Employment Opportunities

How to apply?
For Department of Social Services positions, please submit a detailed PD-107  and PD-107A  State Application Form. If you have a degree, please send a college transcript. If you have submitted an application within the past six months, your application on file will be considered. 

For information about job opportunities at Rutherford County DSS contact Kayla Fox at 828-287-6283 or Kayla Fox.

A State Application, PD-107 and PD-107A, must be submitted by 5 pm on the closing date to:

PO Box 242
389 Fairground Road
Spindale, NC 28160
Phone 828 287-6283 
Attn: Kayla Fox
FAX to: 828-288-3406
Email: kayla.fox@rutherfordcountync.gov

Rutherford County provides eligible employees with a competitive benefits package including paid health and dental insurance, paid holidays, and other optional benefits.

If you are interested in the position and possess the basic requirements for the position as stated, please submit a PD-107 State Application Form. If you have applied within the last six months, your application will be considered.

Rutherford County DSS is not responsible for failure to receive faxed applications. Please take a moment to ensure your transmission was received.

Employee may be called upon in case of disaster, either natural or man-made, to serve the citizens of Rutherford County. This service, if required, will take precedence over duties described in this position vacancy announcement.

Selection Process will include a structured interview. Applications will be reviewed; structured interview evaluations will be studied; educational and work experience histories will be considered. After careful evaluation of the above-mentioned criteria, the appointing authority will appoint the applicant who in the judgement of the appointing authority is best suited for the position.
*************************************************************************************************
SOCIAL WORKER I/A&T - CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES UNIT

Position Responsibilities
The Social Worker in this position will be responsible for the provision of services to children and their families in the area of Child Protective Service Investigations, Case Planning/Case Management, Family Assessment, and the provision of on-going family support services.  Work involves contact with other community agencies and institutions.  Court appearances and participation is an ongoing function of this worker’s job.  Case Management is another vital function, which includes record keeping and dictation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, group work, and community problems.  Considerable knowledge of a wide range of medical, behavioral, and/or psychosocial problems and their treatment theory.  Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques, governmental and private organizations, and resources in the community, laws, regulations, and policies which govern the program.  General knowledge of the methods and principles of casework supervision and training.  Skill in establishing rapport with a client and in applying techniques or assessing psychosocial, behavioral, and psychological aspects of client’s problems.  Ability to supervise, train, or instruct lower-level social workers, students, or interns in the program.  Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of caseload and their families, as well as civic, legal, medical, social, and religious organizations.  Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively.

 Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work experience; or a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; or Master’s degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; or graduation from a four-year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related human service field providing experience in the techniques of casework, group work or community organization; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.  One year of work experience can be credited for completion of the social work collaborative.    

Applicants who meet the qualifications listed for the Social Worker I/AT will be given first consideration.  Also, those with a Social Worker degree from an accredited school of social work will be given preference however anyone who has a Human Services Degree or a 4-year degree may apply as “work against appointments” and will be considered.

Special Requirements
Copies of final transcripts from accredited school showing date degree awarded must be submitted with application. Must have a valid driver’s license and be in compliance with the Rutherford County’s insurance regulations.  Must have access to a vehicle. 

Selection Process
The selection process will include a structured interview.  Applications will be reviewed; structured interview evaluations will be studied; educational and work experience histories will be considered.  After careful evaluation of the above-mentioned criteria the appointing authority will appoint the applicant who in the judgment of the appointing authority is best suited for the position.

***********************************************************************************************
INCOME MAINTENANCE CASEWORKER II - INCOME MAINTENANCE UNIT
Position Number: 5310064 & 5310097
Annual Salary:  $36,054
Posting Date:  January 11, 2023
Closing Date:  Open Until Filled

Position Responsibilities:
The primary purpose of this position is to provide maintenance of a public assistance caseload, including determining eligibility, processing applications, and conducting reviews and actions to effect reported changes in situations.  Major position activities include interviewing, eligibility determination, and record maintenance.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Considerable knowledge of the program/areas of assignment.  General knowledge of all agency and community programs and services which could affect the client/applicant.  Good mathematical reasoning and computational skills.  Ability to read, analyze, and interpret rules, regulations and procedures.  Ability to communicate with clients/applicants, the public at large, and public officials to obtain data, and to explain and interpret rules, regulations and procedures.  Ability to perform caseworker functions within structured time frames. 

Minimum Training and Experience Requirements:
One year of experience as an Income Maintenance Caseworker; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. 

Work Against Appointment will be considered.  Minimum Education and Experience:
Graduation from an accredited associate degree program in Human Services Technology, Social Services Associate, Paralegal Technology, Business Administration, Secretarial Science, or a closely related curriculum; or graduation from high school and two years of paraprofessional, clerical, or other public contact experience which included negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, gathering and compiling of data, analysis of data and/or performance of mathematical or legal tasks with at least one year of such experience being in an income maintenance program; or graduation from high school and three years of paraprofessional, clerical or other public contact experience which included negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, the gathering and compiling of data, the analysis of data and/or the performance of mathematical or legal tasks; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.   

SELECTION PROCESS:
The selection process will include a structured interview.  Applications will be reviewed; structured interview evaluations will be studied; educational and work experience histories will be considered.  After careful evaluation of the above-mentioned criteria, the appointing authority will appoint the applicant who in the judgment of the appointing authority is best suited for the position. 

If you are interested in the position and possess the basic requirements for the position as stated above, please submit a PD-107, State Application Form.  If you have applied within the last six months, your application will be considered.    

*

**************************************************************************************************************

Processing Assistant III - Administrative Unit - Receptionist/Switchboard
Position Number:  5310061
Annual Salary:  $27,527
Posting Date: March 9, 2023
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

JOB DESCRIPTION:
The primary responsibilities of this position are the switchboard attendant for the Agency and receptionist for the Family & Children’s Services, Child Support, and Administrative Departments.  The employee in this position also performs other office support work including maintaining visitor and vehicle logs, copying, scanning, filing, and other clerical duties as needed.

• General knowledge of office or work unit procedures, methods, and practices
• General knowledge of and ability to use a correct spelling, punctuation and specialized vocabulary; ability to proofread
• General knowledge of office account and record keeping procedures, mathematics and their application to the work environment
• Ability to learn and apply a variety of guidelines
• Ability to use a variety of office equipment
• Ability to work with people with courtesy and tact
• Ability to screen communications based on predetermined guidelines to independently respond or route inquiries
• Ability to record and compile information based on general guidelines
• Ability to coordinate work of other office support staff
• Ability to learn to use specialized office equipment

Minimum Training and Experience:
Graduation from high school and demonstrated possession of knowledges, skills, and abilities gained through at least one year of office assistant/secretarial experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

**********************************************************************************************************
SOCIAL WORKER III - ADOPTIONS/FOSTER CARE UNIT
Position Number:    5310019
Annual Salary:  $47,222
Posting Date:  March 9, 2023
Closing Date:  Open Until Filled

 Position Responsibilities
The primary purpose of this position is to provide intensive casework services to children for whom the Agency has legal custody or placement responsibility and their families.  These children reside in foster care, other substitute care arrangements or in their own homes.  The primary goal of this position is to effect and sustain permanent placements for children until the Agency's legal responsibility is terminated, either through reunification or adoption.  The position requires casework and legal work associated with the adoption process; as well as, assessing and completing homestudies on potential adoptive parents.  This position also requires providing back up Child Protective Services (CPS) Intake and providing back up to CPS afterhours staff on a rotation basis.    Services provided are consistent with program and statutory guidelines and acceptable social work practice.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Knowledge of:
Social work principles, techniques and practices and their application to complex casework, group work and community problems; a wide range of medical; behavioral and psychosocial problems and their treatment; Governmental and private organizations and community resources; the laws, regulations and policies which govern the program; Family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques; Medical terminology, disease processes and their treatment as they relate to decisions regarding clinical interventions and appropriate therapies based on medical or psychological diagnosis; the methods and principles of casework, supervision and training

Ability to:
Establish rapport with a client and in applying techniques of assessing psychosocial, behavioral and psychological aspects of client’s problems; Establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of caseload and their families as well as civic, legal, medical, social and religious organizations; Express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively; Supervise, train or instruct lower-level social workers, students or interns in the program.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work; Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and completion of the Child Welfare Collaborative (Child Welfare positions only); Bachelor’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and one year directly related experience; Master’s degree in counseling in a human services field and one year of social work or counseling; Bachelor’s degree in a human services field from an accredited college or university and two years directly related experience; Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university plus three years of directly related experience.    

Applicants who meet the qualifications listed for the Social Worker III will be given first consideration.  Also, those with a Social Worker degree from an accredited school of social work will be given preference however anyone who has a Human Services Degree or a 4-year degree may apply as “work against appointments” and will be considered.

Special Requirements
Copies of final transcripts from accredited school showing date degree awarded must be submitted with application. Must have a valid driver’s license and be in compliance with the Rutherford County’s insurance regulations.  Must have access to a vehicle.

 **********************************************************************************************************