This position is open to AK Residents. Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify. The Department of Family and Community Services,Office of Children's Services (OCS) is recruiting for full-time Social Services Associatelocated in Fairbanks, Alaska. What You Will Be Doing: As a Social Services Associate, you will work closely with families and children involved with child protective services. You will be directly working with parents and children helping to provide services that will enhance families' capacities to give their children a healthy start, to provide them with safe and permanent homes, to maintain cultural connections, and to help them realize their potential. You will be supporting professional staff by providing information for assessments, case planning and evaluation, while performing duties that can include providing parenting support during family contact to enable parents to practice parenting skills in a safe environment, accessing electronic databases, and providing necessary referrals for families to other agencies. For more information: OCS Practice Model. Our Organization, Mission, and Culture:The Mission of the Office of Children's Services is: Ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children by strengthening families, engaging communities, and partnering with Tribes. The Office of Children's Services is dedicated to a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount. Employees all contribute to building a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully. Everything we do is underpinned by our Core Values. Benefits of Joining Our Team:The Office of Children's Services is committed to an organizational culture that values each team member. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. We celebrate and value the diversity of our employees, partners, and families we serve. Your first twelve months in the agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal virtual training, on-the-job training with your supervisor, and with other colleagues. While this is a field-based position that involves working in the community, part-time telework within the duty station is an option upon eligibility. Full-time benefits of this position include but are not limited to: Insurance Benefits; Retirement Benefits; Paid Leave; and twelve paid holidays per year. Please see the benefits tab on this posting for more information. Working Environment You Can Expect:This position will be located in Fairbanks, Alaska. The Office of Children's Service's staff are considered essential and are required to work after hours, on-call hours, through pandemics- natural disasters, and all holidays that land on their rotational work week. The work we perform is critical and significantly impacts the communities we serve. As a result, the Office of Children's Services works on evenings and weekends as well as weekdays, so overtime and on-call work are expectations of our workers. Travel may be frequent or minimal. Travel in outlying areas may involve small aircraft and overnight stays. For information on the Fairbanks community (including schools, hospitals, housing), please review the Alaska Community Profiles. Who We Are Looking For:We are seeking a candidate with the following desired competencies:Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences. Customer Service: Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services. Adaptability: Adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment. Computer Skills: Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work. Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals. Special Note:This position requires a valid Alaska driver's license. Additionally, while the Division does have vehicles assigned to it, they may not always be available for staff use. Mileage reimbursement is available when a personal vehicle is used for work-related matters. Current automotive insurance must be in place prior to use of a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the State. A child protective history check will be performed per AS 12.62.160 and/or 13 AAC 68.315 including a background and fingerprint check. The successful candidate may be required to attend multiple training courses normally located in Anchorage. To view the general description and example of duties for a Social Services Associate, please visit following link: services associate&pagetype=class. Specifications Minimum Qualifications One year of any combination of postsecondary or vocational education and/or experience in assisting clients, customers, the general public, or other staff in the explanation and application of guidelines, policies, or services. Special Note:Some positions require a valid Alaska driver's license, a background check, and fingerprinting. These requirements will be indicated at the time of recruitment.