These Kentucky state agencies are hiring. Check out 5 of the highest-paying positions

Aaron Mudd
·5 min read

With the possibility of a default on the national debt appearing more likely each day and financial experts advising Americans to prepare accordingly, it may not be a good time to be out of work.

Luckily several state agencies in Kentucky are offering steady pay and strong benefits. Currently, the average state worker in Kentucky makes $53,792 annually, according to employment site ZipRecruiter.

However, you could make a lot more with these open state jobs. Here’s rundown of some of the highest-paid jobs in state government right now. As of May 26, each is still accepting applications.

Staff Attorney

Salary: $75,051

Agency: Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of the Secretary

Location: Lexington

In this position, you’ll offer legal advice to agency officers, employees and departments. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, according to the job listing:

  • Drafting legal documents, litigation in court and at administrative hearings;

  • Legal research and providing legal advice to employees of the agency;

  • Drafting correspondence and/or communicating verbally with members authorized representatives, insurance agents, application assisters and/or other interested and authorized parties regarding findings and/or resolution of members complaints;

  • Assist with open record requests.

The advertisement for this position closes June 4.

Audiologist

Salary: $64,329.84 to $75,051.60

Agency: Cabinet for Health and Family Services

Location: Lexington

The Office for Children with Special Health Care Needs is seeking an audiologist. Working with this division of the agency, you’ll serve children at its specialty pediatric clinics. Duties will include care coordination, case management, therapies and collaboration to meet the patients’ needs.

A big part of this job is work in identifying, appraising and interpreting communicative disorders of hearing.

According to the job description, duties include but are not limited to the following:

  • Serve as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team. Provides diagnostic and case management of audiologic services to clinic and nonclinic patients;

  • Conduct hearing aid including evaluations, fittings, repairs, modifications and routine monitoring. Annual calibration of audiological equipment and monitors warranted repair;

  • Partnering and collaborating with regional birthing hospitals, families and community audiologists to ensure infants are screened for hearing loss and receive warranted follow-up services;

  • Counseling patients and families on available resources in the home community. Facilitating the transition from pediatric to adult care;

  • Planning, organizing and developing educational programs for families, other professionals and agency staff;

  • Coordinating the audiometric work of nonprofessional or professional subordinate staff including nurses, hospital and school personnel, graduate students, early interventionists and others.

The advertisement for this position closes June 4.

Wildlife Biologist

Salary: $46,059.12 to $68,234.40

Agency: Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

Location: Varies

The mission of this open position is conservation, specifically overseeing operations at three separate wildlife management areas throughout Western Kentucky.

Responsibilities and job duties, as laid out in the position description, are as follows:

  • Work with program and regional staff, administration and agency partners to develop and implement long-term waterfowl management plans for the areas and the region;

  • Schedule the work of staff to develop and maintain wildlife habitat;

  • Ensure wintering habitat for waterfowl while overseeing the development and operations of wetland habitat with associated wetland and upland systems, farming operations and associated maintenance;

  • Oversee the area farm contracts, maintaining and coordinating the use and maintenance of numerous pieces of farm machinery, heavy equipment and trucks, maintenance of area buildings, completing and maintaining area budgets and administrative reports for administration and program staff, wildlife surveys, public inquiries, public meetings, and administration of public area hunts;

  • Serve as the regional waterfowl and wetland management specialist and assist other wildlife management areas in the Green River region as necessary.

The advertisement for this position closes May 29.

Social Science Clinician

Salary: $63,486

Agency: Justice and Public Safety Cabinet

Location: Bowling Green/Warren County

This is a social work position that demands a high degree of responsibility from the candidate.

Responsibilities listed in the job description include, but are not limited to:

  • Serves as the facility treatment coordinator and provides oversight to the juvenile’s treatment;

  • Provides intensive individual, group and family counseling services for juveniles served in Department of Juvenile Justice facilities and serves as technical expert to facility staff, court officials and community partners;

  • Supervise assigned staff to include timesheet review and approval. Complete and evaluate employee performance. Recommend needed personnel action, including discipline. Develops and implements the hiring process;

  • Reviews background and evaluation materials to develop treatment plans and coordinates group counseling sessions and learning experiences;

  • Coordinates with community staff in ongoing treatment efforts for juveniles discharged from the facility;

  • Provides a mentoring and training reinforcement service for new and less experienced counselors.

The post also notes travel may be required and the successful candidate may be required to restrain out-of-control juveniles.

The advertisement for this position closes June 2.

Environmental Scientist V

Salary: $4,942 to $5,686 monthly

Agency: Department of Natural Resources

Location: Madisonville

This is a federally funded, time-limited position, meaning the employment duration will expire with the grant that funds it.

The environmental scientist will work with the Kentucky Division of Abandoned Mine Lands and its western region branch, according to the description.

Responsibilities include, according to the listing:

  • Evaluate environmental sites, assess environmental impacts and train others in this area of work;

  • Evaluate forfeited mine sites for environmental impacts and off-site impacts;

  • Investigate citizen complaints;

  • Conduct material testing and water samples;

  • Review plans, technical details and specifications for technical accuracy;

  • Conduct scientific studies and prepare detailed reports from environmental testing;

  • Oversee and document the remediation projects;

  • Operate unmanned aerial vehicle drones;

  • Work with minimum supervision.

The advertisement for this position closes June 4.

To view all currently advertised state government jobs in Kentucky, visit the personnel cabinet website.

Do you have a question about employment in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.