Classification Officer

At Orange County Government, we are proud to serve the public with integrity, honesty, fairness and professionalism. We develop innovative policies and services that impact Central Florida and shape the future of our community.

The Classification Officer is responsible for determining the appropriate assignment of inmate security, custody levels and housing assignments. Manages the inmate population throughout their incarceration in the Orange County Correctional facility to ensure the safety and security of inmates, staff, and the community. Acts as liaison between facility administrators and security staff to provide for the safe and secure operation of the facilities. Works closely with Programs staff to make certain the assignment and movement of inmates is appropriate for the program areas.

Work is performed under the direct supervision of the Classification Supervisor. Performance is reviewed through observations, conferences, reports and achievement of desired performance results

Job Description

Duties may vary based on the area of assignment. The following are representative duties, it is not the intent to capture all duties performed by this posting

Supervises inmates to prevent altercations, intimidation undesirable or illegal acts, intercedes when necessary, and to ensure the safety of others and the facility

Maintains accurate count and current location of all inmates or Youthful Offenders assigned.

Performs cell and body searches as required.

Ensures safe, secure and orderly movement of inmates throughout the facility while performing security and safety checks and adheres to facility security procedures.

Ensures, to the limit of authority possible, that inmate rights are observed and that they are treated according to policy.

Supervises inmate or Youthful Offenders.

Acquires knowledge of all emergency plans and procedures and maintains emergency equipment.

Conducts Prison Rape Elimination Act interviews of inmates within low, medium and high-security detention facilities within 72 hours of booking and re-assessments within 30 days.

Conducts inmate interviews, collects and analyzes information to determine inmate risk and security custody level for appropriate classification, housing and program participation.

Adjusts security custody levels as appropriate based on behavior, disciplinary reports, inmate interviews, changes in legal status and other safety/security concerns.

Interprets and processes judicial orders; establishes release and transfer dates of inmates.

Calculates all jail sentences greater than one day, to include the application of gain time in order to determine projected release dates.

Monitors program participation and disciplinary sanctions of sentenced inmates in order to appropriately adjust gain time and release dates.

Verifies and processes all commitments to the Department of Corrections (DOC) and Department of Children and Families (DCF. Facilitates and coordinates the transfer of these inmates.

Screens and assigns all inmate workers to appropriate job duties within the Department and the County, based on safety and security issues.

Determines worker eligibility of all sentenced inmates.

Responds in person and/or in writing to inmate inquiries regarding release dates, gain time, legal status and community referrals, etc.

Responds to emergencies and critical events involving inmates to include use of force incidents, medical and/or facility emergencies.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Associate degree from an accredited institution and four years of correctional experience. A bachelor's degree may be substituted for 2 years of experience.

Must possess and maintain Florida certification as a Correctional Officer according to Florida Statute 943.13.

Must obtain FCIC/NCIC certification within the initial three months of hire and be recertified annually.

Must possess and maintain a valid Florida Driver's License

Preferences

Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, Social Services, Public Administration or a closely related field

Application Deadline

Open Date: 04/05/2026

Close Date: 04/19/2026

This posting is subject to close without prior notice.

Salary Information

Pay Grade: 553 - From $30.21 to $37.18

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Placement based on Education and Experience

Benefits

• 10 paid holidays and up to 2 floating holidays annually.
• 18 days paid time off per year.
• Longevity bonus based on years of service.
• 6 days of paid TERM (sick) time annually.
• Low-cost medical, dental, vision, additional life insurance.
• Free basic life, long term disability, and employee assistance for all the family members effective on day one.
• Participation in the Florida Retirement System.
• Employee assistance program includes multiple free one on one sessions with licensed counselors and online tools for legal advice, financial planning, personal life balance, etc.
• Free access to Wellworks gyms and Orange County Recreation Centers.
• Free onsite wellness coaching, including dietician and nurse.
• Tuition reimbursement program.
• Earn service time to forgive student loans.

Disclaimer: Benefits may vary for employees under collective bargaining agreements.

For more information on Benefits visit - https://www.ocfl.net/EmploymentVolunteerism/EmployeeBenefits.aspx

Veterans Preference

If you are claiming Veterans' Preference, you are responsible for providing the required eligibility documentation by the closing date of the posting. Please scan and upload a copy of your cover letter and supporting documents, to Orange County Human Resources Division via the secure Box.com folder .

Your cover letter should include the Job ID number you are applying for, the title of the position, your full name and the last 4 digits of your social security number. *If you are a current employee returning from active military service, you may be eligible for promotion preference if the active military service qualifies for Veterans' Preference. Please note that Veterans' Preference applies only to a Veterans' first promotion after reinstatement or reemployment, without exception.

Educational Requirements

If your education was obtained in the United States, the County recognizes degrees or diplomas which are accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) . If you have obtained education from a country other than the United States, your degree or diploma must be evaluated to determine the United States equivalency by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Service (NACES) or the Association of International Credentials Evaluations (AICE) at your expense.

Notes

Selected candidates will be required to provide employment references and will be required to complete a pre-employment drug, physical and background check.

Qualified applicants will be required to participate in and pass required assessments for the Classification Officer position as determined by the Corrections Department. The Assessment dates are scheduled for:

General Knowledge Assessment June 23, 2026

Situational Judgement Assessment July 9, 2026

These are tentative date(s) and may be subject to change.

If you require an accommodation for the above-mentioned testing date, you must submit a written request via e-mail to Merlyn Rodriguez at [email protected] before June 2, 2026 at 11:59pm. All requests in relation to Personal Leave must have been approved before June 9, 2026.

Interview and testing dates, locations and times are subject to change. All correspondence including any schedule or location changes will be sent to the e-mail address listed on the application. It is very important that you check your e-mail on a regular basis, including the junk or spam folder.

Resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed online application. To successfully participate in this process, please enter all periods of employment, including your current position and educational background on the application. Failure to do so will result in disqualification of the application and not moving forward in the process.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide the detailed and relevant work experience, which would qualify them for the position.

Management reserves the right to create an eligibility pool, which may be used to fill future Classification Officer vacancies for up to twenty-four (24) months from the end of the process

Notes

Body Ornamentation (Tattoos and Branding)

Any tattoos and brands located above the collarbone are prohibited. The use of cosmetics, clothing, or any other method to conceal such markings is not permitted.

Employees are required to conceal any tattoos that are considered obscene or offensive. Examples of prohibited tattoos include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Content of a sexual nature.
• Sexually, racially, religiously, or ethnically offensive sentiments,
• Sentiments advocating violence or subversion,
• Expressing gang affiliations, or otherwise tending to incite violence or disruption in the workplace, or
• Other content, which if expressed by other means would violate Orange County policies.

Dental Ornamentation

Employees will not use gold, silver, or other caps or veneers for the purpose of dental ornamentation unless deemed medically necessary and prescribed by a licensed dentist. Teeth, whether natural, capped, or veneer, will not be ornamented with designs, jewels or initials.

Employees will be prohibited from unnatural shaping teeth for non-medical reasons (e.g. fangs) or wearing removable dental ornamentation (e.g. grills).

Gauging

Employees are not permitted to wear any type of gauge while on duty or while performing official Department business. Visible openings, for example the earlobe caused by stretching/wearing a gauge must be completely concealed at all times.