Cognitive Counselor: St. Brides Correctional Center #01120

CounselorNo callFull-Time

Listed compensation

$49k-$71k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 36m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Title: Cognitive Counselor: St. Brides Correctional Center #01120

State Role Title: Counselor II

Hiring Range: $49,391.00 - $71,353.00

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Dept of Corr - Central Admin

Location: St. Brides Correctional Center

Agency Website: vadoc.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

To plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate the institution’s approach to inmate reentry and cognitive community based on principles of evidence-based practices.

Operations, programs, and services are founded on the well-established, contemporary body of evidence-based practices for inmate management that complement traditional security tools and incorporate the following: effective communication; identifying inmate criminal risks and treatment needs; motivating inmate change through case plan agreements, incentives and sanctions; and providing programs/services to address criminogenic needs.

Also responsible for monitoring, tracking, and managing housing assignments; job assignments; progress; programmatic activities and review of inmates participating in the Diversionary Treatment Program, which have been classified as seriously mentally ill, Shared Allied Management and/or Restrictive Housing.

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge of the principles and techniques of social work or rehabilitative counseling, and of casework and treatment methods including motivational interviewing and various intervention techniques. Knowledge of inmate programs and supervision techniques. Effective communication skills, both orally and in writing.

Demonstrated ability to resolve conflict and role model pro-social values and responsible behavior. Demonstrated ability to manage clinical/therapeutic boundaries, and to co-lead multidisciplinary teams while evaluating and documenting inmate treatment progress.

Additional Considerations

Work experience with inmates in reentry, pre-release and/or cognitive community settings. Professional certification in a relevant human services field or counseling discipline.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

If selected as a finalist with the VADOC, candidates can expect the following:

Background Investigation Requirements: All applicants are subject to a background investigation. Investigations may include fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI); local agency checks; employment verification; verification of education (relevant to employment); credit checks; and other checks based on the position.

Drug Testing Requirements: Applicants applying to a designated safety sensitive position are subject to a pre-employment drug screen. Marijuana use is prohibited for positions that require possession of a firearm or a Commercial Driver’s License in the performance of official duties such as Corrections Officers, Probation Officers, Tractor Trailer Drivers and others.

Application Requirements: Application and/or résumé for this position are only accepted electronically through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Electronic Recruitment System. All applications should be submitted by 11:55pm on the closing date for the position.

Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand delivered applications and/or résumés will not be accepted. The decision to interview an applicant is based solely on the information received for this position from the electronic application and/or résumé.

Layoff Preferences: Applicants who possess an Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Form) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Form) as issued under the Department of Human Resources Management (DHRM) Policy 1.30 Layoff (Commonwealth of VA employees only) MUST attach these forms when submitting their state application and/or résumé.

VADOC is an EEO employer and is committed to supporting workforce diversity, equitable opportunities and inclusivity. Reasonable accommodations are available upon request.

VADOC values our Veterans and encourages all to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other nation service alumni are also encouraged to apply. Click here for more information: Virginia Values Veterans (V3) Program - Virginia Department of Veterans Services

Contact Information

Name: Human Resources

Phone: 757-296-3381

Email: EMAILED APPLICATIONS/RÉSUMÉS / WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS POSITION

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process.

To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI).

Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Key Responsibilities

Plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate the institution’s inmate reentry and cognitive community approach using evidence-based practices, including communication, risk and treatment needs assessment, behavior-change strategies, and services addressing criminogenic needs. Monitor and manage housing and job assignments, progress, and program activities for inmates in designated treatment and housing programs.

Requirements

Applicants should know social work or rehabilitative counseling principles, casework and treatment methods, inmate programs, and supervision techniques. They must communicate effectively, resolve conflict, model prosocial behavior, maintain clinical boundaries, and contribute to multidisciplinary teams while evaluating and documenting treatment progress.

Qualifications

Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Oral CommunicationWritten CommunicationConflict ResolutionMultidisciplinary Team LeadershipTreatment Progress Evaluation

Counselor Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$60k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $60k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 50% are remote, 48% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

Virginia Information Technologies Agency ranks #10 of 14 employers hiring Counselor on WeekdayDoc by average advertised pay.

Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 18.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Cognitive Counselor: St. Brides Correctional Center #01120 at Virginia Information Technologies Agency a 6.4 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Counseling — ranked against 512 active Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.

Top Counselor Jobs

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Salary Distribution32 jobs · 22 employers

7
<$75k
8
$75k-90k
4
$90k-105k
6
$105k-120k
7
$120k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks29 jobs · 22 employers

401k / retirement match
93%
CME allowance
28%
Sign-on bonus
21%
Loan repayment
14%
PSLF eligible
14%

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.2this job 6.4
Better work-life than 60% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 512 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No call

Living in Chesapeake

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$349k≈ 7.1× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,092/mo≈ 51% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
26 min
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
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.