PSYCHOLOGIST (HEALTH FACILITY - CLINICAL - SAFETY)

Department of State Hospitals; California; On-site; USD 102,000 - 148,000; Full time

Job summary

Patton State Hospital is recruiting a Neuropsychology Fellow within the Health Facility – Clinical – Safety track. You will administer and interpret neuropsychological tests, conduct cognitive and behavioral assessments, and participate in treatment planning and supervision.

The position is limited-term, full-time, reporting to the Chief Psychologist. A Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology is required, with eligibility for licensure in California.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and eligibility for licensure in California.
• Experience in neuropsychology and forensic populations is preferred.
• Ability to administer, score, and interpret neuropsychological tests.

Responsibilities

• Select, administer, score, and interpret neuropsychological tests for forensic patients.
• Conduct individual and group psychotherapy, including cognitive remediation and competency restoration groups.
• Collaborate with medical personnel and participate in treatment and supervision activities.
• Initiate, design, and report neuropsychology research or program evaluation.

Skills

Neuropsychological testing

Forensic assessment

Clinical supervision

Report writing

Education

Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology

Job description

Department of State Hospitals

JC-538247 -

JC-538247 - Psychologist - Neuropsychology Fellowship
PSYCHOLOGIST (HEALTH FACILITY - CLINICAL - SAFETY)

$9,157.00 - $13,272.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 11/18/2026

Patton State Hospital, Human Resources Department, is accepting applications for at least one (1) Limited Term, Full-time Psychologist-Health Facility-Clinical-Safety positions. This limited term position is for a Neuropsychology Fellow. The Neuropsychology Fellow works under the administrative direction of the Chief Psychologist and the local Senior Psychologist Supervisor/Psychology Training Director.
The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to:

• Select, administer, score, and interpret neuropsychological tests and complete both brief and comprehensive neuropsychological assessments for patients who are incompetent to stand trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, and individuals committed under California’s Offender with a Mental Disorder (OMD) statute. Assess forensic patients with cognitive impairments and make recommendations on admission and discharge and on therapeutic activities.
• Conduct various forms of individual and group psychotherapy, including behavior modification and specialized treatment modalities such as interventions for cognitively impaired patients. Conduct discipline-specific group treatment relevant to clinical neuropsychology (e.g., cognitive remediation groups and competency restoration groups using standardized approaches).
• Consult with medical personnel regarding patient status.
• Participate in treatment team, staff, and professional meetings. Participate in training programs as a supervisor for interns and/or practicum students.
• Work collaboratively with other disciplines. Communicate effectively.
• Observe and intervene in instances of disruptive and assaultive behavior.
• Initiate, design, collaborate, and report on neuropsychological research or program evaluation; may write articles for publication; may compile and analyze statistics.

The successful candidate must possess advanced knowledge of:

• Neuropsychological principles.
• Brain-behavior relationships.
• Functional neuroanatomy.
• Neuropsychological assessment.
• Psychological theories and research; principles, techniques, and problems in developing and coordinating a specialized psychological treatment program.
• Principles, techniques, and trends in psychology with particular reference to normal and disordered behavior.
• Human development, motivation, personality and individual differences, adaptation and social interaction.
• Methods for the assessment and modification of human behavior, including forensic assessment methods and instruments.
• Characteristics and social aspects of mental disorders; research methodology and program evaluation.
• Institutional and social process, group dynamics.
• Functions of psychologists in various mental health services.
• Current trends in the field of mental health and professional training; community organization and allied professional services.

Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology is required prior to beginning this position.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

Patton is a forensic psychiatric hospital and was established in 1890 and opened in 1893. DSH-Patton provides treatment to forensically and civilly committed patients within a secure treatment area. The hospital does not accept voluntary admissions.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• PSYCHOLOGIST (HEALTH FACILITY - CLINICAL - SAFETY)

Classification:

PSYCHOLOGIST (HEALTH FACILITY - CLINICAL - SAFETY) $9,157.00 - $10,951.00U $10,809.00 - $13,272.00V New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

• The position(s) require(s) a Drug Screening be passed prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) a Background Investigation be cleared prior to being hired.
• The position(s) require(s) Medical Clearance prior to being hired.

For experience/education to qualify during the application screening process, and to ensure that minimum qualifications can be determined, applicants should include all employment history on the Examination/ Employment Application (STD. 678) including detailed job descriptions, hours worked per week, and start/end dates (MM/DD/YYY). Application packages without this information will experience delayed processing times and your eligibility for this position may be impacted.

A completed STD. 678 and any other relevant documents (e.g., unofficial transcript, copy of degree, resume, etc.) should be submitted electronically via your CalCareers account. Please reference Job Control # (538247) and indicate the basis of your eligibility in the Examination(s) or Job Title(s) section. SROA and surplus candidates should submit a copy of their letter with their application. Please remove any confidential information (i.e., social security number, date of birth) from your documents prior to submission.

Who May Apply

Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply.

Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

For Neuropsychology Fellowship Applicants:

• A copy of the State Examination and Employment Application (STD678). Please note that a copy of this must be submitted following the instructions in the examination bulletin on the CalCareers website and another copy needs to be submitted directly to Patton with the additional application materials.
• Cover letter addressing why Patton's neuropsychology fellowship is a good fit for the applicant. The letter should outline your training experiences in neuropsychology and how those training experiences have prepared you for advanced postdoctoral training in neuropsychology. Please include the dissertation defense date (or expected date), clinical interests, and research interests in your cover letter.
• Official transcripts of all graduate schools attended.
• Personal Statement (similar to the internship AAPI personal statement in length and content).
• Three letters of recommendation.
• Table listing all neuropsychological tests that have been administered under the supervision of qualified supervisors (including the number of times each test has been administered and interpreted).
• A fully de-identified neuropsychological assessment complete with test scores and data underling the opinions expressed in the report.

NOTE: Neuropsychology applicants must be registered in the APPCN Match in order to be considered for this position. Neuropsychology fellowship applicants who are not registered in the APPCN Match will not be considered .

Applicants to the neuropsychology fellowship should email the materials listed above to Dominique Kinney, Ph.D., ABPP-CN and Steve Nitch, Ph.D., ABPP-CN. All materials must be received by November 18, 2026 . Drs. Kinney and Nitch can be reached via email at [e-mail] and [e-mail] .

Please review the Benefits Summary that may also be found on the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website. You will find information on the benefits afforded by membership in the Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), benefits and protections provided to public employees by the State Civil Service Act, and salary ranges and a summary of thePsychologist classification.

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website: https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Patton

Human Resources Contact:
Human Resources - Employment Unit
[phone]

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled.You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s)to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Rachel Guerrero
[phone]
[e-mail]

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice)TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.