Forensic Senior Clinician

About this role

Empower people and elevate your career – join Forensic Intervention Services.

• Provide specialist risk assessment, treatment planning, intervention and consultation in relation to complex, high risk and high-profile service users.
• Enjoy world-class training and wellbeing support.
• Flexible home and on-site working arrangements
• 1 fixed term role and 2 ongoing roles available
• Earn $113, 022 – $136,747 (AH4) per year plus super.
• City-based head office with travel across Victoria.

FIS provides evidence-based screening, assessment and intervention services for individuals in custody and the community. We focus on areas such as violent and sexual offending, restorative justice, violent extremism and family violence.

We're seeking experienced professionals in psychology, social work, mental health nursing, occupational therapy, counselling or psychotherapy to join our growing team of forensic clinicians.

Whether you're looking to expand your expertise, enjoy a more dynamic role or leave a lasting impact in a progressive field, this is career defining work with marginalised groups you can't access anywhere else.

How we'll support and reward you

Our work can be demanding, so we offer first-rate training and support.

• A specialised induction program for new clinical staff (including foundation, theory, and mentored on-the-job training).
• Exposure to national and international experts in forensic work.
• Mental health and wellbeing care – essential debriefing for the first 12 months for new forensic practitioners.
• Ongoing professional development, including clinical scholarship, research program and study leave opportunities.
• Your professional association membership or registration funded annually (e.g. PBA/AHPRA, AASW)
• Relocation allowances for eligible candidates.

What you'll do

As a Forensic Senior Clinician working in Complex Interventions, you will provide specialist risk assessment, treatment planning, intervention and consultation in relation to complex, high risk and high-profile service users.

You will:

• Clinically lead and advise on the management, treatment, and assessment of complex, high-risk, and high-profile individuals.
• Ensure best practices in working with individuals accommodated in restricted environments and/or those who have been identified on the violent extremism pathway.
• Build strong partnerships with stakeholders to enhance multi-disciplinary approaches and influence complex, multi-faceted decision-making.
• Drive quality assurance, research, and policy development to improve practices for managing high-risk service users, including violent extremism cohorts.
• Travel to correctional facilities across the state

Skills Required 

• An advanced understanding of the theory and therapeutic frameworks underpinning assessment and treatment (e.g. Risk-Needs-Responsivity principles) with complex and high risk service users within the justice system, and an ability to apply these frameworks in practice.
• Significant experience in the application of evidence-based psychometric and structured professional judgement tools in relation to the assessment of service users in the justice settings, including those used in CVE (Countering Violent Extremism) Assessments and Interventions.
• Significant knowledge of, and experience in, the  delivery of various treatment modalities with complex populations (e.g., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Schema Therapy, Transtheoretical Model of Change, Trauma Informed Care, Strengths Based Approaches).
• Significant knowledge and understanding of the behavioural and mental health considerations for service users accommodated in restricted environments, and the relevant therapeutic and clinical frameworks regarding treatment and rehabilitation.
• Adherence to and demonstration of key therapist characteristics (e.g., empathy, warmth, rewarding and directive) to facilitate the therapeutic relationship.
• Be able to co-ordinate your time effectively so as to be able to see service users as required, liaise with key stakeholders, and complete administration tasks.
• Ability to work well in a team environment; seeking and providing support from others in the management and treatment of high risk, high profile and complex service users.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills as there is a high degree of communication and negotiation required with stakeholders

To learn more about the skills you will need to succeed in this role, please read the position description attached.

Eligibility

To apply for this role, you'll need to hold or be eligible for, one of the following:

• General registration as a psychologist with the Psychology Board of Australia (AHPRA).
• Eligibility for membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).
• Credentialed as a mental health nurse with the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses.
• Registered as an occupational therapist with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
• A master's degree in psychotherapy and registration with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA).
• A master's degree in counselling and membership with Australian Counselling Association (ACA) or registration with thePsychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA).

To find out more about the role and FIS, watch our career information video, visit our microsite or contact our recruitment team at candidatecare@justice.vic.gov.au.

We want to make sure all Victorians feel represented by the department's work. One of the ways do this is by recruiting a diverse workforce – we welcome people of any gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, and cultural background. We are also committed to the Victorian Government's promise to increase the number of veterans working in the public sector.

We're proud of our individual differences. We're proud of the many languages we speak and the stories we can share with each other. We hope you will share your story too.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is continually working towards increasing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Aboriginal) workforce. The Aboriginal Employment Team aims to attract, recruit and retain Aboriginal staff across all our roles. This support includes a culturally appropriate attraction and recruitment process. To learn more, email aboriginal.employment@justice.vic.gov.au

If this sounds like a compelling job that you believe your skills would be a great match for, please APPLY NOW. Applications close 7 September 2025.

How to apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats. 

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include reference checks, national police checks and misconduct screening. Dependent on the role, other checks may include VicRoads checks, drivers licence checks, medical checks, Working with Children Checks, and Declaration of Private Interests (for executive and responsible officer roles). 

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.