Correctional Officer 2

Job Description

About the Job: Correctional Officer 2 – State of Tennessee, Department of Correction

This document outlines the details for the Correctional Officer 2 position with the State of Tennessee’s Department of Correction, specifically at the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County (Tiptonville, TN).

Job Information

• Opening Date/Time: 04/07/2026 12:00 AM Central Time
• Closing Date/Time: 04/20/2026 11:59 PM Central Time
• Job Type: Full-Time
• City, State Location: Tiptonville, TN
• Department: Correction
• Number of Positions: 6

Salary Information

• Monthly Salary Range: $4,057.00 – $6,099.00
• Annual Salary Range: $48,684.00 – $73,188.00
• Hiring Rate (Monthly): $4,480.00

Special Incentives & Requirements

• Sign-On Bonus: $5,000 (payable over an 18-month period) for newly hired Correctional Officers.
• Screenings Required:
  • Motor Vehicle Records screening (pre-employment)
  • Pre-employment drug screening (required prior to employment)
  • Criminal background check (requires disclosure of criminal history)

Overview of the Role

The Correctional Officer 2 is a working-level position responsible for correctional duties of average difficulty. This role involves the custody, transport, and rehabilitation of inmates within a state penal institution. Incumbents may be assigned to any shift and are expected to perform a variety of tasks related to inmate supervision and facility security. This position is flexibly staffed with the Correctional Officer 1 (entry-level) and is distinct from a Correctional Corporal (minor supervisor).

Work Activities & Responsibilities

As a Correctional Officer 2, your duties will include, but are not limited to:

• Inmate Supervision: Supervising inmate activities in housing units, dining areas, recreation and work areas, and attending to their medical, visitation, personal property, and recreational needs. Ensuring the safety of residents through daily activity supervision.
• Security & Patrol: Inspecting and patrolling grounds for contraband, unauthorized personnel, and other security risks. Operating and utilizing various security equipment, including two-way radios, firearms, mace, electronic gates, and television cameras.
• Inmate Processing: Checking in new inmates by assigning accommodations, searching for contraband, issuing clothing, and storing personal property.
• Behavior Observation & Counseling: Observing inmate behavior, counseling inmates and families about problems, and evaluating inmates on hygiene, attitudes towards staff and other inmates, submitting evaluations to the counseling department.
• Meetings & Training: Attending staff meetings, disciplinary board meetings, and training sessions for riot control, escape prevention, and first aid.
• Reporting: Preparing various reports such as daily logs, disciplinary reports, records of inmates’ jobs and pay, daily inmate counts, and requisitions for office supplies.
• Incident Response: Breaking up fights or other potentially dangerous situations through persuasion or the use of physical force.
• Policy Enforcement: Carrying out and explaining existing policies and procedures to inmates and others.
• Vehicle Operation: May operate motor vehicles as needed.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Required: Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school AND one year of full-time adult correctional security work (either with a federal, state, or a local agency accredited by the American Correctional Association (ACA)).

Substitution: Qualifying full-time employment as a Correctional Officer with the State of Tennessee may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Necessary Special Qualifications:

Applicants for this class must:

• Be willing and able to qualify with, carry, and use assigned weapons.
• Be at least eighteen (18) years of age on the date of application.
• Be a citizen of the United States.
• Have a good moral character, as determined by investigation.
• Complete a criminal history disclosure form as approved by the appointing authority.
• Agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointing authority.
• Supply a fingerprint sample as prescribed by the TBI for a fingerprint-based criminal history records check.
• Have no conviction for a felony or have been discharged under any other than honorable conditions from any branch of the United States armed forces.
• Pass a physical examination administered by a licensed physician, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act and related to the essential functions of the position.
• Pass a psychological evaluation administered by a licensed mental health professional, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act and related to the essential functions of the position.
• Submit to and pass a pre-employment screening test for the use of illegal drugs.
• Possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s license at the time of appointment (required for some positions).
• Upon appointment, successfully complete a prescribed course of instruction at the Tennessee Correction Academy.

Work Environment Expectation:

Most correctional security employees can expect to be assigned to any one of three different work shifts and various post assignments throughout their careers. While employee work preferences are considered, there is no guarantee of remaining assigned to any specific shift and/or post assignment.

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

Competencies (Behavioral Traits):

• Decision Quality
• Manages Conflict
• Communicates Effectively
• Ensures Accountability
• Situational Adaptability

Knowledges:

• Public Safety and Security
• Customer and Personal Service
• Law and Government

Skills:

• Active Learning and Listening
• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Learning Strategies
• Writing

Abilities:

• Number Facility
• Problem Sensitivity
• Speech Clarity
• Speech Recognition
• Written Comprehension