The Department of Youth Services (DYS) is seeking dynamic, positive, and service-minded individuals to fill the role of Juvenile Justice Youth Development Specialist II (JJYDS II). The selected candidate will work with juvenile justice involved young people ages 12 – 20 years old (most of the youth served are 14 -18 years old) in DYS residential facilities. The role of the incumbent is to support the Juvenile Justice Youth Development Specialist I located at 425 Harvard Street, Dorchester, MA 02124.
The Juvenile Justice Youth Development Specialist II performs various care and security activities in connection with youth in custody of DYS. They will monitor the conduct and behavior of youth assigned to the facility, while maintaining communication with staff members, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders. The Juvenile Justice Youth Development Specialist II provides guidance and direction to the Juvenile Justice Youth Development Specialist I staff.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ability to understand, explain and apply the laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures guidelines, etc. governingassigned unit activities.
• Knowledge of the factors, trends and challenges in providing secure residential and rehabilitative care to youthincluding Positive Youth Development (PYD) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).
• Demonstrated ability to supervise, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to beaccomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available resources; controlling work through periodic reviewsand/or evaluations.
• Proficient at gathering information by examining records and documents and through questioning and observation.
• Capacity to interact with people who are under physical and/or emotional stress as well as the Ability to maintain acalm manner in stressful and emergency situations.
• Effective communication including the ability to give oral and written instructions in a precise, understandable manner.
• Experience in establishing rapport with persons from different ethnic, cultural and/or socio-economic backgroundsincluding the ability to deal tactfully with others.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with youth including residential care, treatment, counseling and/or rehabilitation of juvenilesand/or adult offenders.
• Proven ability to interact with youth in a supportive, safe and encouraging way.
• Demonstrated program measurement, reporting and evaluation skills.
• Proficient usage of Microsoft Office products including Word, Outlook, and Excel.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum Age Requirement: 21 years.
• Applicants must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Must be able to perform the physical requirement of the job (i.e. Ability to properly restrain or subdue youth throughappropriate use of handcuffs or other restraint techniques) if necessary.
• Able to talk and/or hear, stand, and walk, run, kneel, and climb stairs, as well as lift, carry, push, or pull up to 55pounds with or without assistance and with or without the use of devices and/or equipment to assist in the lifting effort.
• Based on assignment, incumbents may be required to possess a current and valid motor vehicle driver’s license at aclass level specific to assignment.
• Upon hire, incumbents must complete and maintain a valid certification in crisis intervention, suicide prevention,Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and first aid.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) a high school diploma or equivalent and (B) at least one (1) year of full-time, or equivalent part-time experience in the military, or working with at-risk or justice involved youth and/or adults with responsibilities for one or more of the following: community supervision, safety and security in a 24/7 treatment or detention residential program, counseling, coaching (athletic or personal), mentoring, advocacy, mediation, de-escalation, substance use/abuse prevention, rehabilitation and/or in a law enforcement capacity C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
Substitutions:
I. An Associate’s degree or higher may be substituted for the required (B) experience.
Based on assignment, incumbents may be required to possess a current and valid motor vehicle driver’s license at a class level specific to assignment.
Upon hire, incumbents shall be required to complete and maintain a valid certification in crisis intervention, suicide prevention, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and first aid.
Salary placement is determined by a combination of factors, including the candidate’s years of directly related experience and education, and alignment with our internal compensation structure as set forth by the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines. For all bargaining unit positions (non-management), compensation is subject to the salary provisions outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will apply to placement within the appropriate salary range.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY / AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. FEMALES, MINORITIES, VETERANS, AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.
Official Title: Juvenile Just Yth Dev Spec II
Primary Location: United States-Massachusetts-Boston-425 Harvard Street
Job: Community and Social Services
Agency: Department of Youth Services
Schedule: Full-time
Shift: Evening
Job Posting: Aug 27, 2025, 1:51:43 PM
Number of Openings: 1
Salary: 57,087.42 - 77,110.28 Yearly
If you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator: Natasha Lugo / natasha.lugo@mass.gov - 8572830119
Bargaining Unit: 02-AFSCME - Service/Institutional
Confidential: No
Potentially Eligible for a Hybrid Work Schedule: N

• Observe the conduct and behavior of youth confined to the facility and take appropriate action to prevent disturbancesand/or escapes, to ensure compliance with established policies, regulations and procedures and to ensure the safetyof staff and youth; provide one-to-one youth watch, including suicide, elevated and medical watch to ensure thesafety of the youth.
• Maintain custodial care and control of youth to uphold order and security within the facility; ensure the security of staffand youth by making periodic rounds, head counts and security checks and searches of youth and visitors to makecertain all youth are accounted for and to ensure that weapons and contraband are not on the premise.
• Supervise and monitor the deployment of up to six (6) JJYDS I staff by checking duty stations and ensuring thecompletion of assigned tasks to ensure the safety and security of staff, youth and visitors.
• Assist the Juvenile Justice Youth Development Specialist III in their absence and assume responsibilities for theoperation of the assigned shift.
• Conduct intake of youth and complete appropriate documentation; document behavioral issues to establish patternsand monitor changes; complete incident reports and transportation, medical, visitor and daily operations logs toinform appropriate personnel during meetings and shift changes.
• Maintain resident, program, department and related documentation, ensuring that shift documentation is completed aswell as creating and improving current systems and procedures to help shape an efficient working atmosphere.
• Provide crisis and behavior management to youth as a means to prevent and or intercede with crisis situations;facilitate and/or co-facilitate group meetings to assist the youth in developing coping skills to deal with their problemsand issues and to develop pro-social and life skills; establish a rapport with the youth and advocate for the youth toensure that their needs are being met; provide guidance and support through daily interaction and role modeling inorder to facilitate re-entry into the community.
• Deliver leadership through role modeling and reinforcement of positive practices as well as participation in staffmeetings and training sessions as needed.
• Facilitate orientation of new staff as well as train and coach staff with techniques, group interactions and appropriateresponses in emergency situations including physically subduing and/or restraining practices to ensure a safe andsecure environment.