Are you someone that cares and has passion for working with at risk youth? If so, the Team Leader (Cadet Specialist) may be the right position for you!

The Wisconsin Challenge Academy is a residential alternative education program designed to reclaim the lives of youth and produce graduates with the education, strength of character, and self-discipline necessary to succeed as adults and become responsible citizens. The Wisconsin Challenge Academy is located on Fort McCoy and is a part of the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). To learn more about the Wisconsin Challenge Academy, please go to http://www.challengeacademy.org.  

The DMA provides essential, effective, and responsive military and emergency management capability for the citizens of our state and nation. During emergencies, no single organization can handle the response. The DMA consists of several organizations working together to plan, prepare, coordinate, and respond effectively when our communities and neighbors need us the most.

We offer an opportunity to engage with a team of dedicated professionals, with a truly worthwhile mission.

In addition to meaningful and rewarding work, we offer a competitive benefits package featuring:

• Substantial leave time including at least 3.5 weeks of vacation to start, 9 paid holidays, and ample accrued sick time that rolls over each year.
• Excellent and affordable health, vision, and dental benefits (health plan options start at just $42/month for single plans and $104/month for family plans after two months of employment).
• A casual atmosphere and flexible work schedules, depending on the position's requirements.
• An exceptional pension plan with employer match and lifetime retirement payment, plus an optional tax advantaged 457 retirement savings plan.
• Well Wisconsin Wellness Program.
• A free and confidential employee assistance program that offers employees and their immediate family dependents a variety of tools, resources, and professional consultation services to support their health, goals, and overall wellbeing.
• Working for Wisconsin State Government may make you eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program

The Challenge Academy is a voluntary character development and education program for 16–18 year-old youth at risk of not graduating from high school. We are an intensive residential program that uses the military model, located at Fort McCoy. Cadet Specialists provide for the safety, security, and accountability of youth (cadets); provide cadets with training and guidance in the areas of military drill, ceremony, custom and courtesies, daily living skills, self-discipline, physical fitness, social skills, and goal setting. These positions lead or assist with leading experiential activities, enforce Academy policies, rules, and regulations and submit verbal and written reports. They consult with other team members to make recommendations to management regarding cadet issues and discipline and counsel cadets as needed.

Starting pay will be $26.42 per hour.  For current permanent state employees, pay will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan.

This position is in the 12-64 pay schedule/range. A 12-month probation will be required. 

The Department of Military Affairs does not sponsor work visas at the time of hire or anytime during employment. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete the required Employment Eligibility Form I-9.

To learn more about the complete compensation package, please visit the Total Rewards Calculator.

In order to gain access to military facilities and to determine whether the circumstances of any conviction may be related to the job being filled, DMA will conduct a comprehensive background check which includes a fingerprint-based background check. 

These positions will require a work schedule that includes days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holiday hours.

Must possess or be eligible to obtain and maintain a valid driver’s license and meet the requirements of the State of Wisconsin Fleet Vehicle Policy to drive a state vehicle.

State of Wisconsin Fleet Vehicle Policy:

Must have a valid driver's license

Minimum of two years driving experience

Must be 18 years of age or older

Additionally, the driving record must not reflect the following conditions:

Three or more moving violations (with point reductions) and/or at fault accidents in the past 2 years

An OWI or DUI violation within the past 12 months

A suspension or revocation of the driver's license 

Previous or current military experience is not a requirement.

All new permanent, project, and limited term employees will be required to report to Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ) in Madison on the Monday of their first week of employment for the New Employee Orientation (NEO) program. Additional information will be sent to the new employees and their supervisors on Tuesday prior to NEO.

Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will have:

• Prior work experience as a lead-worker or similar position responsible for monitoring activities and providing directions to others.
• Provided instruction, guidance, or training for others in experiential learning activities and/or non-academic skills.
• Experience in Microsoft Office.

In addition to the minimum qualifications, well qualified candidates will also have the following preferred qualifications/experience:

• Working with youth/young adults.
• Provided guidance and training on safety and security policies and procedures.
• Provided guidance, training, and promotion of independent living skills.
• Provided expectations, rules, feedback, assessments, evaluations to others regarding policies and procedures.

Your resume and letter of qualification are very important parts of your application. In these materials, you should clearly describe your education, training, and experience as they relate to the bulleted items listed above. 

Your qualifications should be addressed in your resume and expanded upon in your letter of qualification. These materials are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job.

Here are instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualifications and what should be included in these materials.  The vast majority of applicants are able to outline their background and experience in their resume in 1-3 pages; the same applies to the letter of qualification.

Apply online! 

Click “Apply for Job” to start the application process.  If you have not signed into your account, you will need to sign in before applying.  If you do not have an account, click “Register Now” to register for an account and apply for the job. Follow the steps outlined in the application process and submit your application.  You will be able to save your application as many times as needed and make edits up until the point you submit your application. Please note that once you submit your application, you will not be able to make any updates to the application or any materials submitted.

You will be required to attach your current resume and letter of qualifications in a Word or PDF compatible format. 

For instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualification and what should be included in these materials, click here.  Submitted materials will be evaluated by a panel of job experts and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

Permanent classified state employees who are eligible for consideration (transfer, voluntary demotion, or reinstatement) should complete the online application process by the stated deadline.

Applications must be submitted through Wisc.Jobs. Failure to submit all required materials will result in incomplete application and ineligibility for this position.  Application materials will not be accepted if received in an incompatible format, an email, as a hard copy or a fax.

Questions regarding the application process can be directed to Sara Martin at sara.martin@widma.gov or 608-242-3164.  

For general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance, please see the wisc.jobs Frequently Asked Questions page. The Wisc.Jobs helpdesk is available Monday-Friday, 7:45am - 4:30pm at 608-267-1012 or wiscjobs@wisconsin.gov.  Some applicants report better performance when using the Chrome browser.

The Department of Military Affairs is an equal opportunity employer seeking a diverse and talented workforce. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.  For complete information on veterans’ hiring programs that may benefit you, please visit the Employment Assistance page on the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs’ website.

Veterans with a 30%-or-greater service-connected disability rating are eligible for consideration for non-competitive appointment to permanent positions in classified civil service under s. 230.275, WI Stats. Please visit the Veterans Employment page for more information about the program and how to apply. Current state employees in permanent positions are not eligible for non-competitive appointments.

If viewing through an external site, please click here to apply directly at Wisc.Jobs.

The first review will be completed on applications received by 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. Applications will be accepted after that date until the needs of the department have been met.