EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST

Requisition No: 866854 

Agency: Department of Corrections

Working Title: EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 70023584 

Salary:  $40,676.48 Annually 

Posting Closing Date: 12/30/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

We Never Walk Alone

WORKING TITLE: EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST

This open competitive advertisement is for a Career Service position located at the Pensacola Office in Circuit 01-0.

The mission of an Employment Specialist in the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is to assist inmates and offenders in securing meaningful employment as part of their reentry process. Employment Specialists are dedicated to reducing recidivism by empowering individuals with the skills and opportunities needed to achieve self-sufficiency and successful reintegration into society.

This position is not a telework position and is required to report to the FDC office in the area it serves.

JOB DUTIES:

• Employment Support for Offenders: Meet with offenders to find employment opportunities and resources, providing direct support to correctional probation officers and supervisors.
• Job Readiness Classes: Coordinate and facilitate job readiness classes, including life skills, interviewing, and job application classes, to enhance offenders' employment prospects.
• Community Partnerships: Develop partnerships with the Department of Economic Opportunity, local employers, educational and vocational schools to provide services, employment assessments, and educational opportunities for offenders.
• Employer Engagement: Establish relationships with potential employers, educating them about tax credits for hiring convicted felons, and develop a bank of employers/jobs for offender referrals.
• Job Fairs and Volunteer Coordination: Organize job fairs within the Circuit, coordinate volunteer and community service work for offenders to gain skills and contacts and assist inmates transitioning to community supervision with employment searches and needed services.

BENEFITS:

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Comprehensive health insurance and life insurance with accidental death and dismemberment benefits.
• Supplemental Dental, Vision, Life, Disability and Hospitalization insurance.
• Tuition-Free college courses.
• Retirement Plans with the Florida Retirement System:

• • Pension Plan (Traditional Retirement Pension Plan)
  • Investment Plan (401(K)-Type Retirement Plan)
  • Deferred Retirement Option Program (Drop)
  • Deferred Compensation
  • Recently Retired? Beginning July 1, 2024, there is no longer a reemployment limitation; beginning with the 7th calendar month from the member's distribution date, there are no restrictions on working for an FRS employer. You will not be required to repay any prior distributions, and you may continue receiving distributions from the Investment Plan or Pension Plan without interruption.

REQUIREMENTS:

Please note, when submitting a college/university degree, if selected for this position official transcripts will be required.

• Must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.

Support of knowledge, skills, and abilities should be demonstrated on the application, in the education, in the work experience, in the work sample, in the interview and/or during reference checks.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

BACKGROUND SCREENING REQUIREMENT

The Florida Department of Corrections requires all job applicants and volunteers to pass a Level 2 background check as per Chapter 435, Florida Statutes. This check must be completed before they can start working or volunteering.

EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY

The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) only hires U.S. citizens and those authorized to work in the U.S. FDC uses E-Verify to confirm an employee’s eligibility to work after completing the I-9 form.

The Florida Department of Corrections does not currently support H-1B Visa Sponsorship.

For online application issues, call the People First Service Center at 1-877-562-7287. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM EST on the closing date.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE.  Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply.  Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements.  Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code.  Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here.  All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.