SOCIAL WORKER 1 (DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES)
Developmental Disabilities
Career Family: SOCIAL WORKER
New Jersey treats Social Worker 1 (developmental Disabilities) as a competitive-class job, so the gate is an examination and the ranked list it produces rather than a direct offer.
The minimum is a master's degree and 1 year of relevant experience. The FY2027 range lands between $63,663 and $92,953, and state payroll currently lists about 94 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
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Agency posting
Department of Health posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
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Agency posting
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
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Agency posting
Department of Human Services's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Social Worker series
- Social Worker 2 — $58,222 – $84,763
- Social Worker 1 — $63,663 – $92,953
Its top salary lands around the 36th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2027 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 94 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $81,320. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (61)
- Juvenile Justice Commission (22)
- Military and Veterans Affairs (8)
- Human Services (3)
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 direction of a supervisory official in the Department of Human Services, does field and office work in making varied types of social investigations involving the collection, analysis, and recording of significant social facts pertaining to developmentally disabled persons, drawing sound conclusions, and basing appropriate action thereon; does other related duties as required. 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.
Examples of work
Organizes and develops community resources for the purpose of establishing a sound program for the developmentally disabled. Conducts home study investigations of persons awaiting admission to, or residents of, state developmental disabilities facilities, and those persons released to foster home and family care placements. Supervises individuals released from state residential facilities for the developmentally disabled. Establishes and conducts interim planning programs for developmentally disabled persons awaiting admission to residential facilities. Visits clinics, hospitals, social/welfare agencies, relatives, physicians, and others to collect the social, economic, and other information required in preparing recommendations in preparation for foster home and family care placements. Prepares social histories for diagnostic purposes and for use as a basis for rehabilitation. Gives information orally and in writing. Visits the homes and families of patients to obtain their cooperation with the total program of treatment. Gathers all necessary material relating to applications for the services of the Division of Developmental Disabilities. Manages a caseload as assigned. Visits prospective employers and others to develop an understanding of problems of individual patients and to alleviate potential and actual environmental friction. Prepares and maintains case histories. Prepares correspondence. Establishes and maintains records and files. Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Social Work or Guidance and Counseling.
Experience
One (1) year of experience in social casework which shall have involved responsibility for gathering and analyzing social information from clients, determination of their needs, and the planning and administration of treatment plans geared toward the needs of individual clients. NOTE: A Master's degree in Social Work including or supplemented by a supervised field placement accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may be substituted for the above experience requirement.
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 essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of social work theory, standards, objectives, and methods. Knowledge of problems likely to be encountered in doing social work for developmentally disabled children and their parents, and with children who are to be, or have been, placed in foster home or family care placements. Knowledge of social work literature/methods/terminology, and current social/economic/community problems. Knowledge of the accepted principles of individual and group behavior. Knowledge of public and private social welfare, health, and educational agencies and organizations. Ability to organize and develop community resources for the purpose of establishing a sound program for the developmentally disabled. Ability to conduct home study investigations of persons awaiting admission to, or residents of, developmental disabilities facilities, and those persons released to foster home and family care placements. Ability to establish and conduct interim planning programs for developmentally disabled persons awaiting admission to residential facilities. Ability to analyze, comprehend, interpret, and apply basic laws/rules/regulations/procedures to specific situations related to a developmental disabilities program in accord with established regulations. Ability to organize assigned social work and develop effective work methods. Ability to work effectively with associates, families, developmentally disabled persons, and other groups. Ability to collect and make appraisals of factual information and the social relationships of developmentally disabled persons and their families, to learn essential/significant facts in an individual or family situation, and to weigh and evaluate such facts. Ability to prepare correspondence. Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and authenticated case histories and reports. Ability to maintain records and files. Ability 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 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 as long as they can perform essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.