Department of Defense logo
Department of Defense
Chicago, Illinois

Social Worker

Social WorkerFull-Time

Listed compensation

$64k-$74k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 4mo ago

Job Description

  • Job Location: HNC - Chicago, IL 60654
  • Position Type: Full Time
  • Education Level: 4 Year Degree
  • Salary Range: $64,000.00 - $74,000.00 Salary
  • Travel Percentage: Negligible

Primary Professional Functions The role of the Social Worker at The Frances Xavier Warde School is to enable students to achieve to their fullest potential academically by assisting students with developing coping skills, increasing self-esteem, improving social skills, and facilitating environmental changes that will enable successful functioning within the learning setting.

School social workers also provide crisis intervention as well as individual, group, classroom and grade wide intervention services, supporting mental health challenges for students and the community.

Duties & Responsibilities Meet individually or in small groups with students who have an identified need for social and/or emotional support. Work in coordination with school personnel and parents to develop appropriate supports and programming for students.

Ability to effectively communicate with teachers, administrators, and parents. Consult with teachers about classroom interventions and additional ways to support students with diverse learning/emotional/behavior needs in the classroom setting.

Collaborate with Director of Climate and Culture on restorative justice and advisory topics. Conduct peer mediation. Facilitate parent meetings about student needs/topics of mental health/developmental transitions. Assist with the transition from 3rd to 4th grade, and from 8th grade to high school.

Conduct comprehensive intake assessments to incorporate an understanding of family background and cultural diversity when implementing interventions. Implement and support with Tier 1 interventions. Participate in the socio-emotional assessment of students, and intervene in peer relational dynamics, as needed.

Write socio-emotional and behavioral intervention progress reports for possible consideration for Chicago Public School IEP/504, as needed. Provide support during family transitions (health, divorce, separation, death). Consult with parents/guardians and outside providers. Maintain appropriate records.

Attend grade level/team meetings and conferences to discuss student socio-emotional needs and to provide recommendations. Connect students and their families with outside community and educational resources, as needed.

Ensure all services are performed in accordance with state laws and regulations, and ethical mandates of the mental health profession. Build relationships with all students within assigned grade levels so students are aware of how to seek out support, should they need it.

Perform other social work/counseling duties/responsibilities within the scope of maintaining licensure and/or certification. Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Skills Required – master's degree in social work or related field from an accredited college or university. Preferred – Licensed Clinical Social Worker or licensure in related field and maintenance of licensure. Strong clinical skills with 4th-8th grade students and parents.

Dedication to professional growth including keeping up to date with innovations and changes in the field of social work/counseling and knowledge of where to seek out resources to support new challenges. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, parents, and administration.

Excellent oral and written communications skills. Ability to work independently, be organized, and be flexible with ever changing priorities and/or situations. Demonstrated ability to communicate and collaborate with students, parents, administration, faculty, and staff.

Familiarity with a wide range of learning styles, socio-emotional needs, and mental health diagnoses. Commitment to the creation and sustainability of an inclusive, equitable learning environment for all students. Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality.

Employee must be able to support philosophy and mission of the School. Additional Skills and Experience Familiarity with ISACS criteria and standards of excellence.

Strong interest to teach in an inclusive faith-based school and comfortable teaching a Religion Curriculum- either Catholic or Interfaith in subject matter.

Key Relationships The teacher reports to the campus principal and will be supervised, evaluated, and mentored by the principal and/or the assistant principal. Other key relationships include: the Head of School, other teachers and administrators, staff, students, and parents.

Compliance Although FXW is an Independent Catholic School, all faculty and staff comply with the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Protecting God’s Children Requirements. Complete the required new hire paperwork and mandatory Archdiocese training. Must clear Background Check/Fingerprints.

Required to attend additional training classes as designated by the Campus Leadership and/or FXW administrative staff. Physical

Requirements

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

The Social Worker must be able to sit, stand, walk, and move throughout the school campus for extended periods during the workday. The employee must be able to effectively communicate with students, parents, faculty, staff, and community members in person, by telephone, and through electronic communication.

The role requires the ability to observe and assess student behavior and interactions in a variety of settings, conduct individual and small-group counseling sessions, navigate stairs, and occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and lift or carry materials weighing up to 20 pounds.

The employee must also be able to operate standard office equipment and technology, including computers, telephones, and printers, and maintain focus, sound judgment, and professionalism during emotionally sensitive, high-stress, or crisis situations.

Work Environment Work is performed primarily in a school setting, including offices, classrooms, meeting spaces, hallways, cafeterias, playgrounds, and other areas throughout the campus.

The Social Worker regularly interacts with students, parents or guardians, faculty, administrators, staff, and external service providers.

The position is subject to the noise levels, activity, and interruptions common in a busy educational environment and requires flexibility to respond to changing priorities, student needs, and unexpected situations throughout the day.

Occasional attendance at meetings, school events, professional development activities, or conferences outside of regular school hours may be required. The employee may also be exposed to communicable illnesses and other conditions commonly found in school environments.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation and

Benefits

FXW offers a competitive salary and robust benefits program, commensurate with experience and consistent with independent schools. Expected compensation for this role includes a salary within the range of $64,000.00 - $74,000.00.

Benefits Include But Are Not Limited To

Medical Dental Vision Life & Disability Short- Term Disability Long-Term Disability Basic Life & AD&D Voluntary Life & AD&D Voluntary

Benefits

Financial Wellness FSA Commuter Benefits 403B Retirement Savings Wellbeing & Balance Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Mental Health Resources If you believe you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply. FXW is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Not sure you meet 100% of our qualifications? We understand. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and welcome a chance for us to review your background.

We are dedicated to building and maintaining a diversified workforce and considering a broad array of candidates with a variety of skills, workplace experiences, and backgrounds.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion FXW is dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace and values candidates who bring diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. We encourage individuals who may not meet 100% of the listed requirements, but who believe they could excel in this role, to apply.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation throughout the hiring process and within the workplace to support all employees in performing the essential functions of the job.

Non- Discrimination Policy It is The Frances Xavier Warde School’s goal to attract, recruit and retain exceptional faculty and staff that are inspiring, diverse and committed to the school’s mission.

We support our teachers and staff by welcoming them into an environment that encourages them to excel and by maintaining a rich benefits package that helps them to flourish and grow personally and professionally.

FXW will not engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status, genetic information, marital status, disability, sexual orientation including gender identity, unfavorable discharge from the military or status as a protected veteran and will comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action laws, orders, and regulations.

This nondiscrimination policy applies to student admissions and employment. We invite you to become a part of our community and FXW makes a deliberate effort to employ faculty and staff of diverse races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. No phone calls please.

Mission Statement The Frances Xavier Warde School is a Catholic elementary school in downtown Chicago that provides an excellent academic, values-oriented education to students of all ethnic, religious, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds in a child-centered urban environment. As a keystone of its diverse community, The France

Key Responsibilities

The Social Worker provides individual and group support to students to improve coping skills, self-esteem, and social functioning. They collaborate with parents, teachers, and administrators to implement interventions and connect families with community resources.

Requirements

A master's degree in social work or a related field is required, with a preference for Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) certification. Candidates must demonstrate strong clinical skills with 4th-8th grade students and a commitment to inclusive, equitable learning environments.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical CounselingCase ManagementCollaborative CommunicationParental ConsultationStudent Support

Social Worker Career Context

Department of Defense holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 75/100, 47 active listings.

Of the 50 active Social Work listings this role was benchmarked against, 64% are remote, 30% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$69k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $69k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Social Worker Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution40 jobs · 19 employers

10
<$80k
7
$80k-100k
11
$100k-120k
12
$120k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks35 jobs · 19 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
51%
CME allowance
20%
Loan repayment
14%
PSLF eligible
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · San Diego, California

$117k-$134k
#2

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

LifeStance Health · Ventura, California

$117k-$134k
#3

Associate Clinical Social Worker (Mental Health Therapist II)

$99k-$127k
#4

LICSW - Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

$73k-$126k
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Social Work listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 6,543 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Chicago

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$356k≈ 5.6× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,342/mo≈ 44% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
33 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

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About Department of Defense

Primary and Secondary Education
Chicago, IL
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical Insurance
Dental
Vision
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
FSA
Commuter Benefits
403B Retirement Savings