STAFF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST 1 (MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES)
Career Family: STAFF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
New Jersey treats Staff Clinical Psychologist 1 (mental Health Services) as a competitive-class job, so the gate is an examination and the ranked list it produces rather than a direct offer.
This is where the Staff Clinical Psychologist ladder starts, one grade under Staff Clinical Psychologist 2, whose band tops out about $12,165 higher. Eligibility comes down to a master's degree. The FY2026 range lands between $56,253 and $81,897.
How to get hired
- Watch for an open-competitive announcement for Staff Clinical Psychologist 1 (mental Health Services) on the NJ Civil Service Commission jobs portal. Announcements run for a fixed filing window.
- Apply during that window and sit the examination. Depending on the title, that can be a written test, a rating of your training and experience, or a mix of the two.
- Passing scores go onto a ranked eligible list. Veterans get preference points added on top of their score.
- When an agency has a vacancy it must appoint from the top of that list under the "Rule of Three." Many competitive jobs are first filled provisionally while the list is being built.
Read the official specification at NJ Civil Service Commission.
Pay ladder: Staff Clinical Psychologist series
- Staff Clinical Psychologist 1 (mental Health Services) — $56,253 – $81,897 (this title)
- Staff Clinical Psychologist 2 — $64,340 – $94,062
- Staff Clinical Psychologist 3 — $73,707 – $108,073
Promoting to Staff Clinical Psychologist 2 raises the top of the band by about $12,165. Its top salary lands around the 22nd percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
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.
Definition
Under direct supervision of a clinical psychologist of a higher level in a state institution, community mental health center, or other setting in a state department, does the work involved in administering psychometric, personality, aptitude, vocational, and other tests, in preparing reports and analyses based thereon, and other psychotherapeutic work of varying difficulty; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Does assigned work in the field of psychological testing and/or psychotherapy and develops appropriate work methods.
- Administers a variety of tests including psychometric, aptitude, vocational, performance, special, and other tests using projective techniques to individual children and adults in an institution, clinic, or other setting.
- Prepares, scores, and interprets tests, analyzes the results of series of tests, and correlates these with other findings.
- Interviews children and adults to incorporate significant social and psychological findings into recommendations for specific purposes such as vocational educational guidance, rehabilitation, remedial education, and other purposes.
- Makes special studies of behavior.
- Assists with placement activities with adult patients.
- Participates in special research studies dealing with psychological and behavior problems.
- Collects and analyzes extensive data and prepares reports thereon.
- Participates in educational projects, case conferences, and seminars.
- Interprets department programs and objectives to individuals and groups and gives talks before lay and professional groups and organizations interested in or concerned with the problems of mental health, developmental disabilities, or corrections.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in psychology and completion of one (1) year of supervised full-time clinical internship or one (1) year of extensively supervised clinical experience. Graduate course training shall have included at least thirty (30) semester hour credits in a psychology program consisting of six (6) semester hour credits in counseling/psychotherapy and three (3)semester hour credits in each of the following areas: individual intelligence testing, objective and/or projective testing, and abnormal psychology. At least fifteen (15) semester hour credits should be in courses relevant to clinical psychology such as: learning theories, human motivation, personality theories, human growth and development, psychopharmacology, and statistics and research.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform in essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of clinical psychology including the practical problems involved in giving varied types of tests and in scoring, analyzing, and interpreting tests and test results.
- Knowledge of the rules, regulations, policies, objectives, and standards of the department concerning the psychological program after a period of training.
- Ability to carry on assigned work in the field of psychological testing and/or psychotherapy and to develop effective work methods in accord with established procedures.
- Ability to work effectively with children and adult patients, associates, subordinates, superior officials, and other persons interested in or concerned with the mental health and psychology programs of the institution or clinic.
- Ability to select and administer psychometric, vocational, aptitude, performance, and special tests to children and adults, score the tests, analyze and interpret the results, and correlate test results with other findings.
- Ability to perform psychotherapy especially with children.
- Ability to make special studies of behavior and other problems.
- Ability to do assigned research work.
- Ability to prepare recommendations for carrying out programs of vocational education.
- Ability to keep current with literature, trends of thought, and new developments in the field of psychology, psychometry, and research.
- Ability to collect materials for and prepare clear, accurate, and informative psychological, statistical, and other reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Ability to draft correspondence.
- Ability to maintain essential records and files.
- Ability to assist in the establishment and maintenance of essential psychology records, studies, and files.
- Ability to learn 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, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the 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 the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
- CODES: 18/P18 - RKR/hw 3/19/94
Note
The definition and 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.