Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship

Program Coordinator

Joy Kawamura, PhD

Program Overview

Seattle Children's has an international reputation for excellence in clinical care, research and teaching, and serves as the primary tertiary facility for pediatric care in the Pacific Northwest.

The primary goals of the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Clinical Psychology are to help fellows develop the clinical and research skills necessary to provide care for diverse pediatric populations and to receive advanced training to support a future career in a pediatric healthcare setting or university-based training program after fellowship completion.

Psychology Postdoctoral Fellows will participate in a variety of clinical and didactic experiences and will have opportunities to integrate research goals into their overall plan for the fellowship. In addition, fellows may have opportunities to participate in the supervision of psychology interns, and practicum students and to collaborate in multidisciplinary training opportunities. We strive to promote the strongest match possible between your training needs and goals, and our program mission and goals.

Specialty Program Opportunities

Seattle Children’s offers fellowships in multiple specialty areas each year. 

For the 2023-2024 fellowship year, we are recruiting fellows for these programs:

• Acute Psychiatry Services
• ADHD & Externalizing Disorders
• Autism Center
• Disruptive Behavior Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program
• Integrated Pediatric Primary Care/Stepped Care Interventions
• Pediatric Psychology
• UW LEAH Program

Application Requirements

Applicants must have completed their training in an American Psychological Association (APA) or Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) accredited PhD or PsyD program in clinical, counseling or school psychology, as well as an APA-accredited internship. Applicants must have completed all doctoral degree requirements by the fellowship start date, including internship completion and successful dissertation defense. Preferred candidates will have a commitment to learn and actively engage in anti-racist work.

Salary and benefits

We offer a competitive salary commensurate with NIH guidelines. See a detailed description of benefits offered by Seattle Children's here.

How to apply

Please submit completed applications to the primary contact person listed below for each individual fellowship position. Final candidates will also need to apply through the Seattle Children's Careers page.

All psychology postdoctoral fellowships will start on September 5, 2023.  Unless otherwise noted, psychology postdoctoral fellowships are a 1-year commitment.

For More Information

General questions regarding the fellowship program should be directed to Joy Kawamura, PhD, Director of Postdoctoral Training at joy.kawamura@seattlechildrens.org.

Fellowship Opportunities for 2023-2024

Acute Psychiatry Services (1 position)

The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Seattle Children's Hospital, in association with the University of Washington School of Medicine, seeks applicants interested in opportunities to specialize in Clinical Child and Adolescent Acute Psychiatry Services and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. The one-year Fellow position will be approximately 20% research/program development time, 40% on the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine Unit (PBMU) (inpatient psychiatric unit for children and adolescents) and 40% outpatient or intensive outpatient (IOP) clinical activities in the Adolescent Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT-A) Program. As a part of the DBT team, the fellow will be involved in providing full comprehensive outpatient DBT for adolescents aged 13-17 and their families. Experience on the PBMU will focus on training in empirically-supported assessment and treatment of severe mood, anxiety, behavioral and co-morbid conditions in an inpatient setting for children and adolescents. Both rotations involve regular consultation and collaboration with a multidisciplinary team. The fellow may also have opportunities for other cross service training and experiences within Seattle Children’s Hospital. The fellow will also be involved in efforts to improve cultural competence and equity of care for diverse patients served across both rotations. Competitive applicants have interest and experience in clinical work, program development, and research focused on implementing culturally sensitive evidence-based care for severe psychiatric illness in acute and outpatient settings.

Interested candidates should send 1) curriculum vitae, 2) a letter of interest, 3) a statement of individual and cultural diversity, and 4) three letters of recommendation via email addressed to both: Kyrill Gurtovenko, PhD, at gurtoven@uw.edu & Alysha Thompson, PhD at alysha.thompson@seattlechildrens.org. Please include in your letter of interest: experience with specific evidence-based treatments in a general child clinical or pediatric population; theoretical orientation; research experience and interests (if applicable), and relevant/specific experience in acute care settings or with DBT. Please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Thompson and Dr. Gurtovenko via email with any questions about the fellowship.

ADHD & Externalizing Disorders (2 positions)

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Associate with a foundation in child psychopathology and interventions/implementation research to begin Fall 2023. The Postdoctoral Associate will provide evidence-based treatment in our newly developed Behavior and Attention Management Program under the supervision of directors  Erin Gonzalez PhD, and Tyler Sasser, PhD; multidisciplinary evaluation services in the Program to Evaluate Attention, Regulation, and Learning Attention, Regulation, and Learning (.2), and clinical research in our cross-site Treating ADHD in Parents and Children (TPAC) study  (NIMH Collaborative R01 grant), with the University of Maryland and  Children’s National Health System  (PIs: Dr. Andrea Chronis-Tuscano and Dr. Mark Stein). The primary focus of the "TPAC Study" is to evaluate two different treatment strategies for parents who have ADHD and their young children at risk for ADHD using a hybrid effectiveness-implementation approach. There is also an opportunity to receive funding to work on secondary data analysis projects with Dr. Maggie Sibley related to treatment outcomes for adolescents with ADHD.

This is a one-year position with the possibility of renewal for a second year.

Responsibilities include providing behavioral parent training in individual and group formats for parents of youth ages 3-17 at varying levels of acuity with externalizing and/or attention problems; conducting baseline and treatment outcome evaluations of parents and children, forming and maintaining relationships with primary care clinics/community stakeholders; data management and processing in Redcap and SPSS. Opportunities for data analysis, manuscript preparation, and grant writing are available and encouraged. Mentoring and clinical supervision for licensure will be provided.

There are multiple training opportunities within these clinical and research programs, as well as educational programs, seminars, and grand rounds within the Division of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and Children’s Research Institute Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development.

Necessary qualifications include: 1) a PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology, School Psychology, or related field; 2) experience in the conduct of clinical research; 3) clinical experience conducting diagnostic interviews, 4) excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills. Applicants who have a research background in ADHD, interventions, and/or community-based implementation research and/or clinical experience providing Parent Behavior Management Training will be given the strongest consideration.

Interested applicants should send their CV, list of 3 references, and a letter of interest to Drs. Erin Gonzalez (erin.gonzalez@seattlechildrens.org) and Mark Stein (mark.stein@seattlechildrens.org).  Applications will be reviewed as they are received until the position is filled. Email inquiries are welcome. 

Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. A prior criminal conviction or convictions will not automatically disqualify a finalist from employment in the position.

Autism Center

Seattle Children’s Hospital (SCH) is currently recruiting two Postdoctoral Fellows specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorders for the upcoming 2023-2024 academic year. The overall goal of the SCH Autism Fellowship is to train the next generation of scientist-practitioners who will demonstrate leadership in the areas of service, training, research and excellence in the care of autistic individuals and their families. Central to our goals is the ability to provide equitable care, work within an interdisciplinary setting and consult to members of medical teams and community settings. We are committed to training compassionate and ethical fellows, with a deep understanding of the specific and complex needs of our patients and their families. The first postdoctoral opportunity is a two-year fellowship involving 50% time in the UW LEND program and 50% time in clinical and/or research activities at the Seattle Children’s Autism Center/UW. The second fellowship is a one-year combined clinical/research postdoctoral fellowship, with the expectation that a minimum of 20% time is spent in research activities, with remaining time in clinical training at the Seattle Children’s Autism Center. Available clinical tracks include: 1) diagnostics, 2) treatment, and 3) applied behavior analysis. These postdoctoral fellowship positions are available for candidates who will have obtained their PhD in clinical or school psychology and completed an APA/APPIC approved internship prior to September 2023.

Applicants should send a curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, and a letter of intent describing the postdoctoral fellowship they are interested in applying for as well as their clinical and research interests. Inquiries or applications can be sent to Karen Bearss, PhD at karen.bearss@seattlechildrens.org.

Integrated Pediatric Primary Care/Stepped Care Interventions (1 position)

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Associate with a foundation in child psychopathology and interventions to begin Fall 2023. The Postdoctoral position is a blend of program development research (60%) and clinical service provision (40%). The Associate will take a leading role in further development, training, and research evaluation of the First Approach Skills Training (FAST) Programs, Evidence-Based Treatments (EBTs) designed to be implemented in integrated primary care that are currently used in dozens of primary care clinics across Washington state.  The fellow will manage communication and building new relationships with primary care partners across the state, providing trainings in FAST and ongoing consultation regarding FAST implementation.  They will work with the team to establish approaches for evaluating FAST implementation, adaptations, and further needs and with efforts to improve cultural relevance and appropriateness of the programs in consultation with experts. They will also be involved in developing new program materials and resources. The Fellow will be involved with several research projects involving FAST, including grants submitted by the FAST team and as a consultant on studies being conducted at partnering institutions.  The Fellow will be encouraged to develop their own specialized interests within integrated primary care and design pilots or grant submissions relevant to their own goals. They will co-author manuscripts and conference abstracts and will lead at least one paper submission and present at a national conference.

The clinical service provision component of the role will take place within the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at SCH.  Some portion of the time will be devoted to co-leading treatment groups, especially parent-mediated EBTs for multiple levels of child mental health acuity. Based on the Fellow’s interests, we may be able to design clinical opportunities with specialized EBTs or patient populations, and potentially in affiliated primary care clinics. Mentoring and clinical supervision for licensure will be provided. This is a one-year position with the possibility of renewal for a second year.

Necessary qualifications include: 1) a PhD or PsyD in Clinical Psychology, School Psychology, or related field; 2) experience in the conduct of clinical research; 3) clinical experience providing evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents, 4) excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills. Applicants who have a background in integrated primary care or interventions research will be given the strongest consideration.

Interested applicants should send their CV, a list of 3 reference contacts, and a letter of interest to Dr. Erin Gonzalez at erin.gonzalez@seattlechildrens.org. Applications will be reviewed as they are received until the position is filled. Email inquiries are welcome. 

Offers of employment are contingent on the completion of a background check. A prior criminal conviction or convictions will not automatically disqualify a finalist from employment in the position.

Disruptive Behavior Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program (1 position)

The Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Seattle Children's Hospital, in association with the University of Washington School of Medicine, seeks applicants interested in opportunities to specialize in the treatment of high-intensity disruptive behavior disorders. The one-year Fellow position will be approximately 80% outpatient or intensive outpatient (IOP) clinical activities and 20% research/program development time. Training will take place primarily in the Disruptive Behavior Disorder Intensive Outpatient Program (DBD-IOP), which delivers 11 hours of care per week for parents of children with severe disruptive behaviors, including physical aggression, property destruction, and elopement. Clinical activities will include co-delivering of group-based parent behavior management training (PBMT), as well as delivering individualized PBMT and parent-child dyadic sessions. Training will also take place in the Disruptive Behavior Crisis Clinic (DBCC), a short-term stabilization program for parents of children in an acute disruptive behavior crisis, as well as some other lower intensity outpatient parent programs. All activities involve regular consultation and collaboration with a multidisciplinary team. The fellow will also be involved in efforts to improve cultural competence and equity of care for diverse patients served across both rotations. Competitive applicants have interest and experience in clinical work, program development, and research focused on implementing culturally sensitive evidence-based care for high-intensity disruptive behavior disorders.

Interested candidates should send 1) curriculum vitae, 2) a letter of interest, 3) a statement of individual and cultural diversity, and 4) three letters of recommendation via email addressed to both: Tyler Sasser, PhD, tyler.sasser@seattlechildrens.org. Please include in your letter of interest: experience with specific evidence-based treatments in a general child clinical or pediatric population; theoretical orientation; research experience and interests (if applicable), and relevant/specific experience in acute care settings or with PBMT. Please don’t hesitate to contact Dr. Sasser via email with any questions about the fellowship.

Pediatric Psychology (2 positions)

Oncology Psychology (1 position)

The Oncology Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship is designed to prepare the post-doctoral level trainee for a career in a medical-academic setting providing behavioral healthcare to medically ill children in a multidisciplinary setting.

The fellow will work primarily with patients served in the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center (3 days per week) and provide behavioral health assessments/interventions, short and longer-term individual and family therapy, psychological diagnostic evaluations, and group interventions.  In addition to clinical work with patients with a range of oncology diagnoses, the fellow will participate in minor rotations to gain additional experience in medical subspecialty clinics. Potential options include Diabetes, Gender Clinic, Craniofacial Clinic, Coping Clinic, Toileting Clinic, and Cystic Fibrosis Clinic. Minor rotations will be determined by trainee preference and clinic/attending schedules.

Additionally, the fellow will be allotted 0.2 FTE (1 day per week) to participate in program development aligned with standards for psychosocial care for children with cancer and their families and research related to psychosocial outcomes in pediatric oncology.  There are also opportunities to supervise practicum students in a tiered supervision model in the Cancer Survivorship Clinic (pending practicum student recruitment). This fellowship is jointly supervised by Drs. Joanna Patten and Sherilynn Chan.  Supervisors for other rotations are Dr. Ashley Moss (Diabetes), Dr. Matt Goldenberg (Gender Clinic), Dr. Cindy Ola (Craniofacial Clinic), Dr. Freda Liu (Cystic Fibrosis Clinic), and Dr. Joy Kawamura (Toileting Clinic, Coping Clinic).

We will begin reviewing completed applications on 12/1/2022. Interviews will be held virtually the 2nd and 3rd weeks of January 2023.

Applicants should send 1) curriculum vita, 2) letter of interest including rank-ordered list of minor rotation preferences, 3) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement, and 4) three letters of recommendation via email to Dr. Ashley Moss at ashley.moss@seattlechildrens.org.   

Pediatric Psychology: General Pediatric Psychology (1 position)

The General Pediatric Psychology Fellowship is designed to prepare the post-doctoral level trainee for a career in a medical-academic setting providing behavioral healthcare to medically ill children in a multidisciplinary setting.

Clinical work will include 12-month major rotations in Cystic Fibrosis (1 day per week) and the Cancer and Blood Disorders Center (1.5 days per week). The fellow will also participate in other rotations to gain additional experience in medical subspecialty clinics. Options include Diabetes, Gender Clinic, Craniofacial Clinic, Coping Clinic, and Toileting Clinic. Specific rotations will be determined by trainee preference and clinic/attending schedules.

The fellow will have the distinction of being a Pediatric Pulmonary Center (PPC) Fellow, a nationally recognized interdisciplinary training program funded by the Maternal Child Health Bureau of HRSA. As part of the PPC fellowship, trainees will receive interprofessional training on a variety of topics through didactic, clinical, and other experiential learning opportunities. PPC fellows will also complete a capstone project, which may range from research to quality improvement or other leadership initiatives. The postdoctoral fellow will be allotted 0.2 FTE research time to participate in career advancing scholarly activities (mentored by Dr. Liu). The fellow will also have the opportunity to supervise practicum students in a tiered supervision model in the Cancer Survivorship Clinic (pending practicum student recruitment). This fellowship is jointly supervised by Drs. Joanna Patten and Sherilynn Chan (Hem/Onc) and Freda Liu (Pulmonary). Supervisors for minor rotations are Dr. Ashley Moss (Diabetes), Dr. Matt Goldenberg (Gender Clinic), Dr. Cindy Ola (Craniofacial Clinic), and Dr. Joy Kawamura (Toileting Clinic, Coping Clinic).

We will begin reviewing completed applications on 12/1/2022. Interviews will be held virtually the 2nd and 3rd weeks of January 2023.

Applicants should send 1) curriculum vita, 2) letter of interest including rank-ordered list of other rotation preferences, 3) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) statement, and 4) three letters of recommendation via email to Dr. Joy Kawamura at joy.kawamura@seattlechildrens.org.

If you are applying to both the Oncology Psychology and General Pediatric Psychology fellowship positions, please submit one application and rank order your position preferences in your letter of interest, and submit your application materials to Dr. Ashley Moss at ashley.moss@seattlechildrens.org. Please be aware that, in accordance with our efforts to reduce bias and promote equitable consideration of candidates, these materials will be redacted to obscure: name, contact info, names of degree-conferring institutions, names and location of training sites and programs, names of mentors and supervisors, and all research publication co-authors. For practicum sites, we will retain the type of site whenever possible (e.g., “Seattle Children’s Hospital”, will be obscured to “Children’s Hospital”). We will also not redact information that you intentionally choose to share with us about your social identity or lived experience within your cover letter or DEI statement (e.g., “As a BIPOC mother of a child with special healthcare needs…”). You may also choose to send 2 sets of materials—one unredacted, one redacted consistent with these guidelines—to ensure that your materials are optimally blinded. Unredacted materials will be reviewed only after candidates are selected for interviews. Additional details about your training and/or lived experience are welcome, to help the selection committee better understand your work and context even in the absence of identifying information.

UW LEAH Program

Leadership in Adolescent Health Education Psychology Postdoctoral Fellowship

UW LEAH is dedicated to training future leaders in adolescent health with the goal of reducing health disparities, as well as improving health equity and services delivery for adolescents. UW LEAH fellows and trainees participate in mentored, hands-on, and didactic training in adolescent health, focusing on interdisciplinary practice, leadership skills, clinical work with adolescents, research, public health, advocacy, and policy. This fellowship is a partnership between the University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital. The fellow is employed by the University of Washington.

Interested applicants should submit an online application through Fellowship Application Form | Leadership Education in Adolescent Health (uw.edu) which includes a brief personal statement describing your background, particular interests in adolescent health, and how LEAH multidisciplinary training will further your goals and a copy of your curriculum vitae or resume. Applicants will also need to email 2 letters of recommendation to the UW LEAH Program Coordinator, Division of Adolescent Medicine at uwleah@seattlechildrens.org.