Initial Posting Date:

02/13/2026

Application Deadline:

03/01/2026

Agency:

Department of Corrections

Salary Range:

$4,771 - $6,113

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Certified Medication Aide (Salem)

Job Description:

Certified Medication Aide (Salem)

Oregon State Penitentiary – Salem, Oregon

Oregon Department of Corrections

We’re hiring! We need dedicated professionals to provide on-site care within our secure correctional facility medical units. Enjoy flexible scheduling, a manageable patient load, and the opportunity to truly follow the course of treatment without the pressures of billing or insurance. This is a rewarding role for those who value professional continuity of care and making a real difference.

About the Job – Your Role

As a Certified Medication Aide (CMA), you will administer medications, maintain medication administration records, process medication orders, assist in medication room and clinic operations, and provide direct basic care under the supervision of a Licensed Nurse. CMA’s will be an integral part of the Medical Services Team providing direct patient care in a correctional environment.

Duties

Administer oral, sublingual, and buccal medications. Administer eye medications with the exception of eye medications to new post-operative eye clients. Administer ear, nasal, rectal and vaginal medications. Apply skin ointments and topical medications including patches and transdermal medications. Administer medications by gastrostomy and jejunostomy tubes, premeasured medication delivered by Aerosol/Nebulizer and medications delivered by metered hand-held inhalers. Administer PRN Medications, including controlled substances, to stable clients according to physician's or nurse practitioner's orders in response to specific client requests. Administer regularly scheduled controlled substances. Jointly witness wasted controlled substances with a licensed nurse. Count controlled substances with a licensed nurse or another CMA. Under general supervision of a licensed professional, review stock on hand and initiate orders from medical stores/pharmacy for supplies as needed, receive supplies, noting and initiating corrective actions for wrong items or amounts received, and maintain inventory system. Maintain logs and documentation records of pharmaceuticals. Maintain dispensing records and medical records. Produce and maintain MAR’s, physician orders, and files as needed.

Perform capillary blood glucose testing (CBG). Turn oxygen on and off at predetermined, established flow rate. Add fluid to established jejunostomy or gastrostomy tube feedings and change established tube feeding bags. Accept and transcribe verbal or telephone orders for medications from a licensed health care professional who is authorized to independently diagnose and treat.

Assist with activities of daily living (ADL’s) such as hygiene, housekeeping, basic grooming, basic daily needs to promote functional independence. Assist with nutrition, hydration, elimination, personal care, positioning devices and restraints and restorative care. Observe and report changes of condition to a licensed nurse.

This position is represented by Association of Oregon Corrections Employees, (AOCE). This position may be eligible for Police & Fire (P&F) benefits through Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), as defined by statute.

Minimum Qualifications

A current, unencumbered Oregon Certified Medication Aide certification AND have completed an Oregon State Board of Nursing-approved medication aide training program.

General Knowledge of

• Fundamentals of nursing practices and procedures, including treatment, administration of medicine and teaching of hygiene
• Therapeutic treatment, wound care, and use of specialized equipment and vital sign monitoring equipment
• Fundamentals of pharmacology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Fundamentals of nutrition
• Fundamentals of human social relationships and physical and mental growth development

Requested Skills in

• Administering medications
• Using of medical equipment appropriate to the scope of practice
• Monitoring patients’ vital signs and observing patients’ needs, requirements, and health status
• Preparing accurate written and electronic documentation, records of nursing care given, and patient progress notes
• Understanding and following written and verbal instructions and orders with accuracy and precision
• Responding firmly and tactfully with patients who are combative
• Using correct body mechanics to turn and lift patients
• Working effectively with a variety of professional and professional staff
• Working in conformance with federal and state laws, Board of Nursing regulations and agency policies and procedures
• Safely performing moderate to heavy lifting
• Ability to work with adults in custody (AICs)

Application Information

• In the Work Experience section of your application make sure to include the dates and duties of all relevant positions and details to support how you meet these attributes. If you do not include education or work experience meeting the minimum qualifications, you will not be considered for the position. Only the candidates whose experience most closely matches the qualifications and requested skills of this position will be invited to interview. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications on or before the job posting close date.
• The job posting closes at 11:59 PM (PDT/PST) on the close date. After you submit your application, be sure to respond to the two questionnaires relating to public records requests and veterans’ preference immediately following your submittal. These questions are necessary to complete the application process.
• Please monitor both your email and Workday account for updates regarding this recruitment.
• As part of our selection process, we may require additional assessment stages, such as written exercises, to further evaluate candidates’ qualifications. Meaningful participation in these exercises is required for all applicants moving forward in the process. Failure to complete the required exercise(s) within the specified timeframe will result in disqualification from consideration. All candidates who successfully complete these screening stages and meet the necessary requirements will advance to the next stage in the selection process.
• Please save a copy of this job announcement for reference, as it is not available for you to view after the announcement deadline.

Open Until Filled: This recruitment will remain open until filled. We may close the announcement at any time when we have received an adequate number of applications. We cannot guarantee we will consider all applications received. We encourage interested applicants not to delay in applying.

Working Conditions

Work is performed at an adult correctional facility. Interaction with adults in custody occurs daily. Must be able to work any of all the seven days of the week, including but not limited to, Saturdays and Sunday, and work any shift of the day. Routine, continual direct contact with convicted felons is required. There is an inherent responsibility to support correctional security staff during periods of inmate unrest. You will be subject to callback in the event of an emergency or work stoppage and subject to assignment in any area of the institution. Possible encounters with abusive and/or hostile adults in custody pose the risk of physical injury. Frequent long hours. Walking and standing for long periods; climbing and descending stairs (with or without medical equipment); may require response to “man down” calls; lifting /carrying 50lbs+; kneeling, stooping and occasional gripping, reaching, bending and twisting motions. Some travel between institution and administrative offices. Occasional overnight travel may be required. Exposure to chemicals, radiation, communicable diseases, or other hazards inherent in a health care and correctional setting.

About the Department

The Oregon Department of Corrections is responsible for over 12,000 adults in custody in 12 state prisons throughout Oregon. It advises and evaluates counties regarding administration of probation and parole programs supervising more than 24,000 offenders in Oregon communities. The mission is to protect communities, promote accountability, and transform lives.

The Oregon Department of Corrections serves a diverse and changing population of people who are incarcerated and on supervision. We commit to creating an organization both reflecting the diversity of the population we serve and ensuring all employees thrive in a culture of safety, trust, and belonging. We strive to be an anti-racist corrections system. Welcoming, inclusive, and respectful of all people. Free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

The Department offers a variety of programs and opportunity to create a safe and healthy environment to for our staff, volunteers, and adults in custody. Joining the Oregon Department of Corrections is joining a team working for the benefit of our communities through innovative and proven correctional practices.

Benefits

The salary range listed above is for non-PERS qualifying applicants. PERS qualifying applicants may be eligible for an adjusted range to reflect an additional 6.95%.

The State of Oregon provides a generous benefit package, which includes:

• Family health, vision, and dental insurance
• Vacation, sick leave, and 11 paid holidays
• 21 days paid military leave for national guard and reserve components
• Optional short and long-term disability
• Term life insurance
• Fully paid retirement program
• Oregon Saving Growth Plan
• Flexible spending accounts for health and childcare
• And more

About the Process – What to Expect

• After the application deadline, a recruiter will review submissions for education and experience to identify candidates who best fit the minimum qualifications and requested skills.
• Top candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.
• The hiring manager will review your application and schedule interviews.
• Interview will be held with a panel of stakeholders who have completed panel assessment training. Scores will be determined based on predetermined questions and scoring guides. Preferences points will be applied in compliance with relevant laws and bargaining agreements. There may be multiple rounds of interviews.
• Final candidates will have a background check, PREA check, and reference checks.
• A Classification and Compensation analyst will review the Workday Application of the successful candidate to determine starting wages. Learn more about Equal Pay.
• A job offer will be extended through Workday to the successful candidate. Congratulations, and welcome to the team!

Requirements for Employment

The successful candidate for this position must pass a Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) fingerprint-based background check and maintain CJIS eligibility. Due to CJIS requirements related to system access, there may be some felony convictions that could disqualify you for this position. However, having a felony record does not exclusively restrict you from being considered as an applicant. CJIS clearance is done at the conditional job offer. If you have questions about whether or not your criminal record could disqualify for you, please contact the recruiter for more information.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDI&B) is embedded in the Department of Corrections core values. The department strives to be a model employer committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Ensuring legal compliance, efficiency, and exceeding expectations to deliver the best public services.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. Additional information can be found from The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Know Your Rights.

The Oregon Department of Corrections is responsible for complying with the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA 42 U.S.C. 1997). PREA prohibits the Oregon Department of Corrections from hiring, promoting, or contracting with anyone, (that will have direct contact with residents), who has engaged in, been convicted of, or been civilly or administratively adjudicated for engaging in sexual abuse in confinement settings. Learn more about PREA.

Eligible Veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former) who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded candidate preference. For more information, please visit Veterans Resources. Please note – if you are a veteran, you will receive a task in Workday to upload your documents immediately after you submit your initial application. You will have up until 24 hours after the posted application deadline to submit the appropriate documentation.

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.

Questions

If you have questions about the position, selection process, or need accommodations to participate in the recruitment process please contact the recruiter and reference the requisition number.

Recruiter: Kelli Ketchum, Kelli.L.Ketchum@doc.oregon.gov 

Reference Number: Req-195307

• Workday will timeout after 15 minutes of inactivity. You may lose progress on your application.
• Workday performs weekly maintenance Friday evenings, and the system may be down for several hours.
• ODOC does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, applicants will be required to complete an I-9 and confirm authorization to work in the United States.
• This applicant list may be used to fill future vacancies. Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice.
• This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract. The pay and benefits on all announcements may change without notice.