Agency Department of Corrections Work unit Youth Detention Support Services

Job title Principal Psychologist Designation Senior Professional Officer 1

Job type Full time Duration Ongoing commencing 04/01/2027

Salary $136,380 - $152,357 Location Darwin

Position number 40555 RTF 357272 Closing 05/10/2026

Contact officer Renae Scown, Director Youth Justice Programs on 08 8999 8596 or [email protected]

About the agency https://nt.gov.au/law/youth-justice

Applications https://jobs.nt.gov.au/Home/JobDetails?rtfId=357272

APPLICATIONS MUST INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE SUMMARY ABOUT YOU, A DETAILED RESUME AND COPIES OF YOUR

TERTIARY QUALIFICATIONS.

Information for applicants – inclusion and diversity The NTPS values diversity. The NTPS encourages people from all diversity groups to apply for vacancies and accommodates people with disability by making reasonable workplace adjustments. If you require an adjustment for the recruitment process or job, please discuss this with the contact officer. For more information about applying for this position and the merit process, go to the OCPE website.

Primary objective

Responsible for the leadership, management and supervision of a diverse team of clinical professionals who work with young people to reduce their risk of re-offending and to promote successful re-integration into the community. The role also coordinates and plans clinical service delivery across key service pathways and provides a respected and key interface with youth justice operations on issues related to offenders’ rehabilitation and reintegration.

Key duties and responsibilities

- Contribute to the development and delivery of programs and services to young people in detention at the Holtze Youth

Detention Centre or serving a community-based order.





- Conduct and oversee the provision of clinical, risk and treatment need assessments to young people in custody and on supervised community-based court orders utilising psychometric instruments.
- Develop, maintain and revise operational guidelines pertinent to the assessment, intervention, program delivery and record keeping and report writing tasks of relevant staff.
- Accountable for the delivery of programs and services according to the standards set out by the Department and in accordance with best practice youth justice principles.
- In consultation with the Director, Specialised Assessment and Treatment Services, liaise with detention management,

Department of Corrections Staff, Care and Protection Case Managers, Family Responsibility Program staff, professional bodies and key service delivery partners on matters pertaining to the assessment of risk, treatment of offending behaviour,

management regimes and treatment outcomes to ensure appropriate standards of community safety are achieved and maintained.

- Apply psychometric tests, interpret results, develop clinical assessment reports, research, design, deliver and contribute to the evaluation of clinical interventions appropriate to the needs of the client group.
- Maintain relevant documentation on clinical interventions, test methods and results and record relevant statistical data for analysis and evaluations.




- Identify training requirements for staff in relation to the supervision of young people and possible modes of delivery.

Selection criteria

Essential

- Tertiary qualifications in psychology, with eligibility for unconditional registration to practice psychology in Australia and demonstrated ability to conduct psychometric evaluations and formal psychological assessment of clients in a forensic setting.
- Extensive experience of psychological practice, with an emphasis on client assessment, delivering behaviour-change interventions based on research evidence, and development of group treatment programs.
- Demonstrated knowledge and use of research and literature in offender rehabilitation, principles of Risk Need Responsivity in reducing recidivism in offender populations and best-practice therapeutic frameworks for working with offenders.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively and efficiently prepare clinical formulations and reports for a wide range of audiences.
- Demonstrated leadership of a team, including robust demonstrated supervision skills.
- Demonstrated communication skills to effectively work and liaise with people from diverse cultural, religious and socio-

economic backgrounds, particularly indigenous young people, their families and communities.

- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with others, both cross-agency and as part of a multidisciplinary team of professionals.

Further information The recommended applicant will be required to hold a current Working with Children Clearance notice and undergo a criminal history check (a criminal history will not exclude an applicant from this position unless it is a relevant criminal history).

📌 Principal Psychologist (Darwin)
🏢 Department Of Corrections
📍 Darwin