The Scottish Prison Service is now recruiting for Residential Officers to join us throughout 2025/2026
Applicants please note: The Scottish Prison Service is not a licenced Sponsor and Visa Sponsorship is not available for this role.
For the role you have applied for you must have the right to work in the UK and Civil Service.
The Immigration Act 2014 requires employers to check documents to establish a person’s eligibility to work in the UK and comply with any restrictions before they start work. Therefore, all candidates who are successful in the selection process for this role, when requested, will be required to provide evidence of their right to work.
The Scottish Prison Service (SPS), established in 1993, is an agency of the Scottish Government whose principal objective is to contribute to making Scotland safer by protecting the public and reducing reoffending. The SPS aims to achieve this by ensuring delivery of secure custody, safe and orderly prisons, high quality standards of care, and opportunities for those in custody to build capacity to help them reintegrate into the community on release.
Prison Officers are a principal agent of delivery of the SPS Vision of Unlocking Potential and Transforming Lives as they are a critical point of contact between those in custody and the organisation charged with their safety, security and personal development. Prison Officers have a positive and caring approach towards those in our care and adopt an asset-based approach, fostering effective relationships in order to help those in SPS care to desist from offending and help transform their lives.
The role depends upon Prison Officers embracing the aims and ethos of the SPS Mission and their personal efficacy and professionalism are vital to developing and maintaining essential working relationships with those in our care. The design and delivery of person-centred services, requires staff who not only demonstrate SPS Values, but who believe in change and their ability to affect it. Our values are;
Belief - belief that people can change
Respect - have proper regard for individuals, their needs and their human rights
Integrity - apply high ethical, moral and professional standards
Openness - work with others to achieve the best outcomes
Courage - have the courage to care regardless of circumstances
Humility - recognise that we can learn from others
Newly appointed Prison Officers - Residential will undertake a block of training as part of a new professional development pathway which represents a significant and positive investment in the professional Prison Officer in Scotland. As such, the role requires a strong on-going commitment to personal and professional development.
Prison Officers - Residential will spend the majority of their time in the residential (accommodation) area of the prison. The role can be physically demanding in that it involves walking and standing for a majority of the time and there will be frequent occasions where physical fitness and dexterity will be required to assist in the secure handling of challenging situations. The potentially intense nature of the interactions with those in our care and their families may exert emotional demands on Prison Officers.
Candidates please note: Prison Officer - Residential members of staff work on a rostered shift pattern.
To find out more about our locations please visit our Prison Locations Page.
Please refer to the attached documents which provide further information regarding the recruitment process and other candidate guidance.
If you have any questions, please contact a member of the recruitment team at Vacancies@prisons.gov.scot
SPS recruitment and selection practice is based on the fundamentals of our Behavioural Competency Framework. This identifies behaviours and standards required both of applicants seeking to join us, and our staff in their respective roles. Assessment of specific behaviours, of which there are twelve, will be determined by the role you are applying for. Whilst it is unlikely you will be assessed on all of them , you will be assessed on these identified as key to role.
Commitment to Professional Development
Commitment to continuous professional development, including undertaking formal training and qualifications to support your own learning and development as well as the development of those in our care.
ESSENTIAL
Supporting Others
Experience of providing support, advice or guidance to others.
Making a Difference
Experience of making a positive difference to the lives of others.
Resilience
Experience of managing challenging circumstances or behaviours, using your emotional intelligence to prevent or resolve conflict, regulate your own emotional reactions and positively influencing others to achieve desired results.
Building & Maintaining Relationships
Ability to foster good relationships and work effectively and collaboratively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills, and influencing others to achieve desired outcomes.
Problem Solving & Decision
Making Ability to proactively identify issues, recognise themes and patterns in order to implement solutions and make decisions which are defensible, evidence-based, take account of risks, appropriate and timely.
Communication Skills
Ability to manage situations, relationships and conflict through effective use of communication skills.
Managing Information
Ability to use a computer and other digital devices to process, analyse, evaluate and disseminate information and produce high quality written reports and maintain effective and accurate records.
This opportunity is closed to applications.
