Become a Correctional Officer

Maine Department of Corrections (DOC) is recruiting ethical, dependable, compassionate, career-oriented candidates for Correctional Officers at our Adult Facilities! As a Correctional Officer, you support the treatment and rehabilitation of adult residents by providing security and mentorship.

Video Playlist:
Maine Correctional Center, Maine State Prison, Mountain View Correctional Facility

Hiring Correctional Officers

  • Starting Base Pay: $24.27/hr. for no experience and up to $28.16/hr. with experience
  • Differentials: Night & Weekend Shifts + Premium Overtime.                     
  • Insurance: Health, Dental, Vision, and Life
  • Retirement: Eligible to retire at 55 when meeting the minimum years of service
  • Leave: 3+ Weeks of Vacation; 13 paid Holidays per year; 12 days Paid Sick Leave
  • Base Schedule:  7 out of 14 days within a two-week pay period. Adds up to half the year scheduled off!
  • Note: Prorated Benefits available for Part-Time positions.

Full Benefits

Successful candidates are committed to upholding the values of the department -- Honor, Honesty, and Integrity – by being hard-working team players, possessing awareness and problem-solving skills, having sound assessment and decision-making abilities, and are excellent verbal and written communicators.

Paid Training:

Maine DOC provides you with the practical, hands-on training to gain the proficiencies you need to do your job effectively and ensure your professional success.

  • Earn While You Learn: Paid Training and State Certification funded by MDOC
  • Six-Week Basic Corrections Training Program (BCTP) at a regional MDOC facility.
  • Hands-on learning from instructors who have decades of experience in the field.
  • Three weeks of facility-specific, on-the-job learning, through Post-School.
  • Coached and mentored by a Field Training Officer (FTO) after the BCTP.
  • Professional development programs.
  • Ongoing reinforcement and support.
  • Paid Job Shadow Program available prior to BCTP commitment. 

Career Diversity and Advancement:

Correctional Officers have many opportunities for career diversity and advancement in a career that makes a difference, including skilled trades, vocational instruction, social services, security, education, and more!

Application Requirements

  • Age:  Be at least 18 years of age to apply.
  • Education:  Be a high school graduate or hold an equivalent certificate (HiSET, GED, etc.).
  • Conduct:  Have no serious criminal or extensive motor vehicle records. See Automatic Disqualifiers for details.
  • License/Certification: Possess a valid driver's license.

Hiring Process

  1. APPLICATION EVALUATION: Applications are reviewed to verify that each candidate meets the established Minimum Qualifications/Requirements. Applicants who do not meet these requirements are disqualified from further consideration.
     
  2. Physical Agility Test (PAT): Standards for successful completion of the PAT are available upon request. Physical Agility Test (PDF)
     
    • Push-Up Test;
    • Sit-Up Test;
    • Step Test (96 steps in :60 seconds);
    • 140 lbs. Dummy Drag Test;
    • Fire Extinguisher Carry Test; and
    • 1-Mile Run/Brisk Walk Test.
       
  3. Oral Board Interview: Applicants successfully meeting the Minimum Requirements and who have passed PAT will be scheduled for an Oral Board Interview. The Oral Board is a pass/fail component of the applicant process. The Oral Board is a structured interview that evaluates applicants' skills in the areas of:
     
  4. BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION:  Applicants who successfully pass the Oral Board Interview will have a finger-print based criminal history record check along with a prior employment reference check.

Basic Corrections Training Program

New Correctional Officers and Juvenile Program Workers attend a 6-Week Basic Corrections Training Program, funded by MDOC, that includes 42.5 hours-per-week of paid training. Classes are held regionally at a MDOC facility and follows the BCTP curriculum required by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for state certification.

Unsure if Corrections is for You?

Our Paid Job Shadow Program provides an opportunity for successful candidates to see what the Maine Model of Corrections is all about before committing to the 6-week Basic Corrections Training Program (BCTP). You will come on payroll in a uniformed status and shadow a Correctional Officer or Juvenile Program Worker throughout their daily responsibilities while earning a paycheck. Contact an HR Manager for details.