PRINCIPAL CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST

Code: 02783@ Local Competitive

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under direction, administers and interprets the full range of psychological tests used for diagnosing mental and personality disorders and differentiating between functional and organic damage of patients; performs psychotherapeutic tasks of the greatest complexity and serves as advisor and consultant to other persons concerned with patient treatment and care; does other related work.

Examples of work

• Organizes assigned disorders of patients in an institution, clinic, or other setting.
• Organizes assigned work in the field of psychological testing and psychotherapy and develops appropriate work methods requiring knowledge of the theory and practice of clinical psychology.
• Provides psychological assessments, utilizes a combination of therapeutic techniques in providing services to those patients with the most difficult and complex mental and personality problems.
• Serves as advisor, consultant and resource person to other people concerned with patient treatment and care.
• Promotes and preserves a psychotherapeutic atmosphere among the professional treatment staff.
• Participates in developing treatment programs for patients and advises and consults with all levels of professional staff concerning psychological characteristics and behavior changes of clients.
• Provides such advice as appropriate staff responses toward a patient or specific environmental factors which will stimulate more self reliance, reduce anxiety or achieve more socially adaptable behavior patterns.
• Instructs and supervises psychological trainees.
• May be assigned responsibilities in such areas as training, program coordination, research, or consultation.
• Functions as a source of information in a specialized area of clinical psychology.
• Prepares correspondence.
• Prepares psychological, statistical, and other reports of difficulty.
• Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Doctorate degree in Psychology from an accredited college or university, plus the satisfactory completion of a one (1) year supervised internship in clinical psychology.

Experience

Two (2) years of experience in clinical psychology beyond the one (1) year supervised internship.

License

Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in NJ only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the theory and practice of clinical psychology, including the varied problems involved in giving, scoring and analyzing varied types of tests and in interpreting test results, and performing psychotherapeutic tasks of difficulty.
• Ability to plan, organize, and carry out assigned work in the field of psychological testing and/or psychotherapy of difficulty and to develop effective work methods.
• Ability to work harmoniously with children and adult patients, associates, subordinates, superior officers, and other persons interested in or concerned with the mental hygiene and psychology programs of the institution or clinic.
• Ability to select and administer psychometric, vocational, aptitude, performance, and special tests of difficulty to children and adults, score the tests, analyze and interpret the results of the tests and correlate the results of the tests with other findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Ability to keep current with literature, trends of thought, and new developments in the field of psychology, psychometrics, and research.
• Ability to prepare correspondence.
• Ability to maintain records and files.
• Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

In accordance with N.J.A.C. 13:42-1.3, positions assigned to an agency which is exempt from licensure and, in which a licensed Clinical Psychologist is also employed, a Master's degree in Psychology from accredited college or university with completion of one (1) year of supervised clinical internship is accepted as the minimum education requirement.