CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST 2
Career Family: CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST
Clinical Psychologist 2 is a competitive state title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
Of the 2 Clinical Psychologist grades this one pays the most, sitting just above Clinical Psychologist 1. It expects a doctoral degree and 3 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY 2027 schedule runs $100,498 to $148,187, and state payroll currently lists about 12 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. 2 agencies employ it. We don't track live vacancies.
See all 2 employers and how to apply →Who employs this title
Clinical Psychologist 2 appears on the State payroll at 2 departments, most of them at Department of Health.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Health | 9 |
| Department of Human Services | 3 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Pay ladder: Clinical Psychologist series
- Clinical Psychologist 1 — $87,507 – $128,719
- Clinical Psychologist 2 — $100,498 – $148,187 (this title)
Its top salary lands around the 88th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY 2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 12 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $143,176. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (9)
- Human Services (3)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
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 of a supervisory official in a state institution, community mental health center, or other setting in a state department, has responsibility for directing the program of a major psychology unit, or a smaller unit where program scope and responsibility entail technical and administrative skills which are commensurate with those required in larger units, including testing, individual and group therapeutic activities, research, and participation in overall institutional programming and administration; supervises professional and nonprofessional psychology staff; prepares and signs official performance evaluations for subordinate staff; does related work as required.
Examples of work
Organizes assigned administrative, supervisory, and other field and office work in the field of psychological testing and/or psychotherapy and develops effective work procedures. Assigns and instructs clinical psychologists of varied grades and other professional and nonprofessional employees and supervises the performance of their work. Administers and supervises the administration of psychosomatic, aptitude, vocational, performance, personality, and other tests including projective tests to children and adults in an institution, clinic, or other setting. Directs the scoring and interpretation of tests, analysis of test results and series of tests, and the correlation of test results with other findings. Supervises the practicum or internship training of psychology trainees. Supervises the activities of clinical psychologists of lower grades in their progress with new techniques, difficult cases, psychological treatment, and research. Plans and directs courses of individual or group psychotherapy. Initiates, conducts, and reports on research studies. Participates in meetings and conferences of the classification committee and in staff and agency policy meetings and discussions. Interviews and directs the interviewing of children and adults so that significant psychological and other facts may be incorporated in diagnoses and prognoses. Prepares recommendations for vocational training programs. Plans, organizes, and assigns the work of the organizational unit and evaluates employee performance and conduct, enabling the effective recommendation of the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of subordinates. Takes an active part in conferences regarding the placement activities of patients who have been or are to be released. In connection with community education, interprets the psychological and mental health programs of the division, and gives talks before organizations and groups interested in or concerned with the problems of mental health, and the prevention of delinquency. Drafts correspondence in the course of official duties. Prepares and directs the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative psychological, statistical, diagnostic, and other reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Supervises the establishment and maintenance of essential unit records, histories, and files. Will be required to learn how to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree supplemented by a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology, a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) or a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Psychology which should have included at least thirty (30) graduate semester credit hours in a psychology program consisting of six (6) credit hours in counseling/psychotherapy and three (3) credit hours in each of the following areas: individual intelligence testing, objective and/or projective testing, and abnormal psychology. At least fifteen (15) credit hours 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, and completion of a one (1) year clinical internship.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience, in addition to the clinical internship, in the field of clinical psychology in a community mental health center, mental hospital, school for the developmentally disabled, or penal, correctional, or juvenile institution, or other setting involving the use of psychodiagnostics, psychotherapy, projective techniques, and other clinical methods.
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 theories and approved practices and procedures of clinical research and abnormal psychology including the problems involved in giving varied types of tests and in scoring, analyzing, and interpreting tests and test results. Knowledge of administrative problems involved in the functioning of a substantial psychology unit having the responsibility for two or more major areas of treatment which may include outpatient and inpatient care. Ability to acquire knowledge of rules, regulations, policies, standards, organization, and procedures of the department with particular reference to the administration of vocational, psychometric, aptitude, and other tests. Ability to analyze, comprehend, interpret, and apply to specific cases the rules, regulations, policies, standards, and procedures of the department relating to the psychology programs. Ability to organize assigned administrative, supervisory, and technical field and office work in the field of psychological testing and/or psychotherapy and to develop effective work procedures. Ability to assign and instruct clinical psychologists of lower grades in a substantial psychology unit and to other professional and nonprofessional employees and supervise the performance of their work. Ability to administer and direct the administration of psychometric, aptitude, vocational, performance, personality, and other tests to children and adults, to score tests, to analyze and interpret test results, and to correlate test results with other findings. Ability to plan, organize, and direct the carrying out of courses of individual and group psychotherapy and to take a direct part in such treatment where required. Ability to direct psychology trainees during their periods of internship. Ability to keep current with new developments, trends of thought, and literature in the general fields of psychology, mental health, and psychotherapy. Ability to work effectively with medical staff, superior officials, associates, child and adult patients, and others interested in or concerned with the work of the unit. Ability to draft detailed correspondence pertaining to the work of the unit. Ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of accurate and informative case histories, research studies, and statistical and other reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations. Ability to direct the establishment and maintenance of essential psychology records, studies, and files. Ability to learn how 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 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 if they can perform the 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. Two (2) years of the required experience shall have been earned subsequent to the receipt of the Doctorate. SPECIAL NOTE: One (1) year of residency (advanced training beyond internship or the extensively supervised clinical experience) is considered equivalent to one (1) year of experience.