Recreation Officer

As a Recreation Officer with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, you will play a vital role in planning and implementing a variety of recreational activities, leisure service activities, enrichment activities, intramurals, incentive programs, and special events for youth in our care. Your primary responsibility will be to create a safe and engaging environment that promotes healthy relationships and boundaries with both staff and youth.

• Plan and implement recreational activities, leisure service activities, enrichment activities, intramurals, incentive programs, and special events for youth.
• Maintain an inventory of equipment and recreational needs.
• Engage in healthy relationships and boundaries with both staff and youth.
• Collaborate with JCOs to provide adequate supervision, a safe environment, and engagement of youth during activities.
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with co-workers.
• Proactively provide ongoing mentoring and coaching to JCOs when needed.
• Assist co-workers and offer assistance when able.
• Carry an equal work load.
• Be scheduled to work in a manner that best suits the needs of the campus, including evening and weekend programming.

• Must be at least 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Must have a current valid Driver License.
• Must meet one of the following:
  • Be a current Juvenile Correctional Officer III or higher with a minimum 9 months of JCO experience.
  • Have a minimum of 1 year of experience working with adolescents, supervising or providing recreational activities with youth in the community.
  • Have a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, behavioral science, kinesiology, physical education, or a related field.
  • Have 2 years of active military service, with at least 1 year in a supervisory capacity as an E-5 or above.
• Experience and Education Substitutions:
  • Two (2) years of full-time wage earning experience may substitute for high school diploma or equivalent.
• Applicants with the following will not be considered:
  • Convicted or received deferred adjudication for any felony.
  • Convicted or received deferred adjudication for domestic violence involving a family member (including non-spouse partners).
  • Convicted or received deferred adjudication for official oppression.
  • Current requirement to register as a sex offender.
  • Arrested for a disqualifying offense that was not expunged before the statute of limitations expired.
  • Outstanding warrant.
• Applicants with other arrests, deferred adjudications, and convictions may be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine suitability for employment.

• Experience leading group sports/leisure activities for adolescents.
• Bachelor's degree with major course work in criminal justice, behavioral science, kinesiology, or a related field.
• Experience as a Juvenile Correctional Officer.

If you are scheduled for an interview and require any reasonable accommodation in our interview process, please inform the hiring representative who calls you to schedule your interview. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.