L&I Psychologist 3

About the role

Our Mission: Keep Washington Safe and Working! Our Values: Customer Focus, One L&I, Respect, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Learning and Growth, Reliability. The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), Insurance Services Division, seeks a Psychologist 3 in the Office of the Medical Director. The role focuses on reducing long-term disability by promoting evidence-based, effective, and safe mental health care for injured workers. You will plan, organize, and direct program improvements in mental and behavioral health management; provide clinical psychology consultation to internal L&I staff and others; prevent disability, improve health and work outcomes, and prevent harm to injured workers and crime survivors.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and provide clinical consultation and claim support to staff and treating providers.
• Serve as psychologist consultant to Insurance Services staff and others.
• Provide consultation in appropriate application of clinical practice guidelines and occupational health best practices for behavioral and mental health services.
• Conduct claim reviews.
• Develop a proactive hands‑on partnership with designated claims staff and provide clinical consultation to resolve complex, high‑risk, or challenging cases.
• Engage in collaboration across the Office of the Medical Director to ensure cross‑unit standardization and quality control.
• Collaborate in clinical decision making, treatment plan evaluation, and return‑to‑work strategy development with Return‑to‑Work Partnerships.
• Lead and develop education and training on behavioral and mental health policies and procedures for a variety of audiences.
• Lead and support training initiatives for internal audiences including claims managers and occupational nurse consultants.
• Develop and deliver education and training on mental health‑related topics for claims managers and occupational nurse consultants.
• Participate, develop and consult on strategy, review, formulation, and conduct of training and educational material and seminars/discussions.
• Develop and implement strategies to ensure delivery of high quality behavioral and mental health services for workers.
• Engage in proactive partnerships and outreach with providers and workers.
• Provide expert guidance on policies and processes to positively impact mental healthcare delivery and provider experiences.

Qualifications

Required: PhD or PsyD in clinical psychology and a valid, unrestricted license to practice as a clinical psychologist in Washington State; one year of postdoctoral psychology experience or equivalent; strategic and mission‑driven mindset with passion for improving health outcomes for injured workers; strong clinical and operational problem‑solving skills; ability to function independently in a claims consultation role (supervision by Associate Medical Director for Psychology); excellent verbal and written communication skills with public service orientation; interpersonal effectiveness and cultural competency working with diverse groups; ability to take action to learn and grow; ability to meet the needs of others.

Desired: Completion of a post‑doctoral fellowship in rehabilitation psychology, health psychology, pain psychology, or trauma psychology; clinical experience within medical/healthcare systems specializing in mental health conditions, chronic illness management, or health psychology; experience working within interdisciplinary healthcare teams with physicians, nurses, and other staff; three years experience in trauma, pain, rehabilitation, and/or health psychology; teaching or training experience in mental/behavioral health or relevant healthcare topics for adult learners or professional audiences; experience with Washington workers’ compensation.

Benefits

• Paid leave
• Tuition reimbursement
• Infants at Work Program
• Generous retirement package for qualified employees
• Hybrid work model with flexible custom work schedules
• Eligibility for flexible schedule upon management approval
• Teleworking allowed up to full time with expectation to attend selected in‑person meetings/training or as business needs require

Schedule

Hybrid work model; flexible custom work schedules; teleworking permitted up to full time with expectation to attend selected in‑person meetings and training or upon business need; duty station: Tumwater, Washington.