Care

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience : Any combination of education, training and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include completion of twelve semester units at an accredited college in criminology, administration of justice, child development, sociology, behavioral and social psychology, social casework, social welfare, counseling and guidance; child psychology or a closely related field AND six months experience as a group or youth counselor or other experience related to counseling or case management of trouble youth AND one year full-time experience in a position equivalent or closely related to Juvenile Correctional Counselor II with the County of Sonoma.

Additional Requirements: Additional Requirements: In accordance with California Government Code, Section 1029 - 1031, and the California Corrections Standards Authority, Title 15, Section 131, Minimum Standards for Selection, each employee shall meet the following minimum standards: United States citizenship or status as a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship (if a permanent resident alien has not obtained citizenship within three years after application for employment or is denied citizenship, he/she will be disqualified for peace officer status); have no prior felony conviction nor be under current formal probation supervision; and achieved a passing score on the California Corrections Standards Authority Juvenile Correctional Counselor written exam, or equivalent prior to appointment.

Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete an in depth background investigation, including a psychological evaluation, finger printing, criminal history check and a medical examination, including physical agilities testing.

License: Possession of a valid California driver’s license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: recreational activities commonly enjoyed by youths; the laws, practices and procedures pertinent to the detention and custody of youths; child abuse reporting laws; advanced first-aid techniques and practices; CPR; personal hygiene techniques and methods in instructing youths in their use; knowledge of the proper use and care of various hand and power tools to complete construction.

Knowledge of: sociology and psychology, particularly as they relate to child and personality development, behavior patterns, motivation and group and family dynamics; the methods and techniques of individual and group counseling within a juvenile setting; factors that influence human behavior; accepted methods used to modify behavior; departmental policies, procedures and functions; techniques that motivate and encourage the efficiency and productivity of staff and youths.

Ability to: coordinate and lead the work activities of other Juvenile Correctional Counselors and youth activities; assist in the evaluation of the behavior and performance of assigned staff and youths; apply techniques of effective group dynamics; supervise and direct youths during work, meal and leisure activities; acquire and maintain the respect of the youths; effectively oversee youth or adult offenders engaged in various construction, industrial wilderness experience and maintenance work activities.

Maintain firm control in individual and group situations; relate to a wide variety of individuals from different socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups; establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, health and social service providers, families, law enforcement agencies other departments and the public; exercise good judgment and adopt effective courses of action in emergency situations; lead the activities of Juvenile Correctional Counselors in emergency situations; apply basic first aid to youths and staff; write clear and concise oral explanations of situations that have transpired; help to train and coach staff in all aspects of their job responsibilities; physically subdue and restrain violent or fighting youth; defend against attacking youth; apprehend detention facility escapees in the line of duty; ability to work in a stressful environment.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the application, examination, and department selection processes.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Background Investigation

It is the policy of law enforcement and legal offices and departments, in the County of Sonoma, that candidates complete a thorough background investigation process prior to employment. This policy is imperative to keep the department’s employees and the public safe and to maintain high standards in the law enforcement community. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

The background investigation will include a thorough assessment of a candidate’s personal, employment, educational, criminal, and credit history. The investigation may include but is not necessarily limited to: the use of prescription and/or other drugs, reports from former employers, friends, family members, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, credit reports, court reports, public records search, and/or other relevant sources. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment.

All candidates will be required to take a pre-employment medical examination. The pre-employment medical examination will include drug testing as part of the medical examination for all applicants and for all current employees who are offered employment with the Offices/Departments. Additionally, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment psychological examination. The results of these examinations and the background investigation shall be confidential and shall not be available to the candidate for review. Failure to pass the background investigation will eliminate a candidate from the employment process. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Issues that arise during the investigation process will be assessed, and judgment and discretion will be used to determine the employability of the candidate. Where there is evidence of a candidate’s past use of controlled substances, many factors shall be used to determine the employability of the individual such as a pattern of use, kind of drug used, circumstances of the start of the drug use, treatment, behavior, and attitude since discontinuance, etc. Please note that a history of using controlled substances does not result in automatic disqualification from the selection process. Prior to disqualifying any candidate whose profile falls within the provisions of the policy, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to present any and all evidence of mitigating facts that the candidate feels should be considered by the hiring authority.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org . Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: KK

HR Technician: PPB

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits:*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 1/12/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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