NJ Civil Service Navigator

ASSISTANT FAMILY SERVICE WORKER 4

Code: 54251 State Competitive Range: H16 (FY2026)

Career Family: ASSISTANT FAMILY SERVICE WORKER

Salary: $51,479.83 - $74,754.15/year FY2026 schedule (last updated 2026-05-08)

Assistant Family Service Worker 4 sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's state civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.

This is the senior rung of the Assistant Family Service Worker series, the level you reach after Assistant Family Service Worker 3. It asks for 4 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2026 schedule runs $51,480 to $74,754, and state payroll lists a single employee in the title, at Children and Families.

How to get hired

  1. Watch for an open-competitive announcement for Assistant Family Service Worker 4 on the NJ Civil Service Commission jobs portal. Announcements run for a fixed filing window.
  2. Apply during that window and sit the examination. Depending on the title, that can be a written test, a rating of your training and experience, or a mix of the two.
  3. Passing scores go onto a ranked eligible list. Veterans get preference points added on top of their score.
  4. When an agency has a vacancy it must appoint from the top of that list under the "Rule of Three." Many competitive jobs are first filled provisionally while the list is being built.

Read the official specification at NJ Civil Service Commission.

Pay ladder: Assistant Family Service Worker series

  1. Assistant Family Service Worker 1 — $38,027 – $54,571
  2. Assistant Family Service Worker 2 — $43,237 – $62,340
  3. Assistant Family Service Worker 3 — $47,157 – $68,252
  4. Assistant Family Service Worker 4 — $51,480 – $74,754 (this title)

Its top salary lands around the 16th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.

Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.

Who employs this title

State payroll records show 1 person working under this title. The median actual salary is $73,931. The agencies employing the most are:

  • Children and Families (1)

Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.

Definition

Under the supervision of a Supervising Family Service Specialist 1, or 2 or other supervisory official in the Department of Children and Families, performs para-professional tasks providing services to clients with social, emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems; participates in the operation of a client service program requiring specialized skills and program knowledge; gathers required social information about clients; evaluates and assesses client situations and/or needs; participates in case assessments and in the implementation of preventive, rehabilitative and/or supportive treatment; provides transportation services; does other related duties.

Examples of work

Maintains a small caseload of clients under the direct supervision of professional staff. Evaluates and assesses client situations and/or needs and refers them to services as needed. Transports clients to and from family visits, medical appointments, schools, and other service providers. Arranges appointments with medical and/or other professionals. Participates in the preparation of documentation, conducts searches, and serves legal documents to parents. Assists clients in setting up collateral contacts. Observes and documents the results of family visits. Assists clients in obtaining needed documents for placement including medical information, birth records, school records, etc. Participates as a member of the placement team during the placement of a child. Participates in meetings to identify and contact family members to serve as potential caregivers. Searches electronic files to obtain and provide needed information. Collects court orders; logs and distributes them to appropriate staff. Maintains rosters of medical providers and schedules appointments for client evaluations as indicated by caseworkers. Obtains and distributes needed reports. Maintains records of children housed in detention centers and notifies appropriate personnel. Prepares reports of significant incidents and other developments with clients in an articulate and informative manner. Establishes and maintains essential case records and other files. May assist in vehicle maintenance. May provide child care. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Experience

Four (4) years of experience in social services providing services to clients which may include providing basic information, services like transportation and overseeing visitation, and gathering information regarding history to ascertain client needs.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

Knowledge of the problems likely to be encountered by clients with social, emotional, psychological, or behavioral problems. Knowledge of the types of community services and organizations likely to be needed by the client population served. Knowledge of the economic and social conditions encountered by the client population served. Knowledge of the principles of public assistance programs. Knowledge of the methods used to gather and analyze information. Knowledge of the types of information typically included in casework files. Ability to interpret laws, rules, and regulations and apply them to specific situations. Ability to operate a motor vehicle for an extended period of time. Ability to perform heavy lifting of children and their belongings. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those interested or involved in the work of the unit. Ability to conduct field visits to evaluate and assess situations. Ability to work independently, organize assigned work, and develop effective work methods. Ability to contact clients, relatives, and other individuals and agencies to obtain information. Ability to prepare reports and maintain comprehensive case histories. Ability to establish and maintain essential records and files. Ability to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible if they can perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Thirty (30) semester hour credits from an accredited college, which must include twelve (12) semester hour credits in the behavioral sciences, may be substituted for one (1) year of the experience listed above. Appointees will be required to satisfactorily complete a DCF mandated pre-service training program.