Job Description
THE POSITION Are you searching for a fulfilling profession which challenges your clinical skills and offers the chance to make a positive impact in the lives of others? The Department of Corrections (DOC) is eager to welcome an enthusiastic and driven collaborator to join our Psychology Department as a Psychological Services Associate (PSA) at the State Correctional Institution (SCI) at Mahanoy . This exciting career path offers the opportunity to help individuals build skills and improve their adjustment through counseling and structured programs while working alongside a dedicated team of professionals. Join us in our mission to render the vital services necessary to ensure every reentrant has the opportunity to successfully reintegrate back into the community! DESCRIPTION OF WORK This position provides counseling, evaluation support, and behavioral guidance to inmates at SCI Mahanoy under the oversight of licensed psychological staff. Through your work, you will assist with addressing mental health needs and supporting safety within the correctional setting. As a Psychological Services Associate, you will perform the following duties: Counseling Services: Provide individual and group counseling using approved therapeutic techniques Assessment Support: Conduct interviews and assist with psychological testing under supervision Interdepartmental Coordination: Work with institutional staff and external agencies to support inmate services Treatment Planning: Prepare case recommendations and behavior plans for review by licensed psychologists Research Assistance: Support research efforts to strengthen psychological services programs General Duties: Perform related tasks that contribute to inmate well-being and program effectiveness Work Schedule and Additional Information: Full-time employment, 40 hours/week Work hours are 9:00 AM to 5:30 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 $63,301.00 ( before taxes). Additional pay will be considered for those who currently possess or obtain licensure as a Social Worker, Clinical Social Worker, or Professional Counselor issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselors. Documentation will need to be provided at interview to receive additional pay consideration. You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices. Required Experience, Training & Eligibility QUALIFICATIONS Minimum Experience and Training Requirements: A Master's degree in psychology or a closely related field, which includes fifteen graduate level credits in psychology, counseling, educational counseling, rehabilitation, human development, learning, or motivation. Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree. Other Requirements: Successful completion of basic training in Elizabethtown, PA is required. 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: You must pass a background investigation and meet Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliance requirements. How to Apply: 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.<