Clinical Interventionist, Amherst (Incentives Available)

Nova Scotia Health Authority; Amherst; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in Nova Scotia seeks a Clinical Interventionist to provide services to preschool-age children with autism. The role demands a Master's degree in a relevant field and experience working with young children. Responsibilities include developing intervention plans and collaborating with families. The position is permanent full-time, requiring flexibility in hours and offers a competitive compensation package along with a potential signing bonus.

Benefits

Signing bonus up to $7,000

Flexible hours

Access to enhanced benefits

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field required.
• Registration or eligibility required in Nova Scotia.
• At least two years’ experience with children with autism.

Responsibilities

• Provide services to preschool-age children with autism.
• Facilitate goal-setting with families.
• Assess and develop intervention plans based on parent goals.

Skills

Experience working with children with autism

Excellent communication skills

Collaboration in interprofessional teams

Supervision of healthcare providers

Time management skills

Education

Master’s in Clinical Psychology, School Psychology, Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy or BCBA

CPR certification

First Aid certification

Job description

Job Details

Company: IWK Health

Req ID: 214206
Department/Program: NZ Provincial Preschool Autism Services, Provincial Preschool Autism Services
Location: Amherst
Type of Employment: PermanentHourly FT (100% FTE) x 1 position(s)
Start Date: ASAP
Union Status: NSGEU Hlthcare, Healthcare Bargaining Unit
Compensation: $42.2138 – $58.3034/hour
Closing Date: January 5, 2026 (Applications are accepted until 23:59 Atlantic Time)

Successful candidates may be eligible for a signing bonus incentive of up to $7,000 with a recommended return of service period of two (2) years.

About IWK Health

IWK Health is a respected academic health sciences centre 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 celebrate our successes, 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.

Our Culture

Promoting an anti‑racist environment and calling out discrimination is important to us. We are located in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded and ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people. We are active in our work to eliminate discrimination and build trust with Indigenous, Black/African Nova Scotian, people of colour, immigrants/newcomers, people with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. We welcome all interested persons who self‑identify with these groups to apply to support our goal for a workforce that reflects the patients, families, and communities we serve.

Provincial Preschool Autism Services

The Provincial Preschool Autism Service (PPAS) is a partnership between IWK Health, Nova Scotia Health, Hearing and Speech Nova Scotia, and Autism Nova Scotia. It provides person‑ and family‑centred services to preschoolers across Nova Scotia with suspected or confirmed autism. The goal is an efficient, sustainable, and integrated continuum of care following a needs‑based model responsive to individual needs.

Services

• Clinical intake and care coordination
• Family and health professional education
• QuickStart NS parent coaching toddler program
• Autism diagnostic assessment
• Interprofessional autism interventions (focused interventions based on care pathways and manualised comprehensive programmes)
• A 12‑month intensive intervention for children with the greatest social communication and behaviour needs (formerly EIBI)
• Transition to school supports

Services and programs are flexible and can be scaled for each child and family. The scope of services can be matched to best meet preschool‑age children's needs, empowering caregivers to support their child’s development.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Clinical Manager, Provincial Preschool Autism Services, the PPAS Clinical Interventionist works as part of an interprofessional team with a provincial service delivery mandate. The role:

• Provides services to preschool‑age children (ages 0‑6) with autism.
• Facilitates goal‑setting with families related to identified needs.
• Provides assessment and develops, implements, and coordinates intervention plans to address parent‑defined goals.
• Contributes to and participates in family education.
• Works within various intervention frameworks, including a 12‑month intensive intervention model, a manualised caregiver‑mediated program, and focused interventions guided by care pathways.
• Provides direct supervision to Program Implementers for 12‑month intensive intervention, manualised caregiver‑mediated program, and focused interventions as appropriate.
• Guided by Clinical Leaders and an Autism Advanced Practice Leader.

Hours of Work

Monday – Friday, 37.5 hours/week.
Flexibility in hours (including some evenings and weekends) is required.

Your Qualifications

• Master’s in Clinical Psychology, School Psychology, Speech Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy or Board‑certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) required.
• Registration or eligibility for registration with the appropriate professional body in Nova Scotia required.
• CPR certification within the last 12 months and First Aid certification.
• At least two years recent experience working with children with autism (ages 0‑6) and their families.
• Demonstrated knowledge of best practices in intervention for children with autism.
• Demonstrated excellence in clinical care; ability to provide assessment and develop, implement, monitor, and coordinate intervention plans to address parent goals.
• Demonstrated ability to work within an interprofessional collaborative practice framework and to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent presentation, facilitation, and communication skills (verbal and written).
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to develop and maintain internal/external partnerships.
• Strong time management, organisation, and solution‑focused skills.
• Excellence in supervising intervention by other levels of healthcare provider.
• Commitment to family‑centred care.
• Committed to promoting a culture that supports safety, ethical practices, and organisational health.
• Education, training and/or experience in evidence‑based autism interventions (e.g., Pivotal Response Treatment, Positive Behavior Support, Picture Exchange Communication System, Early Start Denver Model) an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to participate in quality improvement and innovation initiatives related to processes and practice.
• Certification in Non‑Violent Crisis Intervention an asset.
• Competencies in other languages an asset; French and/or Arabic preferred.
  Where there are no qualified candidates who meet the minimum requirements for two years’ experience working with young children (0‑6 years old) with ASD, consideration may be given to Registered Professionals without the required experience.

Additional Information

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 unionised 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.