Canadian Special Operations Forces Unit Psychologist

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request special accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Information on accommodation for persons with disabilities

When submitting your application, you will also have to answer questions regarding the education and experience requirements (both essential and asset qualifications). You MUST CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE how you meet these qualifications by answering the online screening questions. Your answers to screening questions will also be used to assess the Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

It is NOT sufficient to only state that the qualifications are met or to only provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. You must clearly explain WHEN, WHERE and HOW you acquired each qualification by giving concrete examples. Information on your described education and experience in the screening questions must be supported in your resume.

Failure to provide the above information in the format required may result in your application being eliminated from the process.

Duties

The primary role of the embedded unit psychologist resides within the evolving operational psychology realm. The expanded scope and functions of the unit psychologist include Assessment and Selection for Special Forces, psychology advisory role to the Selection and Training cadre, subject-matter expertise provision to the Command related to individual and unit resilience and psychological health, member and unit education/operational debriefs, program research, and member clinical referrals.

The unit psychologist will also perform, in a secondary capacity, more traditional clinical psychological services within a multidisciplinary mental health team, including mental health screenings, diagnostic assessments, and individual short-term psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling). Furthermore, there is an opportunity to contribute to the development and implementation of mental health and resilience training unique to Special Operations Forces.

The embedded unit psychologist reports administratively to the unit’s Chain of Command, and is supported professionally by the CANSOFCOM Command Psychologist.

Work environment

The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) produces high readiness and responsive special operations forces able to provide broad national and international security solutions. CANSOFCOM provides the Canadian Armed Forces the ability to deliver an effective counter-terrorism response domestically and abroad; access, understand and influence operational environments; and project rapidly deployable special forces in response to emerging or immediate threats to the nation.

Our vision is to always deliver quiet success when operationally tasked and to be a terrific place to work for our military and civilian Defence team members as we believe that the diversity of our work population enables our organization’s success.

Working as a special operations forces psychologist affords a unique opportunity to hold a vital position in a dynamic operational setting, within an integrated team of competent professionals from the human performance, psychological, medical, spiritual, and family domains who together offer a dedicated support system for members, leaders and their family.

https://www.canada.ca/en/special-operations-forces-command.html

Intent of the process

There is an important need to staff three (3) indeterminate position in Ottawa, Petawawa and Trenton, Ontario. A pool of qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff identical or similar positions with various security levels, tenures, locations, language requirements and linguistic profiles (English Essential, Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB, CBC/CBC, CCC/CCC).

(Should we have difficulties in finding a qualified candidate in Petawawa or Trenton, we may hire a qualified candidate from Ottawa. That person will then be required to travel to either Petawawa or Trenton on a regular basis as a condition of employment).

Positions to be filled: 3

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

EDUCATION
Graduation with a Master’s or Doctoral degree in psychology from a recognized post-secondary institution with specialization in clinical psychology or equivalent (equivalence in training is determined by the provincial/territorial College of psychologists).

At the time of application, you must be registered for autonomous practice with one of the provincial or territorial College of Psychologists and be able to practice in clinical psychology.

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE
EX1: *Breadth of experience, while registered with a College of Psychologists, in conducting psychological assessments with adults, including cognitive, personality and emotional/ behavioral functioning evaluations for clinical and non-clinical purposes.

EX2: *Breadth of experience, while registered with a College of Psychologists, in the use and interpretation of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2/Restructured Form (MMPI-2 or MMPI-2-RF).

EX3: *Breadth of experience, while registered with a College of Psychologists, in providing psychotherapy to adults.

EX4: Experience in providing clinical services to adults with operational stress or trauma.

*Breadth of experience is defined as having performed, over a period of approximately two years or more, a range of the identified psychological activities.

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

EXPERIENCE:
AEX1: Experience in the use and interpretation of the cognitive test Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB-II) and the personality inventory NEO-PI
AEX2: Experience in conducting selection psychological suitability evaluations for selection
AEX3: Experience providing psychological services to Canadian Armed Forces personnel, law enforcement personnel or other personnel in high-risk occupations/environments
AEX4: Experience with resilience and/or mental health prevention programs

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

Various language requirements
The process will be used to staff the above-mentioned positions with a language requirement of English Essential. It may also be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates which could be used to staff identical and /or similar positions with various language requirements and/ or linguistic profiles.

Information on language requirements

A1: Ability to work within an interdisciplinary team model
A2: Ability to communicate effectively orally
A3: Ability to communicate effectively in writing
A4: Ability to conduct psycho-diagnostic, cognitive and personality assessments including report.
A5: Ability to implement evidence-based therapeutic interventions and monitor progress

PERSONAL SUITABILITY:
PS1: Effective interpersonal skills
PS2:Initiative
PS3: Judgment
PS4: Flexibility
PS5: Reliability

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Willingness and ability to work overtime on occasion.

Willingness and ability to travel internationally and nationally on occasion. (Please note that there is no deployment to high-risk mission areas for this position.)

Hold a Valid Canadian Passport

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance - Secret security clearance - Secret security clearance - This process will be used to staff the above-mentioned position with a secret clearance. It may also be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates which could be used to staff identical and /or similar positions with various security levels (Reliability, Secret and Top Secret).

Travel
Should we have difficulties finding a suitable qualified candidate in Petawawa or Trenton, we may hire a qualified candidate in Ottawa. That person will then be required to travel to either Petawawa or Trenton on a regular basis.

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the targeted groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

1. You must provide the following information when submitting your application: Your resume.
2. Please identify clearly your Personal Record Identifier (PRI), your substantive group and level and your employment status on your resume and/or your application, if you are already an employee within the Public Service.
3. Our intention is to communicate with candidates via email. Candidates who apply on this selection process must include in their application a valid e-mail address and have to make sure that this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users. It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide any changes to their personal information to the contact person indicated on this job advertisement.
4. Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Candidates are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.
5. Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent. We will contact candidates when the screening process is completed.
6. Candidates’ qualifications may be assessed by various tests, interview, role play and/or references.
7. Please note that all notifications of consideration and notifications of appointment or proposals of appointment (immediate and future) related to this staffing process, will be posted on Jobs.gc.ca
8. Foreign educational credentials must be assessed by a recognized credential assessment service. If you have been educated outside of Canada, it is your responsibility to have your certificates and/or diplomas assessed against Canadian educational standards. For more information, please see the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) at http://www.cicic.ca/415/credentialassessment- services.canada. FAILURE TO PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE INFORMATION MAY RESULT IN YOUR ELIMINATION FROM THIS PROCESS.
9. Please note that all information received throughout the staffing process and all communications relating to this process, including email correspondence, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.
10. Employees whose substantive positions are at the same group and level or equivalent may be considered for deployment.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.