Assistant Psychologist

Job summary
Fixed Term 2 Years | Only open to Sheffield Children's employee's

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Assistant Psychologist to join Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust on an innovative project exploring the use of Virtual Reality (VR) to support children and young people experiencing anxiety.

Working within the Paediatric Psychology Department, you will support the delivery of CBT-based graded exposure interventions using VR technology, promote engagement with the project across the Trust, coordinate data collection, and contribute to service evaluation and reporting.

We are looking for a motivated individual with an interest in clinical psychology, research and digital innovation, who is keen to gain experience in a specialist paediatric setting.

About You

• An upper second-class honours degree or higher in psychology.
• We are looking for applicants with experience in delivering CBT interventions for anxiety.
• Strong IT and digital skills, and the confidence to work independently in promoting and supporting the project across the wider Trust

Main duties of the job
Reporting into the Designated Clinical Psychologist, some of your responsibilities will include:

• Deliver CBT-based graded exposure interventions for anxiety using Virtual Reality (VR) technology.
• Promote and support the use of VR technology across clinical departments.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and external partners.
• Oversee and coordinate project data collection and monitoring.
• Contribute to the evaluation of the project and preparation of reports and findings.

About us
At Sheffield Children's, our purpose is clear: to provide healthier futures for children and young people. Our three strategic aims are Outstanding Patient Care, Brilliant Place to Work, and Leaders in Children's Health.

We work with partners across local, regional, and national levels to deliver physical and mental healthcare in both acute and community settings. Many of our clinicians are nationally and internationally recognised for their expertise.

We're proud that 73% of colleagues would recommend Sheffield Children's as a place to work, placing us among the top five NHS trusts in England -- and the top-ranked trust in the North East and Yorkshire -- in the latest NHS Staff Survey.

Our nearly 4,000 colleagues bring our CARE values -- Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence -- to life every day, creating a kind, welcoming environment where patients and families feel safe and supported.

As we approach our 150th anniversary this year, we're excited to keep building our leadership in children's health, improve experiences for patients and staff, and focus on our communities and population health.

We also offer excellent benefits to support your wellbeing, with generous annual leave and pension schemes, health and wellbeing programmes, and exclusive discounts -- helping you thrive at work and beyond.

Details
Date posted: 19 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 4
Salary: £28,392 to £31,157 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 2 years
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 425-26-8105866
Job locations: Paediatric Psychology, 3 Northumberland Road, Sheffield, S10 2TH, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
For more information on the main responsibilities for this post, please refer to the job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage all applicants to review their right to work eligibility before submitting an application to help avoid any disappointment during the recruitment process.

This role has been assigned occupation code 2226 using the CASCOT coding tool. Under current Home Office guidance, it is strongly unlikely that the criteria required to support Skilled Worker visa sponsorship will be met for this vacancy.

For further information on occupation codes, sponsorship eligibility and right-to-work requirements, please visit: Skilled Worker visa: Your Job GOV.UK. Skilled Worker visa: eligible occupations and codes - GOV.UK

Diversity Statement
At Sheffield Childrens, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and supports everyones success. We prioritise Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in our recruitment practices, creating a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds, including ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ members.

Recognising that inclusivity is an ongoing effort, we review our processes and welcome feedback to enhance our practices. A diverse team strengthens our organisation and the quality of care we deliver. For ideas on how we can improve, please contact our Recruitment Manager at View email address on meeveem.com. Together, were building a workplace where everyone belongs.

Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential

• An upper second class honours degree or higher in psychology
• Entitlement to graduate membership of the British Psychological Society

Desirable

• Further post graduate training in relevant areas of child development or professional psychology

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• High level communication skills including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be highly emotive - with both patients and professional staff
• Well-developed ICT skills for communication, databases, data analysis and presentation
• Evidence of a high standard of report writing
• An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge to a children's psychological service

Desirable

• An understanding of the needs and difficulties of children with psychological problems and their families

Experience
Essential

• Some previous relevant work experience - paid or voluntary work - preferably in the health or social care setting
• Evidence of ability to use own initiative in effective, timely completion of projects where significant blocks of work are undertaken without close supervision

Desirable

• Experience of involving service users in service development or evaluation
• Experience as assistant psychologist or audit officer

Other
Essential

• Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively
• Ability to achieve good balance in using initiative and receiving direction

Personal Attributes
Essential

• Well-developed time-management skills & self-organising skills: a demonstrated ability to work independently, reliably and consistently with work agreed and managed at regular intervals

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details
Employer name: Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Paediatric Psychology, 3 Northumberland Road, Sheffield, S10 2TH, United Kingdom
Employer's website:

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Principal Clinical Psychologist, Dr Kathryn Holden, View email address on meeveem.com, View phone number on meeveem.com

Supporting documents
Privacy notice: Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice