Corrections Officer I

Corrections Officer I

Salary

$32.45 Hourly

Location

710 South 17th Street, Omaha, NE, NE

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

10242

Department

Corrections

Division

COURT HOUSE JAIL

Opening Date

07/01/2026

Closing Date

9/30/2026 4:30 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

The Position

Incumbent works under the direction of a Sergeant or designee, setting and conveying expectations for the incarcerated population as governed by the operating philosophy of Strategic Inmate Management (SIM), managing and regulating offender behavior assessing risk, ensuring the provision of basic needs, and influencing productive activity and engagement.

Essential Functions

• Conduct routine security and health inspections, detecting potential contraband and/or hazards, reporting damage/dangers, and staying vigilant of potential security breaches.
• Establish and maintain effective work relationships with clients, supervisors, County employees, elected officials, attorneys, law enforcement, judges, other agencies, and the public.
• Comply with Civil Service Rules, collective bargaining agreements, County policies, department policies and laws to create a cooperative, safe, respectful and quality work environment.
• Serve as the sole authority in the unit, supervising inmates, unit activities and deciding matters concerning inmates and housing area activities.
• Establish and maintain a positive supervisory relationship with the incarcerated population, directing, redirecting and coaching.
• Provide information and respond to legitimate requests and concerns, utilizing available resources.
• Interact professionally with inmates, initiating interactions, setting expectations and listening.
• Obtain and maintain knowledge of inmates (e.g. acknowledging by name, recognizing behavior changes, understanding restrictions).
• Detect and address problems early (e.g. monitor behavior, recognize potential problems or conflicts) and alert supervisors of potential issues.
• Provide positive reinforcement, serving as a role-model for appropriate social behavior.
• Hold inmates accountable for complying with rules and expectations utilizing positive motivation techniques.
• Encourage in-unit activities participation, understanding available programming opportunities.
• Collaborate with leadership and peers, providing support on inmate management issues and strategies.
• Prepare reports and written materials.
• Report to work with regular, consistent attendance.
• Perform other duties as assigned and directed.

Education and Work Experience and Other Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Post-secondary education in Criminal Justice or related field preferred.
• Work experience in a correctional facility, criminal justice agency and/or providing security preferred.
• Must be at least 19 years of age.
• Compliance with random drug testing required.
• Valid driver's license upon hire and maintained throughout employment required.
• Complete training in Defensive Tactics (DT) courses within (6) six months of hire and maintained throughout employment required.
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification within six (6) months of hire and maintained throughout employment required.
• Completion of a pre-employment criminal record check, physical assessment, medical review and conditional offer drug screen required.

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work is generally performed in a locked correctional facility. Noise level is typically moderate to loud. Work schedule will vary (e.g. days, shifts, weekends, holidays, overtime, emergency call-in). Work involves potential exposure to biohazards and dangerous drugs. Work requires close interaction with offender populations and may stressful when changing assignments, multiple/changing priorities, critical situations, and irate/verbally abusive individuals.
• Corrections Officers are required to physically engage inmates in order to protect the inmate, oneself, other staff, and inmates. This may involve subduing and restraining one or more inmates who may have weapons. Officer may be required to take action before assistance arrives. Incidents requiring physical intervention may arise frequently several times a day, and may not last long. Officers are required to remain physically fit without medical conditions that pose a threat to oneself or others should physical confrontation arise. Officers must also have the strength, endurance, agility and coordination to perform the job's essential functions including self-defense and inmate restraint.
• Incumbents must meet the following specific job-related physical requirements:

Standing/Walking/Bending

Constant, up to 80% of shift or as needed

Climbing

Frequent, stair climbing may be involved

Sitting

Occasional, up to 20% of shift

Running

Occasional, typically one-to-two minute duration

Kneeling/Stooping/Crouching

Occasional

Balance

Frequent climbing stairs or when restraining a combative inmate

Ability to Quickly Change Position

Occasional, from kneeling to standing

Lifting

Frequent up to 50 pounds and occasional up to 50 pounds

Maximal Voluntary Grip

65 pounds or better

Pushing/Pulling

Frequently up to 50 pounds

• Required sensory abilities include vision, hearing, smell and touch. Visual abilities, correctable to normal ranges, include close, distance and color vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. Communication abilities includes the ability to talk and hear within normal ranges. Olfactory abilities include the ability to smell odor and fumes. Incumbent must possess the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate computers and other equipment (e.g. control panels, radios, handcuffs, leg irons, hook knife, chemical agent, doors, alarms).

Douglas County is an EOE - Disability/Veterans

Douglas County offers a comprehensive benefit package including:

• Insurance including health, dental, vision, and life
• Pension
• Sick Leave
• Vacation Leave
• 13 Holidays
• Flex Spending Accounts
• Deferred Income plans (457 plan)
• EAP
• Health Savings Accounts

01

What is the highest level of education you have completed?

• Less than high school diploma/GED
• High school diploma/GED
• 1 year of college
• 2 years of college
• 3 or more years of college
• Bachelors Degree

02

If your post secondary education is in a field of study other than Criminal Justice, please specify your field of study.

03

How many years of work experience do you have in a correctional facility, criminal justice agency and/or providing security?

• Less than one year
• One year
• Two years
• Three years
• Four years
• Five or more years

04

This job requires you to be at least 19 years of age or older. Do you meet this condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

05

If hired into this position, you will be required to submit to random drug testing. Do you agree to this condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

06

You must possess a valid drivers license at the time of hire and throughout employment. Do you understand this condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

07

You must complete training in Defensive Tactics (DT) courses within six (6) months of hire and must be maintained throughout employment. Do you understand this condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

08

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification is required within six (6) months of hire and must be maintained throughout employment. Do you understand this condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

09

Are you able to successfully perform the Essential Functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation?

• Yes
• No

10

Are you able to meet the Physical Requirements and Working Conditions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation?

• Yes
• No

11

Are you bilingual in English/Spanish?

• Yes
• No

12

As part of the selection process, you may be required to take other pre-employment tests as directed and administered by the department. Do you agree to this condition of employment?

• Yes
• No

13

This position requires the ability to deal effectively with individuals from a wide range of social and economic backgrounds and diverse cultures and ethnicity including individuals who may be maladjusted, emotionally or mentally disturbed, hostile, and physically and verbally abusive. Is this acceptable to you?

• Yes
• No

14

As outlined in the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 The Douglas County Department of Corrections shall ask all applicants and employees who may have contact with inmates directly about previous misconduct described in paragraph (a) of this section in written applications or interviews for hiring or promotions and in any interviews or written self-evaluations conducted as part of reviews of current employees the following questions. 115.17 (a) The agency shall not hire or promote anyone who may have contact with inmates, and shall not enlist the services of any contractor who may have contact with inmates, who-- (1) Has engaged in sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution (as defined in 42 U.S.C. 1997); (2) Has been convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse; or (3) Has been civilly or administratively adjudicated to have engaged in the activity described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section. Have you ever engaged in sexual abuse in a prison, jail, lockup, community confinement facility, juvenile facility, or other institution? (If yes, explain)

15

Have you ever been convicted of engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse? (If yes, explain)

16

Have you ever been civilly or administratively adjudicated for engaging or attempting to engage in sexual activity in the community facilitated by force, overt or implied threats of force, or coercion, or if the victim did not consent or was unable to consent or refuse? (If yes, explain)

17

If you answer yes to claiming Veterans Preference, you must attach to your application, before submission, a copy of your DD214 including page 4 identifying your character of service (and IF disabled, verification of disability from the VA), OR if you are a spouse of a 100% disabled veteran, you must attach a copy of your spouses DD214, showing character of service, a copy of the veterans disability verification from the Department of Veterans Affairs demonstrating a 100% permanent disability rating, and proof of marriage to the veteran; OR if you are a spouse of an active service member, you must attach a copy of your spouses active service orders and proof of marriage to the active service member. I understand this requirement that documents must be attached.

• Yes
• No
• I am not claiming Veterans Preference

18

Have you ever been convicted of a violation of any criminal statute whether felony or misdemeanor, or do you currently have a charge pending for any felony, misdemeanor, or other criminal offense excluding minor traffic violations? NOTE: Applicants are not obligated to disclose a sealed juvenile record of arrest, custody, complaint, disposition, diversion, adjudication, or sentence.

• Yes
• No

19

If you answered "yes", please list offense(s) and date(s) of occurrence(s). NOTE: A conviction record is not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered in relation to the position applied for.

20

Douglas County Corrections operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Do you have the ability to conform to a work schedule which may include weekends, holidays, varied shift and work hours, voluntary and mandatory overtime, and emergency call ins?

• Yes
• No

21

Are you willing to accept this position at $32.45 per hour?

• Yes
• No

22

How did you learn of this position?

Required Question

Employer Douglas County (NE)

Address 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 505

Omaha, Nebraska, 68183

Phone 402-444-6188

Website http://hr.douglascounty-ne.gov/employment