Child Life Specialist

RWJBarnabas Health; New Brunswick (NJ); On-site; USD 56,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plans

Short & Long Term Disability

Life & AD&D Insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Health Care/Dependent Care FSAs

Wellness programs

Voluntary benefits (pet insurance)

Job summary

RWJBarnabas Health’s Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ, seeks a dedicated Recreational Therapist to design individualized care for pediatric patients, provide therapeutic sessions, and collaborate with families and clinicians for successful discharge planning.

The role emphasizes evidence-based interventions, multidisciplinary teamwork, and ongoing documentation to ensure compliant, high-quality patient care in a warm, healing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Child Life, Early Childhood Education, or closely related human services field.
• Active Child Life Certification is required; AHA BLS Provider Certification desired.
• Valid Driver’s License and ability to drive hospital vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Designing individualized care by assessing developmental level and family dynamics to implement child life interventions.
• Delivering evidence-based interventions including therapeutic sessions and family teaching.
• Collaborating with families and clinical teams for discharge planning and school reintegration.
• Leading volunteers and interns to maximize unit efficiency and patient engagement.
• Ensuring safety and proper documentation in the EMR according to policy.

Skills

Pediatric advocate

Adaptability

Strong communicator

Documentation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Child Life / Early Childhood Education

Job description

Req #: 0000265750
Category: Behavioral and Mental Health
Status: Full-Time
Shift: Day
Facility: Childrens Specialized Hosp
Department: Recreational Therapy
Pay Range: $56,300.00 - $70,400.00 per year
Location: 200 Somerset St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901

Pay Transparency

The above reflects the anticipated annual salary range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey. The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

A Typical Day

• Designing Individualized Care: Assessing children’s developmental level, coping skills, play preferences, and family dynamics to implement targeted child life interventions.


• Delivering Evidence-Based Interventions: Conducting individual therapeutic sessions, procedural support, team treatments, and patient-family teaching tailored to a wide variety of age and diagnostic groups.


• Collaborating on Continuity: Partnering with families, therapists, nurses, and physicians during clinical updates, including supporting school re-integration services for discharge planning.


• Fostering Community & Milieu: Coordinating rotating special events throughout the year and managing diversional playrooms to maintain a welcoming, therapeutic environment.


• Ensuring Clinical Compliance: Writing concise, objective, and timely professional assessments and documentation in the electronic medical record according to hospital policy.


• Leading Volunteers & Interns: Effectively utilizing, supervising, and orienting volunteer groups and student interns to maximize unit efficiency and patient engagement.


• Maintaining Operational Safety: Ensuring all playrooms and specialized clinical materials are organized and maintained in a safe, clean, and sanitary manner.

This Role Might Be For You If

• You Are a Pediatric Advocate: You are deeply passionate about creating and delivering a differentiated healthcare experience for children with special needs and their families.


• You Excel at Adaptability: You enjoy balancing a diverse patient caseload and can seamlessly adapt therapeutic activities to suit a wide variety of complex medical diagnoses.


• You Drive Professional Growth: You actively contribute to personal and hospital development through involvement in research, professional organizations, and presentations to promote best practices.


• You Are a Strong Communicator: You possess the tact, enthusiasm, and professional judgment required to communicate fluidly across multidisciplinary medical teams.


• You Value Documentation Excellence: You take operational pride in logging precise outcome data and meeting strict clinical compliance deadlines.


• You Believe in Compassionate Healing: You understand that long-term recovery and patient comfort are optimized through structured vigilance, deep empathy, and open communication.

To Be Considered

• Education: Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Child Life, Early Childhood Education, or a closely related human services field.


• Training: Successful completion of a formal Child Life internship.


• Experience: Proven work or volunteer experience directly supporting children with special needs. Physical stamina to lift and maneuver patients or therapeutic equipment is required.


• Certification: Active Child Life Certification is required. Must hold or obtain an active American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Provider Certification.


• License: Must possess a valid Driver’s License and maintain the ability to safely drive hospital vehicles.

• Paid Time Off (PTO)


• Medical and Prescription Drug Insurance


• Dental and Vision Insurance


• Retirement Plans


• Short & Long Term Disability


• Life & Accidental Death Insurance


• Tuition Reimbursement


• Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts


• Wellness Programs


• Voluntary Benefits (e.g., Pet Insurance)


• Discounts Through our Partners such as NJ Devils, NJ PAC, Verizon, and more!

RWJBarnabas Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer