Do you want to help guide young people toward brighter and successful paths? As a Social Worker 2 with the Bureau of Juvenile Justice Services, you will play a key role in helping youth move toward safer, stronger futures. This position gives you the chance to work directly with residents, support their growth, and coordinate important transitional services. Your efforts will help ensure every young person has access to the guidance and resources needed to move forward. Step into a role where compassion and leadership change lives!
Watch this video to see how you can make a difference!
This role focuses on supporting youth as they prepare to transition from the facility to their home communities by providing guidance, counseling, and structured planning. The position also includes supervising residents, coordinating services, maintaining important documentation, and ensuring youth have access to the resources needed for continued growth. As a Social Worker 2 at the Southeast Youth Development Center, you will perform the following duties:
- Resident Supervision: Monitor resident behavior and maintain a secure and structured living environment
- Transition Planning: Develop aftercare and discharge plans using assessments, family involvement, and community resources
- Counseling Support: Provide individual and group counseling to encourage emotional, social, and behavioral growth
- Resource Coordination: Connect youth with medical, academic, vocational, and social services needed for continued progress
- Documentation Management: Record case details, updates, and reports within required systems and timeframes
- Family Engagement: Work with parents and guardians to support the youth’s transition and long-term success
Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.
Work Schedule and Additional Information:
- Full-time employment, 37.5 hours per week
- Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 30-minute lunch.
- Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
- Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $60,538.00 (before taxes).
- You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.
QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:
- Two years of experience as a Social Worker 1 or Forensic Social Worker 1 (commonwealth titles) (must have been employed in a commonwealth social worker job title on September 8, 2008, with continuous commonwealth employment); or
- Two years of experience as a Social Worker 1 or a Forensic Social Worker 1 (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration) and a bachelor’s degree in social work or social welfare; or
- Two years of professional experience providing direct public or private social work services, and a bachelor’s degree in social work or social welfare; or
- A master's degree in social work or social welfare.
- Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.
- 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.
- This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
- Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.
- 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 www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html 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.
- Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
- Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
- Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
- You must provide complete and accurate information or:
- your score may be lower than deserved.
- you may be disqualified.
- You may only apply/test once for this posting.
- Your results will be provided via email.

