Correctional Officer

Walla Walla, WA
Washington State Penitentiary (WADOC)

*Please Note: COVID Vaccine requirement for DOC employment NO LONGER REQUIRED*

Corrections and Custody Officer 1 (CO1)

Corrections and Custody Officer 2 (CO2)

FULL TIME– Permanent Positions

Washington State Penitentiary (WSP)

Full-Time CO1 Salary Range $5490.00 – $5913.00 Monthly
Full-Time CO2 Salary Range $5913 – $6368.00 Monthly

SAVE THE DATE:

All Qualified Candidates will be invited to a interview/hiring event July 6 & 21 2023.

Successful candidates will attend the next available academy.

To qualify at the Corrections and Custody Officer 2 (CO2) level you must have:

* One year of experience as a Department of Corrections (DOC) Corrections and Custody Officer, which includes successful completion of the CORE (Academy) and the Correctional Officer Field Training Program.
* One year of experience as a Correctional Officer in adult or juvenile corrections where security functions equivalent to a DOC Corrections and Security Officer 2 were performed.

 

The Washington State Department of Corrections is seeking highly motivated and talented individuals for the positions of

Full-Time Correctional Officer 1 (CO1) and Full-Time Correctional Officer 2 (CO2)

at the Washington State Penitentiary (WSP)

in Walla Walla, WA. WSP is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Washington State Penitentiary is comprised of 3 Close Custody Units, 3 Special Housing Units, 2 Intensive Management Units, 2 Medium Units, 2 Minimum Housing Units and a Hospital. In all, WSP houses approximately 2,000 offenders and employees approximately 1,000 staff.

Whether the work is inside a prison, in community corrections, or in an administrative office, the Washington State Department of Corrections professional staff experience a high degree of personal satisfaction knowing they are creating environments in which all incarcerated individuals can learn to make choices that contribute to a safer society.

Click here to learn more about the Correctional Officer hiring process.

Duties

This job class is designated as in-training. The employee will advance to CO2 after satisfactory completion of the CO1 training requirements.

In an adult correctional facility, Correctional Officers provide safety and security, and assist in controlling, directing, and monitoring the activities and movement of incarcerated individuals. This includes maintaining security of the institution and controlling movement into, out of and within the institution in accordance with established department methods and procedures.
Correctional Officers are expected to be a positive role model and work with the incarcerated individuals to help them become productive members of society from the day they arrive under supervision. Correctional Officers use interpersonal skills and good communication skills to correct and counteract criminal thinking while maintaining safe confinement environments for the individuals to pursue a successful re-entry into communities. The successful candidates for Correctional Officer 1 will possess creative thinking, self-confidence, strong role-modeling and good physical and mental conditioning.

Overtime is an essential function of this position.

Correctional Officers must successfully complete Correctional Worker Core (CWC), a six-week academy for all correctional workers employed in DOC prison facilities. We know that managing difficult people takes more than force. It takes observation, knowledge, skills, and continual practice. Every DOC employee is provided with initial training designed to help assure safe working conditions. In addition, officers participate in the Correctional Officer Achievement Program (COACH), a unique in the nation, comprehensive, year-long, structured on-the-job training program for new correctional officers. In COACH, new officers continue to build on the skills and knowledge they learned in the CWC. With the supervision and coaching of Correctional Sergeants and Job Coaches, new officers gain competency and fluency in the core skills needed to perform duties of a correctional officer.

We are looking for teammates who share our vision of public service, committed to an equitable and inclusive culture that fosters and inspires excellence, while promoting innovation, engagement, and safety, leading to better outcomes for our incarcerated population, our agency, and our community.

Click here to learn more about Training & Development at DOC!

Qualifications

  • Graduation from high school or GED
  • Valid Driver’s license

Note: The legal (Constitutional) right to carry a firearm is required.

The pre-employment process includes drug testing and psychological evaluation.

Supplemental Information

Vision: Working together for safer communities.

Mission: Improving public safety by positively changing lives.

Our Commitment: To operate a safe and humane corrections system and partner with others to transform lives for a better Washington.

DOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, honorably discharged veteran, veteran status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.

For additional information about the agency, please visit doc.wa.gov.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • The work of a Correctional Officer, and the required training, can be physically demanding at times. Click here (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) to review a description of the training you’ll receive, and the associated requirements.
  • Please include a minimum of three professional references with your application. A professional reference is defined as an individual who has been paid to supervise your work and can attest to your work performance, technical skills, and job competencies. If you do not have any or sufficient professional references, please include non-related professionals, such as educators or other professional associates. Phone number AND email address are required for all professional references.
  • Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position.
  • Employees may work directly with or in close proximity to incarcerated individuals in a potentially hazardous setting. Please consider this when deciding whether to apply.
  • We are committed to maintaining a drug and alcohol-free work environment, and our employees are expected to comply with all state and federal laws. A pre-employment drug test will be administered as part of the selection process, and applicants who test positive for any controlled substances, will be disqualified from consideration.
  • Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) is an aerosol pepper spray made available as a means of self-defense and/or de-escalation. Applicants with sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.
  • Animal care projects are a common component of most Washington State prisons, including dog and cat programs. Applicants with animal sensitivities or allergies are encouraged to ask about the level of exposure they could expect in this position.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) is a priority health issue for DOC employees. The successful candidate will be required to provide valid proof of a baseline TB skin test within 60 days from the date of hire. When positive tests result, further information, testing and treatment may also be required. Employment is not contingent upon test results.
  • This position is included in a Union Shop.
  • Salary is based on experience and is determined at the time a final offer of employment is made. The salary range listed in the job posting includes Steps A-M. Step M is a longevity step and is typically gained six years after being assigned to Step L in your permanent salary range.
  • Requires respirator medical evaluation questionnaire, fit testing, training, and use of respiratory protection as required by the WA Industrial Safety & Act standards. Refer to WAC 296-842 (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) to learn more.


We are committed to hiring individuals who possess core diversity competencies:

  • Foster a positive attitude and openness toward the ever changing social and cultural makeup of the workplace.
  • Work effectively with people of different perspectives, abilities, disabilities, races, religions, ages, lifestyle preferences and social, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.
  • Respectfully acknowledge people’s differences and recognize these differences as important and valuable.
  • Promote inclusiveness.
  • Be culturally sensitive and appropriate.
  • Respect and value diverse backgrounds and traditions.

What We Offer:

As an employee of the Department of Corrections, your work-life integration is a priority. Washington State employees are offered one of the most inclusive and competitive benefits packages in the nation. Besides comprehensive family insurance for medical, dental, and vision, these perks also may include:

  • Up to 25 paid vacations days a year
  • 8 hours of paid sick leave per month
  • 12 paid holidays a year
  • Generous retirement plan
  • Flex Spending Accounts
  • Dependent Care Assistance
  • Deferred Compensation and so much more!

DOC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, honorably discharged veteran, veteran status, genetic information, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a person with a disability.

Many DOC jobs are covered by the Public Safety Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS). If someone moves from a Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) eligible position to a PSERS eligible position, they retire under two different systems/plans. For more information, please contact the Department of Retirement System at: 1-800-547-6657.

If you have interest in Correctional Officer jobs in other locations, you may wish to search in all the following counties: Spokane County, Thurston County, Clallam County, Franklin County, Clark County, Mason County, Snohomish County, Grays Harbor County, Pierce County, Walla Walla County, Yakima County, Cowlitz County, King County, and Benton County.

For questions about this recruitment, or to request reasonable accommodation in the application process, please email: Charles Cooper: ctcooper@doc1.wa.gov or call us at (509) 526-6323 or Lisa Phillips: lisa.phillips@doc1.wa.gov or (564) 669-0674.

For TTY service, please call the Washington Relay Service at 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388. Click here to learn more about the Correctional Officer hiring process.