Salary: $69,086.00 - $104,959.00 Annually
Location : Northumberland County, PA
Job Type: Civil Service Permanent Full-Time
Job Number:Department: Department of Corrections
Division: CR COA Trmt Svcs
Opening Date: 10/28/2026
Closing Date: 11/11/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Job Code: 42990
Position Number: Multiple positions may be filled from this posting.
Union: SEIU Local 668
Bargaining Unit: F4
Pay Group: ST08
Bureau / Division Code: 00112450
Bureau / Division: State Correctional Institution at Coal Township
Worksite Address: 1 Kelley Drive
City: Coal Township, Pennsylvania
Zip Code: 17866
Contact Name: Treina Brinkley
Contact Email: tbrinkley@pa.gov
DESCRIPTION OF WORKThis position provides mental health support to inmates by offering counseling, testing, coordination, and crisis services that strengthen emotional adjustment. As a Psychological Services Specialist, you will perform the following duties:
- Counseling Services: Provide individual and group therapy that supports emotional adjustment and behavior change
- Assessment Work: Conduct interviews and administer psychological tests to guide treatment planning
- Coordination Efforts: Work with institutional departments and outside agencies to support inmate care
- Program Support: Assist in research efforts aimed at improving psychological services within the institution
- Intern Training: Guide student interns in testing, scoring, and interpretation tasks
- Crisis Response: Deliver immediate assistance to inmates experiencing urgent mental health needs
Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.
Work Schedule and Additional Information:- Full-time employment, 37.5 hours per week
- Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with a 30-minute lunch. The work schedule is to be determined and will consist of either a Tuesday - Saturday or Sunday - Thursday workweek.
- This position is eligible for full retirement benefits at age 50 or 55.
- Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
- Salary: Selected candidates who are new to employment with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will begin employment at the starting annual salary of $69,086.00 (before taxes).
- Additional pay will be considered for those who currently possess or obtain licensure as a Social Worker, Clinical Social Worker, or Professional Counselor issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Counselors. Documentation will need to be provided at interview to receive additional pay consideration.
- You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITYQUALIFICATIONSMinimum Experience and Training Requirements:- A master's degree in psychology or a closely related field that includes fifteen graduate level credits in psychology or counseling.
- Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree/credits.
Other Requirements:- You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
- Successful completion of basic training in Elizabethtown, PA is required.
- You must be able to perform essential job functions.
Legal Requirement:- You must pass a background investigation and meet Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) compliance requirements.
How to Apply:- Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
- If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
- Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
- Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
- All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant's own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.
Veterans:- Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.
Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS): - 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).
If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.
EXAMINATION INFORMATION - Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
- Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
- Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
- You must provide complete and accurate information or:
- your score may be lower than deserved.
- you may be disqualified.
- You may only apply/test once for this posting.
- Your results will be provided via email.
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Health & WellnessWe offer multiple health plans so our employees can choose what works best for themselves and their families. Our comprehensive benefits package includes health coverage, vision, dental, and wellness programs.*
Compensation & Financial PlanningWe invest in our employees by providing competitive wages and encouraging financial wellness by offering multiple ways to save money and ensure peace of mind including multiple retirement and investment plan options.
Work/Life BalanceWe know there's more to life than just work! Our generous paid leave benefits include paid vacation, paid sick leave, eight weeks of paid parental leave, military leave, and paid time off for most major U.S. holidays, as well as flexible work schedules and work-from-home opportunities.*
Values and CultureWe believe in the work we do and provide continual opportunities for our employees to grow and contribute to the greater good. As one of the largest employers in the state, we provide opportunities for internal mobility, professional development, and the opportunity to give back by participating in workplace charitable giving.
Employee PerksSometimes, it is the little "extras" that make a big difference. Our employees receive special employee-only discounts and rates on a variety of services and memberships.
For more information on all of these Total Rewards benefits, please visit and click on the benefits box.
*Eligibility rules apply.
01
Have you successfully completed or are within three months of completing a master's degree in psychology or a closely related field that includes fifteen graduate level credits in psychology or counseling?
If you are claiming credits/degree, you must upload a copy of your college transcript(s) for this education to be considered in the eligibility decision. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You must attach your transcript(s) prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a transcript(s) to the application after it has been submitted.
If you answer "Yes" to this question based on education acquired outside of the United States, you must upload a copy of your foreign credential evaluation report. We can only accept foreign credential evaluations from organizations that are members of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES). A list of current NACES members can be found by visiting and clicking the Evaluation Services Link.
You must attach your documentation prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a document to the application after it has been submitted.
02
If are you within 3 months of completing a master's degree in psychology or a closely related field that includes fifteen graduate level credits in psychology or counseling, on what date do you expect to graduate? If this does not apply to you, please type N/A in the text box.
03
You must complete the supplemental questions below. These supplemental questions are the exam and will be scored. They are designed to give you the opportunity to relate your experience and training background to the major activities (Work Behaviors) performed in this position. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. You
must complete the application
and answer the supplemental questions. Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will
not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.
All information you provide on your application and supplemental questions is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty. If requested, you must provide documentation, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals who can verify the validity of the information you provide in the application and supplemental questions.
Read each question carefully. Determine and select which "Level of Performance" most closely represents your highest level of experience/training. List the employer(s)/training source(s) from your Work or Education sections of the application where you gained this experience/training.
The "Level of Performance" you choose must be clearly supported within the description of the experience and training information entered in your application or your score may be lowered. In order to receive credit for experience, you must have worked in a job for at least six months in which the experience claimed was a major function.
If you have read and understand these instructions, please click on the "Yes" button and proceed to the exam questions.If you have general questions regarding the application and hiring process, please refer to our
04
WORK BEHAVIOR 1 - PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTAssesses mental, behavioral, emotional, and developmental disorders of patients/clients/inmates by observing patients/clients/inmates; reviewing data and information, psychological reports, etc., provided by other professionals and staff; interviewing patients/clients/inmates, family, and/or staff to elicit information concerning patients/clients/inmates; administering and interpreting standardized tests of personality, interest, vocational aptitude, intelligence, academic achievement, degree of symptom severity, and/or risk assessment; and makes appropriate referrals in narrative reports based upon the patient's/client's/inmate's need.
Levels of PerformanceSelect the Level of Performance that best describes your claim.
- A. I have professional experience related to the work behavior above which includes assessing mental, behavioral, emotional, and developmental disorders of patients/clients/inmates by observing patients/clients/inmates AND reviewing data and information, psychological reports, etc. AND interviewing patients/clients/inmates, family, and/or staff to elicit information concerning patients/clients/inmate
