Are you our new social work professional?

Are you our new social and professional staff member?

Refugium is seeking a committed and professionally grounded pedagogical assistant for a permanent position of 37 hours per week. Other hours can be agreed. The position is with employment from 1 December 2026.

Who are we?

Refugium is a service under the Danish Social Services Act § 110/ § 107 with 6 24-hour placements, as well as a § 79 day centre for people with dual diagnosis, who most often have a serious mental illness and an active substance use problem. The day centre is open from 10-20 every day. Homelessness is the main reason for admission to Refugium 24-hour placements, but the client group typically has other problems, such as substance abuse, mental illness, financial difficulties, isolation, etc.

Refugium's primary purpose is to support the core task

We create development, well-being and community - together with adults with special needs.

The tasks at Refugium are carried out by empathetic, knowledgeable, relationship-oriented and boundary-setting staff who dare to create developmentally challenging and educational experiences together with the residents.

The tasks at Refugium are varied and, at times, very unpredictable.

• You will receive and admit new residents
• Keep documentation through observations, reflections and conversations
• Be a point of contact for the resident
• Practical tasks in the house
• Distribute medication after training

You must be rooted under pressure and have a relational understanding of the target group that enables you to navigate independently, and you must have the ability to assess when to choose one professional method over another. It is important that you can create strong relationships and collaborate with residents and other partners. There is considerable professional freedom in your work, and you must be able to make professional and well-founded decisions.

You should expect rotating work hours - primarily day and evening shifts, holidays, and every other weekend.

We expect you to

• Have a qualification as a pedagogical assistant.
• Be able to guide and inspire your colleagues regarding relevant theories and methods
• Preferably practical experience from the 24-hour area
• Have experience and a desire to work with the target group
• Be professional, visionary, open and willing to challenge traditional thinking in task solving and demonstrate this through your own behaviour
• Be calm, inclusive and respectful
• Have interest and understanding for socially vulnerable people with substance use
• Be clear about your own boundaries and able to articulate them
• Have good collaboration skills and be a team player
• Be a good colleague
• Be physically and mentally robust and absolutely reliable in attendance
• Show responsibility, flexibility and independence in task execution
• Work in an appreciative manner
• Be open and approachable, with a good portion of humor
• Can make independent decisions in conflict-filled situations
• Can express yourself in writing.

What do we offer?

• We are a house in development, where professionalism is in focus
• A challenging and varied job with a competent and engaged staff
• An open and informal working environment
• Supervisions
• A really good, exciting and dynamic workplace with plenty to do, but where the work is done with joy.

Further information about Refugium can be found at www.bostoetten.esbjergkommune.dk

You are also welcome to contact Offers Manager Didde Jensen at phone 27242924 or by email [email protected] if you want to know more.

Salary and terms of employment are set in accordance with the applicable collective agreement, including the applicable provisions on local pay formation. You can find information about the salary level in Esbjerg Municipality via this link: KRL . Here you can also find information about base pay and pension. In addition, after a concrete assessment, qualification and/or position-based supplements can be agreed depending on the contents of the position and your experience and qualifications.

If you are employed in the position, a criminal background check must be submitted.

In Esbjerg Municipality we work in a trust-based manner and see human diversity as a strength. We therefore encourage all qualified applicants regardless of gender, age or ethnic background to apply for the position.

If you proceed after the interview, references will be requested from current and/or former employers if you are still being considered for the position.

You will be informed before references are collected.

Applications with attachments, educational documents and documentation of prior employment must be sent electronically and received by us no later than 21 October 2026

Interviews are expected to be held in week 44