Clinical Psychologist, Pediatric Pain Team

Click here to apply as an internal applicant.

Company : IWK Health

Req ID: 227504
Department/Program: Pain Program PAEDS, Children's Medical Care
Location: Halifax
Type of Employment: Temporary Hourly PT long-assignment (60% FTE) until 08/24/2027 x 1 position(s)
Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $54.0472 - $73.4637 /hour
Closing Date: Open Until Filled (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, providing tertiary and primary care for two million children, youth, adults and families each year across the Atlantic region. We have a team of approximately 4000 employees, physicians, volunteers and learners at sites across Nova Scotia. People build careers with IWK Health with our focus on training and mentorship opportunities. We recognize each other’s talent and celebrate our successes. We collaborate in modern facilities or virtually from home, align our work to our values, and enjoy access to enhanced benefits and wellness programs. We are proud to support our patients, families and communities and are grateful for the generous donor support we receive.

Promoting an anti-racist environment, and calling out discrimination as we work and provide care, is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. Working in Mi’kma’ki and providing care to those across Atlantic Canada is a shared privilege with the original inhabitants who have lived here for many thousands of years prior to colonization. There are 13 First Nation communities across Nova Scotia, and more than 50 historic African Nova Scotian communities who also have a long, deep, and complex history dating back over 400 years. We have the highest percentage of people with disabilities in the country. Nova Scotia has the highest proportions of transgender and non-binary people than any other province or territory in the country. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination, but have more work to do to build that trust, acknowledge our biases and reduce the barriers our diverse communities face. We want IWK Health to be a safe and supportive space of equity and belonging in the care we provide and the employment we offer. We welcome all interested persons who self-identify as Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotians, Persons of Colour, Immigrants/Newcomers, Persons with Disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+ to apply to support our goal for our workforce to be representative of the patients, families, and communities that we care for at all job levels.

The Opportunity

Located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the IWK Health Centre, the Children’s Hospital of the Maritimes, provides quality care to women, children, youth and families. IWK Psychology is strong and growing, with over 50 doctoral and MA psychologists and assistive roles. Our Predoctoral Internship in Clinical Psychology is CPA accredited.

This role will work as part of an interdisciplinary Pediatric Pain Management team that provides tertiary family centered care for children and youth, and their families, with chronic pain. Assessments and treatment are provided by a team including physicians, clinical nurse specialists, clinical psychologists, and physiotherapists. Treatment often includes a combination of physical treatment and exercise, cognitive-behavioral and acceptance and commitment therapy techniques, and medications. The Psychologist works as part of an interdisciplinary team to provide assessment, treatment and consultative services for youth and their families. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to deliver coping skills training in a group-based format and will share responsibility for program development and program evaluation.

Hours of Work

Working hours will are flexible, within M-F 8-4 schedule.

Your Qualifications

• Completion Ph.D./PsyD degree in Clinical Psychology from a CPA/APA accredited university program, or equivalent, required.
• Completion of a CPA/APA accredited predoctoral internship/residency program required.
• Registered, or eligible for registration, with the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology.
• Minimum five (5) years of formal training and clinical experience in child/adolescent psychology required.
• Demonstrated experience in assessment, diagnosis and treatment with health psychology required.
• Experience with evidence-based pediatric pain methods preferred.
• Experience with Research preferred
• Experience with program evaluation preferred
• Knowledge in a range of psychological interventions for pain management (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, biofeedback). Experience in evidence-based psychological interventions for children and youth with somatization.
• Conversant in anatomy & physiology of pain and biopsychosocial models of pain and pain management preferred.
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team or pediatric pain clinic setting preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively consult and work with parents, other health care providers, and social service and education agencies required.
• Experience in a range of psychological interventions for general mental health concerns in youth (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy).
• Background and experience in educational settings, having an understanding in various approaches to managing youth living with pain in schools.
• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills required.
• Demonstrated excellence in clinical care required.
• Knowledge of program-based care an asset.
• Demonstrated excellent time management, organization, and problem-solving skills required.
• Demonstrated commitment and champion of family-centered care required.
• Competencies in other languages an asset including French, would be a significant asset.

Thank you for your interest in IWK Health.

Please note that we only contact applicants selected for interview/testing. If we invite you to participate in an assessment process (such as an interview or testing) you have the right to request accommodation. Please discuss your needs when invited to the assessment process.

This is a Healthcare bargaining unit position. Preference is given to bargaining unit employees for unionized positions. Successful applicants changing unions, bargaining units or employment status, are advised to seek clarification regarding their seniority, benefits, and vacation entitlement and/or usage, prior to accepting the position.

An offer of employment is conditional upon the completion and satisfactory results of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials.

If you are an employee of IWK Health, please apply through the internal careers page to ensure you are flagged as an internal applicant.