Salary: $38.91 Hourly
Location : Anchorage or Wasilla, AK
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 54909
Department: Family & Community Services
Division: Office of Children's Services
Opening Date: 08/28/2026
Closing Date: 9/8/2026 5:00 PM Alaska
Division: Office of Children's Services
Position Open To: Department Employees Only
Bargaining Unit: General Government
Range: 19

Job Description
This position is open to current
Department of Family and Community Services employees only.
Please check the definition below to determine if you qualify.

The Department of Family and Community Services,
Office of Children's Services (OCS) is
recruiting for full-time Protective Service Specialist 3
in Anchorage or Wasilla, Alaska

What you will be doingThe individual in this position is an advanced-level case worker with considerable knowledge of social work practices and principles, Federal and State Laws, as well as policy and procedure of the Office of Children's Services. They will provide teaching and coaching to new Protective Services Specialists and give feedback to enhance professional competencies. The individual in this position will model and observe family engagement and agency practice, provide one on one coaching through virtual platforms, and teach in a classroom setting.

Benefits of joining our teamThe Mentor Position provides opportunities for advancement in leadership and to enhance individual learning through teaching and coaching new Protective Services Specialists. Mentors have the opportunity to travel statewide, expanding their experience in practice model application

Your first twelve months in the agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal virtual training and on-the-job training with your supervisor and with other colleagues.
Full-time benefits of this position include but are not limited to: Insurance Benefits; Retirement Benefits; Paid Leave; and twelve paid holidays per year. Please see the benefits tab on this posting for more information.
Working environment you can expect
The Mentor Position is a statewide position that requires travel across Alaska. Travel typically lasts 3-5 days at a time and varies based on mentee assignments and where they are located. The Mentor team is a tight knit team that works collaboratively to help staff overcome barriers to understanding, resiliency, and skill development.

For information on the Anchorage or Wasilla community (including schools, hospitals, housing) please review the
We are seeking a candidate with the following competencies:

1. Conflict Management: Encourages creative tension and differences of opinions. Anticipates and takes steps to prevent counter-productive confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner.
2. Developing Others: Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.
3. Self-Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.

Special Note

• This position requires a valid Alaska driver's license.
• Additionally, while the Division does have vehicles assigned to it, they may not always be available for staff use. Mileage reimbursement is available when a personal vehicle is used for work-related matters. Current automotive insurance must be in place prior to use of a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the State.
• For positions in this job class, a child protective history check will be performed per AS 12.62.160 and/or 13 AAC 68.315 including a background and fingerprint check.
• The successful candidate may be required to attend multiple training courses normally located in Anchorage.

A cover letter is NOT required for this position. Your complete application will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.

To view the general description and example of duties for a Protective Services Specialist 3 please go to the following link:
Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in

• Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: Uses a logical, systematic, and sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one's knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Customer Service: Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
• Integrity/Honesty: Behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner. Shows consistency in words and actions. Models high standards of ethics.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Oral Communication: Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
• Technical Credibility: Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise equivalent to those typically gained by training in a social science, behavioral science, health science, guidance and counseling, or a closely related field and/or progressively responsible professional experience providing assistance, information or referrals to the general public related to social services, health care, or legal services; in child, adult, family, or group case management, licensing, or probation services; or providing care or services to delinquent juveniles.

"Typically gained by" means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

"Training" and "education" in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

"Progressively responsible" means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

"Professional experience" means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.

Special Note:
Some positions require a valid Alaska driver's license and/or a background investigation including fingerprinting. These requirements will be indicated at the time of recruitment.
Additional Required Information

At time of interview applicant is requested to submit:

• A copy of academic transcripts (unofficial are acceptable but must include the institution name/URL on documents provided) if required to meet minimum qualifications.
• A list of three (3) professional* references including daytime telephone numbers and email address; at least two (2) of these must be from a current or former supervisor.
  • Professional is defined as a supervisor or an individual who has direct knowledge of your work performance.

Please read the below information carefully. This applies to your application submission.

NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
EDUCATION
To verify education being used to meet the required minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials being used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position and are required with each application. (Unofficial are okay, please ensure that the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts). Transcripts can be attached at the time of application, provided at the time of interview or if not provided, transcripts will be required prior to appointment.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Omission of required documentation listed will result in an incomplete application and you will not receive further consideration.

WORK EXPERIENCE
When using work experience not already documented in your application, please provide the employer name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. Work experience needed to meet the minimum qualifications must be documented in the application. If the application does not support minimum qualifications, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment. A resume will not be used to determine that minimum qualifications have been met for the position in which you are applying.

If you are currently or previously been appointed to a flexibly staffed position please ensure your work experience within a flexibly staffed position indicates the actual dates employed at each level. Ensure your time and any subsequent flex promotion(s) are documented as a separate position. This is required as there are minimum qualifications that require experience at a particular level in which the lower level may not be considered. If this information is not accurately reflected in your application this may cause the processing of your application for consideration to be delayed.