Hearing Officer (Probation Counselor III)

Hearing Officer (Probation Counselor III)

Salary

$76,983.71 - $134,721.60 Annually

Location

JENNINGS BUILDING, 4110 CHAIN BRIDGE RD, FAIRFAX (FJ16), VA

Job Type

FT Hourly W BN

Job Number

26-01568

Department

Juv & Domestic Relations Court

Opening Date

10/17/2026

Closing Date

10/30/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

S26

Posting Type

Open to General Public

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Announcement

Housed in the central intake unit, intake division, under general supervision. This position presides over diversion hearings for appropriate juvenile offenders. Hearings may be held at the courthouse or any of the satellite offices located throughout the county. Diversion hearings involve the use of evidence-based assessments to determine the most appropriate service interventions. Presides over the hearings, assign interventions based on assessment results, and provide low level case management to ensure compliance. Also responsible for providing intake services for cases involving juveniles.

Duties include assessment of cases to determine appropriateness of informal or formal handling of complaints based on jurisdiction, venue, and probable cause as well as standards, policies and procedures established by the code of Virginia, department of juvenile justice and the local court services unit. Files petitions as appropriate and makes decisions regarding the issuing of shelter care and detention orders in accordance with the detention assessment instrument. Prepares cases for court detention hearings; testifies in court & submits outcome recommendations to the judges. Updates & maintains balanced approach data gathering environments (BADGE) intake and case management databases.

May provide training and presentations on intake services for court staff, intra/inter agency meetings and for the public. Maintains the unit staffing calendar and works in conjunction with administrative staff to maintain the juvenile and domestic appointment calendar (JDAC). Provides supervision of relief intake officers through periodic individual supervision meetings, review of their work and annual evaluations. Oversees receipt and processing of faxed intakes from law-enforcement officers.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)

Serve as supervisor for Probation Counselor I, Probation Counselor II and/or Administrative Assistant positions;

Actively participates in the selection, orientation, training and performance management process which includes evaluating performance, identifying goals and objectives, recognizing staff achievements, and coaching staff in overcoming performance or skill deficiencies;

Plan, assign, organize, and direct the flow of work and activities;

Determines and coordinates appropriate assessments, including family evaluation, alcohol and drug assessments, mental health assessments, and sex offender assessments;

Convenes an interdisciplinary/inter-agency team to collaboratively plan, deliver and monitor multiple services;

Makes an intake disposition, including decisions such as informal handling, rejection of a case on a jurisdictional basis, referral to other agencies or setting the case on the docket for a court hearing;

Makes program admission and release decisions;

Examines and evaluates the individual circumstances of each case referral;

Ensures that subordinates adhere to agency operating procedures and standards adopted by the Code of Virginia and Virginia State Department of Juvenile Justice;

Serves as a resource, trainer and policy expert for professional staff in providing appropriate custody and care, and ensuring the safety and welfare of juvenile or adult offenders or defendants;

Evaluates effectiveness of methods and procedures and recommends changes;

Participates in the development of policy and procedures;

Manages the grant funded treatment contract with service providers;

Maintains liaison with State and local law enforcement agencies;

Interprets policies and regulations for clients;

Works with other Counselors in the disposition of cases assigned;

Composes and dictates case records, petitions and correspondence;

Supervised Visitation and Exchange Program

Enforces court orders and conditions of supervised visitation and exchanges as required and ensures overall quality of the supervised visitation/supervised exchange program;

Mediation Coordinator

Coordinates and implements mediation programs, assigns mediators and monitors quality of the programs;

Residential Services

Manages the daily operation of an assigned wing of a residential facility;

Makes final decision regarding care or treatment of residents that can be resolved at the shift level, deferring to higher level management as needed;

Oversees and administers routine medication disbursement for residents;

Handles crisis situations to include medical, mental health and behavioral crises as necessary;

May be required to drive 15-passenger van for educational and recreational trips:

Police Department, Victim Services Section

Provides assistance in administrative oversight to the unit;

Monitor funding grants;

Responsible for short term responsibilities and projects that might normally be handled by upper management;

Will perform supervisory functions in the absence of the Director;

Serves as the point of contact for all victim service internal and external training for the department;

Identifies appropriate training for victim services specialist;

ASAP Case Management Services

Maintains a caseload of court referred and volunteer clients who have been charged/convicted of impaired driving offenses and first time drug offenders;

Interviews clients during intake process and assign appropriate program classification

Writes intake summary on each client interviewed and writes and prepares reports to the courts, clients and treatment providers;

Conducts case management duties to include monitoring of ignition interlock;

Monitors clients progress and make referral as needed;

Testifies in court on non-compliant cases, make appropriate recommendations when requested by the judge;

Administers alcohol breath tests to clients;

Performs supervisory duties as assigned including supervising subordinate personnel, special projects, ancillary programs (which may include Victim Impact and other programs;

Serves as probation supervisor when that person is unavailable;

Supervises the intake process and handles calls and emergency situations as they arise;

Provides training and monitoring of staff as required with regard to intake and case management.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Knowledge of the principles of psychology and sociology;

Knowledge of the practices and procedures of casework supervision and intake activities;

Knowledge of Federal, State and local juvenile and domestic relations laws;

Ability to speak and write effectively;

Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of individuals;

Ability to interpret laws, rules, and regulations related to probation work and victim services;

Ability to interview and counsel clients;

Ability to prepare complete case records and reports;

Ability to use technology to enter and retrieve information.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a masters degree in social/behavioral sciences, law enforcement, or education; AND two years of professional experience in probation work. For positions in the police department only, two years of sworn law enforcement supervision may be substituted for the two years of professional experience in probation work.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

Valid drivers license (Required at the time of application)

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position is considered Emergency Service Personnel to ensure the continuity of essential operations, and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).
• The appointee to the position will be required to complete the following to the satisfaction of the employer:
• Criminal Background Investigation
• Child Protective Services Registry Check
• Driving Record Check

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Three years' experience working in the juvenile justice system.
• Experience researching and interpreting the Code of Virginia.
• Experience in case management and intake. Experience working collaboratively with other agencies and service providers.
• Working knowledge of Court system software including BADGE.
• Basic ability to work in Microsoft programs including Word, Outlook, and Excel.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Ability to operate a motor vehicle.
• Ability to travel to various field units throughout Fairfax County.
• Duties require the ability to communicate clearly in writing, in person and on the phone, and the ability to enter and retrieve data using a computer.
• All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:

Panel interview and may include a practical exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY?703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov. EEO/AA/TTY.

#LI-AL1

#LI-NW1

Requisition 26-01568

Merit Positions

Fairfax County is proud to offer employees an attractive and comprehensive benefits program, including the following:

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage
• Group Term Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• LiveWell Program
• Flexible Spending Programs
• Paid Leave (annual, sick, parental, volunteer activity, and more!)
• Paid Holidays
• Contributory Retirement Plan
• Deferred Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employees Child Care Center
• Continuous Learning Opportunities

Please click here for a summary of our benefits.

NOTE: Fairfax County Government is a qualifying employer under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. For more information about the PSLF program: Public Service Loan Forgiveness | Federal Student Aid

For additional details please visit the Countys benefits webpage.

Non-Merit Positions

• Non-Merit Benefit Eligible: scheduled to work a minimum 1,040 hours and no more than a maximum of 1,560 hours in a calendar year.

• Medical/Vision/Dental Insurance Coverage

• Flexible Spending Program

• Deferred Compensation

• Temporary: scheduled to work a maximum of 900 hours in a calendar year.

• No benefits

01

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

• Less than 12th grade
• High school diploma or GED
• Some college
• Associates degree
• Bachelors degree
• Masters degree
• Doctorate degree

02

If you answered "Some college" for the highest level of education completed, please indicate the number of quarter or semester hours you have completed towards a degree.

• Less than 45 quarter hours
• 45 to less than 90 quarter hours
• 90 to less than 135 quarter hours
• 135 to less than 180 quarter hours
• 180 or more quarter hours
• Less than 30 semester hours
• 30 to less than 60 semester hours
• 60 to less than 90 semester hours
• 90 to less than 120 semester hours
• 120 or more semester hours
• Not applicable

03

Please indicate your area(s) of study or major(s)/minor(s) towards a degree. Check all that apply.

• Criminal justice
• Social work
• Psychology
• Counseling
• Education
• Sociology
• Other (related field)
• Other (non-related field)
• Not applicable

04

If you answered "Other (related field)" or "Other (non-related field)" for the previous question, please list all of your majors and minors. If this question does not pertain to you, or you do not have a degree, enter "Not applicable".

05

Do you currently possess a valid drivers license?

• Yes
• No

06

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working in social/behavioral sciences, law enforcement, or education?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six or more years

07

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience in probation work do you possess?

• None
• Less than one year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

08

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working in the juvenile justice system?

• None
• Less than a year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

09

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have in researching and interpreting the Code of Virginia?

• None
• Less than a year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

10

How many years of full-time equivalent case management experience do you have supervising youth on juvenile probation?

• None
• Less than a year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

11

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have providing juvenile intake services?

• None
• Less than a year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

12

Which of the following juvenile intake processes have you performed? Check all that apply.

• Criminal intake
• CHINS intake
• Violation of probation/court order
• Issuing detention orders/shelter care orders
• Motions
• Third party custody
• Diversion hearings
• None of the above

13

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have working collaboratively with other agencies or service providers?

• None
• Less than a year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

14

How many years of full-time equivalent experience do you have using the Department of Juvenile Justice's Balanced Approach Data Gathering Environment (BADGE)?

• None
• Less than a year
• One to less than two years
• Two to less than three years
• Three to less than four years
• Four to less than five years
• Five to less than six years
• Six to less than seven years
• Seven or more years

15

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating a worksheet; performing calculations in a worksheet; modifying and formatting a worksheet; printing workbook contents)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of inserting and modifying graphic objects in a worksheet; customizing and enhancing workbooks; analyzing data using Pivot Tables, Slicers, and Pivot Charts)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of increasing productivity and improving efficiency by streamlining workflow; collaborating with others using workbooks; auditing worksheets; analyzing data; working with multiple workbooks; importing and exporting data, using Excel with the web)
• No experience

16

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Outlook.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of identifying the components of the Outlook environment; composing email messages; sending and receiving email messages; organizing email messages into folders; managing contacts; scheduling appointments; scheduling meetings, managing tasks, notes and journal entries)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of customizing message settings; organizing and locating Outlook messages; setting calendar options; tracking activities using the Journal; assigning and tracking tasks; sharing folder information; customizing the Outlook environment)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of almost all functions of program including personalizing your email; organizing Outlook items; managing data files; managing contacts and contact information; saving and archiving email; creating a custom Outlook form; working offline and remotely)
• No experience

17

Please indicate your level of proficiency with Microsoft Word.

• Beginner (Basic knowledge of creating, editing, formatting, and saving simple documents; inserting simple tables; and proofreading documents for accuracy)
• Intermediate (Knowledge of common commands such as creating a title; using, modifying, and creating styles; setting up the ruler; indenting paragraphs, using tabs and tables; inserting captions, footnotes, endnotes, special characters, or hard page breaks; using page numbering; creating headers and footers; inserting graphics; inserting an equation, adding comments and tracking changes.)
• Advanced (Extensive knowledge of almost all function of program including mail merge, macros, creating a table of contents, creating bookmarks and cross-referencing.)
• No experience

Required Question

Employer Fairfax County

Address 12000 Government Center Pkwy. Suite 270

Fairfax, Virginia, 22035

Phone 703-324-3311

Website http://agency.governmentjobs.com/fairfaxcounty/default.cfm