Job requirements
Essential
18 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Skills
Skills in relevant psychological assessment and interventions that enable working independently as a pre-qualified practitioner with clinical supervision.
- Skills
Well-developed verbal and written communication skills.
- Skills
Consultation skills to work with the multi-professional team or other professional groups.
- Skills
Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional group.
- Skills
Well-developed IT skills including entry and analysis of research data.
- Abilities
Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team.
- Abilities
Ability to identify and follow relevant clinical governance procedures.
- Abilities
Ability to maintain concentration and to remain in restricted positions for long periods during observations, assessments and psychological interventions.
- Abilities
Ability to manage emotionally stressful situations such as working with victims of abuse or trauma, or with people who engage in severe self-harming or aggressive behaviour.
- Abilities
Ability to communicate complex, sensitive or contentious information to people who may be aroused, or hostile to the information, or have severe impediments to understanding.
- Knowledge
Graduate level knowledge of psychological research methodology and statistical analysis.
- Knowledge
Good theoretical knowledge of the problems experienced by and needs of individuals experiencing distressing voices in the context of psychosis and of methods of assessment and treatment (including through observation and joint work).
- Knowledge
Awareness of racial and diversity issues through attendance of relevant training
- Experience
Post-graduate experience of psychological engagement and relationship building with individuals experiencing (or with a history of) distressing voices in the context of psychosis, sufficient to be able to work clinically without direct supervision.
- Experience
Sufficient post-graduate experience of assessment and treatment of clients with a range of psychological needs in the context of psychosis to be able to work clinically without direct supervision (this may include broader therapeutic interventions and need not include direct experience of delivering 1:1 psychological therapy).
- Experience
Experience that supports working with, and addressing issues of, diversity within local communities. This may have been gained through work, research, volunteering and / or lived experience.
- Experience
Post-graduate experience of conducting research projects or audits.
- Qualifications
A First-class or Upper-second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society.
Desirable
1 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Lived experience of mental health challenges.
Job overview
This role is an exciting opportunity for an experienced assistant psychologist to join the research team working on a Wellcome funded study, AVATAR3. The successful candidate will join an existing team of clinical psychologists, research assistants, and experts by experience, to work on new developments in AVATAR therapy, a blended digital intervention for distressing voices in psychosis.
One workstream of the AVATAR3 project involves developing a version of AVATAR therapy in which automated dialogues are delivered using non-generative conversational Artificial Intelligence (AVATAR-AI) and testing the feasibility of delivery of this version by a non-specialist UK workforce. We aim to test the feasibility, acceptability, and clinical impact of AVATAR-AI, delivered by non-specialist mental health workers. The post-holder will primarily support with this workstream, but there may be opportunities for involvement in the international workstream (adapting and testing AVATAR therapy in Ethiopia and India).
We particularly encourage applications from candidates whose backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are currently underrepresented within the psychological therapies workforce, as we recognise the value of a diverse workforce in delivering high-quality, culturally responsive care.
Main duties of the job
Job Purpose:
- To support practitioner psychologists through the delivery of psychological assessment and intervention (AVATAR-AI therapy) under close supervision, as part of the AVATAR3 research project.
- To provide clinical work as required by the project, under the clinical and professional supervision of a practitioner psychologist.
- To assist in clinically relevant research administration tasks, including collection of data, where appropriate.
- To work as at appropriate levels of independence, following clinical guidelines and the policies and procedures of the service, and seeking help from clinical/professional supervisor or manager as required.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the full job description for further information.
This post is open to applicants with a first-class or upper-second-class Bachelors degree with Honours in Psychology that is accredited by the British Psychological Society and confers the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the British Psychological Society. Experience of working with people experiencing distressing voices in the context of psychosis is highly desirable.
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Assistant Psychologist (Higher Level) with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in Beckenham, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Assistant psychologist role. The advertised salary is £32,073 - £39,043 per annum plus HCAs (Inner or Outer depending on the location). The contract type is Fixed term: 12 months (1.0 FTE). The application deadline is 28 Oct 2026.
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