Wilmington-based national employment screening company, Castle Branch, plans to add 50 new jobs over the next year, officials announced Thursday.

It is the 10th largest privately owned employment screening company in the country. Castle Branch currently employs about 250 people.

“Castle Branch has been fortunate to find continued growth in this economy,” Brett Martin, chief executive officer and founder of Castle Branch, said in a press release.

Pre-employment screening for health science programs at colleges and universities has been the company’s main focus.

“As these programs continue to grow in terms of enrollment and as the healthcare industry continues to grow within the United States, we plan to grow to continue to serve this growing industry,” said Brittany Shropshire, marketing manager for Castle Branch.

The 50 new positions will be in sales, operations, information technology and business development, she said.

The company is headquartered in a 32,000-square-foot building adjacent to Mayfaire Town Center. The company recently opened a satellite office in Petaluma, Calif. to grow its West Coast sales. It plans to add 15 sales staff to the California office within the next 18 months.