Initial Posting Date:
12/16/2025Application Deadline:
12/28/2025Agency:
Employment DepartmentSalary Range:
4,409.00 - 6,123.00Position Type:
EmployeePosition Title:
Employment Specialist 2 (BES2) – Limited Duration Opportunity in NewportJob Description:
This limited duration position is scheduled to end on or before October 13, 2026. This position may be extended beyond this date. Limited duration appointments are regular status and benefits eligible.
At the Oregon Employment Department, we actively support a workforce that is representative of the people we serve including people from various races, genders, abilities, cultures, language skills, geographic locations, and justice system involvement. We value your life experiences and encourage everyone to apply with your transferable skills and qualifications from your work, school, and volunteer experiences. Please let us know if you need a reasonable accommodation.
Join a passionate team at WorkSource Oregon (WSO) within the Oregon Employment Department, where we help some of Oregon’s most under-served populations access the resources they need to move forward in life and work. As an Employment Specialist, you’ll play a vital role in empowering individuals, supporting employers, and collaborating with a wide network of partners including the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), local workforce boards, and community organizations.
In this role, you will:
Support Job Seekers: Meet one-on-one with Oregonians to assess their transferable skills, interests, and employment goals.
Connect to Resources: Provide referrals and access to services such as STEP support, work experience opportunities, GED/high school completion programs, training, and community-based resources.
Break Down Barriers: Help identify and address obstacles to employment, offering solutions and support to overcome them.
Track Progress: Use program data systems to monitor activities, attendance, and outcomes to ensure success.
If you're passionate about workforce development and making a difference in people's lives, we’d love to have you on our team!
For a complete review of the position and responsibilities, please click HERE.
Required Minimum Qualifications-
Two years providing customer service, which included requesting and reviewing information, documentation, and deciding an action based on the information.
Examples of qualifying experience are eligibility interviewer, application examiner, unemployment insurance, examination proctor, information clerk, insurance aide, public counter intake person, employment and claims aid, employment services, job placement, recruiter, vocational guidance, or retail industry if it involved the above stated experience.
Two years of education or experience. Listed above are examples of acceptable experience. 45-quarter (30-semester) college-level credits in Human Resources, Vocational or Career Counseling, Social Services, Psychology, Education, Business or Public Administration, Communication or related field substitute for one year of experience.
Desired Attributes-
Commitment to valuing diversity and promoting inclusion.
Multi-tasking: Ability to attend to multiple tasks simultaneously and enthusiastically, deliver high quality work on time and remain productive and calm in pressured environments.
Customer Focus: Ability to professionally interact with a high volume of diverse customers providing service that exceeds the customers’ expectations.
Resilience: Ability to be comfortable with changing or uncertain environments. An ability to remain professional, calm and adaptive communication style with diverse customer needs or customers that are frustrated, upset or critical.
Working with Information: Ability to efficiently and effectively use data, critical thinking, and analytical reasoning to gather information and apply laws, rules and policies to solve problems and make decisions. Ability to comply with requirements regarding sensitive and confidential data.
A workplace that balances productivity with enjoyment and encourages learning and mentoring.
Rewarding work in a dynamic and creative environment with colleagues who are passionate about public service.
Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, and a competitive benefits package.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity!
Get There - Oregon’s easy-to-use carpool matching tool and trip planner.
Required: Attach a resume and cover letter. Your cover letter must not exceed two (2) pages. Please make sure your cover letter clearly addresses the desired attributes and minimum qualifications you have under the “What We Are Looking For” section above. Please upload your documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of the application. In addition to your related work experience and education, we will use the desired attributes and required minimum qualifications to determine who to interview.
External Applicants: Click on the “Apply” link above to fill out the online application and submit by the posted closing date. Please use your preferred name on application materials.
Current State of Oregon employees (this includes temporary employees): Apply through your employee Workday account. Please ensure the work history in your applicant profile is up-to-date and reflects your current position.
Limited Duration Assignment: Current limited duration status employees will be considered for the limited duration assignment. Please apply through your employee Workday account.
State Employee - Job Rotation Option: Current permanent status employees of the State of Oregon may choose to be considered as a job rotation candidate. To apply as a job rotation candidate, you must be currently employed by the State of Oregon (regular status employees), apply through your employee Workday account, and have written approval from your manager/supervisor to apply. Please attach the written approval to your application. If you are unable to obtain written approval prior to the close date, please apply and be prepared to bring to the interview your manager's/supervisor's written approval.
Important: Please monitor both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment. You may be asked to submit additional information after initial application.
The job posting closes at 11:59 PM (PDT/PST) on the close date. Immediately after you submit your application, be sure to respond to the two questionnaires relating to public records requests and veterans’ preference. These questions are necessary to complete the application process.
The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution during the application process.
The use of outside resources such as Artificial Intelligence software during applicant skill assessments, examinations, and/or interviews is prohibited unless otherwise stated by the hiring agency. Unauthorized use of outside resources during the hiring process will result in disqualification.
This is a limited duration assignment currently funded through (10/13/26). Limited duration appointments are regular status and benefits eligible. This position may be extended beyond this date and/or have continued funding approved in the future with the potential to become permanent.
This position is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
This recruitment may be used to fill current and future Permanent, Limited Duration, Job Rotation and Temporary vacancies as they occur.
The salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS‑qualifying, the salary range will reflect the additional 6.95%. Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.
Salary Determination: The information in your Workday profile will be used to complete an equal pay assessment to determine salary placement upon hire.
Veterans: Eligible veterans who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded veterans' preference. For more information, please visit Veterans Resources.
United States Employment Eligibility: The Oregon Employment Department does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. If your employment authorization and documentation is contingent on sponsorship now or in the future, you will not meet Agency employment eligibility standards. The Oregon Employment Department is an E-Verify employer. If you are the successful candidate you must present your I‑9 acceptable documents (See page 2) for employment verification.
This position will report to the WorkSource Oregon Center office in Newport and is not suitable for remote or hybrid remote work.
The Employment Department is committed to being a leader in providing its employees with fair and equal employment opportunities and recognizes that as a best practice in equity and inclusion, criminal background check policies shall be job related and consistent with business necessity. For positions with authorized access to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) information, a separate criminal records check is conducted by the Oregon State Police. If you would like further information on how each criminal records check is conducted, please read our Criminal Record Check Policy or contact us at the number below with any questions. Note: To verify identification, the successful candidate will be subject to a criminal background check which may require a fingerprint-based background check as a condition of employment.
If you have questions about the position or need an alternate format to apply, please contact us at 503‑947‑1289; humanresources@employ.oregon.gov. Please be sure to include the job requisition ID number.
Guidance our hiring managers use: Equity and Inclusion Recruitment Questions and Gender Identity and Expression Procedure!
Reasonable Accommodations | Veterans Resources | How to Set Job Alerts | Workday Applicant FAQ
Interview Scoring Criteria used during recruitment | What You Need to Know to Get the Job
Come for a job. | Stay for a career. | Make a difference ... for a lifetime!
The Oregon Employment Department is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer Committed to Workforce Diversity. At the Oregon Employment Department, we foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to maintain a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, veteran status, disability, or status as a victim of domestic violence, harassment, sexual assault, or stalking. This applies to every aspect of our employment practices, including recruitment, hiring, retention, promotion, and training.