Psychologist

PsychologistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$106k-$147k

Listing transparency2 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
Posted 8h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Title: Psychologist

State Role Title: 49212

Hiring Range: $106,321 - $146,723

Pay Band: 5

Agency: Dept Behavioral Health/Develop

Location: Southern Va Mental Health Inst

Agency Website: https://dbhds.virginia.gov/facilities/svmhi/employment/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Come Join our Psychology team that makes a difference!

$8,000 sign-on bonus for candidates that are new to state service and remain with the facility for one year.

Exceptional State Benefits Include

13 paid holidays, 12+ paid vacation days, 8 paid sick days and 4+ paid family personal days per year; Family Medical Leave, Short- and Long-term disability coverage; Low-cost, comprehensive Anthem or AETNA health insurance benefits;

Group life and optional life insurance, and Flexible Reimbursement accounts.

Other State Benefits Include

· Referral Bonuses

· Virginia 529 College Savings Plan may be available for this role · State Employee Discounts and More!

The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental services support individuals by promoting recovery, self-determination, and wellness in all aspects of life.

DBHDS operates 12 facilities: 8 behavioral health facilities for adults, a training center, a psychiatric facility for children and adolescents, a medical center, and a center for behavioral rehabilitation.

State facilities provide highly structured, intensive services for individuals with mental illness, intellectual disability, or need substance use disorder services. DBHDS is committed to a life of possibilities for all Virginians.

This position will work at Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute, a 72-bed Joint Commission accredited State Mental Health Facility, located in Danville, VA.

Are you looking to be part of a dynamic team of engaged and dedicated professionals while putting your assessment and clinical skills to work? Are you looking to increase your exposure to a wide range of mental health cases with opportunities for assessment, diagnosis, and even forensic experience?

As a psychologist working for Virginia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, you will have access to referral questions across a wide range of commitment types, diagnoses, and patient presentations.

You will also have access to educational resources to include didactic training, webinars, and expert consultation.

Southern Virginia Mental Health Institute is seeking a clinical psychologist to assist patients in their recovery and answer mental health questions for our community partners. We are a 72-bed state psychiatric hospital located in Danville, VA.

The clinical psychologist works with individuals civilly committed, those ordered for treatment by a court, and inmates ordered for pre- and post-trail treatment. The clinical psychologist also answers referral questions and provides treatment updates and clinical reports.

Minimum Qualifications

Doctoral degree in psychology.

Currently hold, or ability to obtain, license in the Commonwealth of Virginia as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist within one year of hire. Such licensure must be maintained throughout employment in this role.

This Position Also Requires

Proficiency in the administration and scoring of basic psychological testing instruments. Strong psychotherapeutic skills.

  • Proficiency in assessing and treating individuals with a variety of clinical presentations.
  • Familiarity with psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery model.
  • Strong verbal and written communications skills.
  • Ability to analyze behavior patterns and develop behavioral assistance plans.
  • Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary treatment team.
  • Strong crisis management skills.
  • Ability to present/testify well in court.
  • Basic computer skills (word processing, computerized test scoring, etc.).

Additional Considerations

  • Experience working as a Psychologist in a psychiatric healthcare facility or correctional setting.
  • Forensic certification by Virginia’s Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy.
  • Board certification in psychology.
  • Veterans and people with National Service.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Applicants must list all relevant experience that you wish to be considered for this position. Applicants will be provided confirmation of receipt when your application and/or resume is submitted. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

A successful fingerprint-based criminal history check, drug screen, and reference checks are required for the selected candidate for this position.

Under Virginia Code §37.2-314 and 37.2-408.1, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services is prohibited from employing or using as volunteers, persons who have been convicted of specific “barrier” crimes or persons who may be the subject of pending “barrier” charges.

Employees may be required to disclose immunization status for purposes of infection prevention and/or management of outbreaks. Upon acceptance of a job offer, new recruits will be asked to disclose their vaccination status (and for those fully vaccinated, proof of vaccination) during the pre-employment process.

If you have any questions, contact the Office of Human Resources.

Commonwealth’s Alternate Hiring Process: In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process.

To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their Certificate of Disability (COD) provided by a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor with the Department of Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS).

Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS, to get their Certificate of Disability. To obtain a Certificate of Disability go to: https://www.vadars.org/drs/cpid/PWContact.aspx, or call DARS at 800-552-5019.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during the application and/or interview process per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact Human Resources at (434) 773-4208 for assistance.

DBHDS is an equal Opportunity Employer. Employment opportunities are open to all regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, political affiliation, genetics, or disability. Minorities, Individuals with Disabilities, Veterans, and people with National Service experience are encouraged to apply. EEO/AA/TTY.

SVMHI uses Form I-9 and E-Verify in the verification of eligibility for employment.

SVMHI is a smoke and vape-free facility in all buildings and outside facility grounds.

Contact Information

Name: Human Resources

Phone: 434-421-3060

Email: svmhihr@dbhds.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process.

To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI).

Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter [https://www.dars.virginia.gov/drs/cpid/PWContact.aspx] or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Key Responsibilities

The clinical psychologist will provide assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for patients in a state psychiatric hospital setting. They will also participate in multi-disciplinary treatment teams and provide clinical reports and testimony for court-ordered cases.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a doctoral degree in psychology and possess or be eligible for a license as a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Virginia. Proficiency in psychological testing, psychotherapy, and crisis management is required.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical diagnosisClinical reportingForensic assessmentCourt testimonyVerbal communicationWritten communication

Psychologist Career Context

Of the 50 active Psychology listings this role was benchmarked against, 38% are remote, 30% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

Psychology pay on WeekdayDoc is up 4.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$127k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $125k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Psychologist Jobs

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Salary Distribution44 jobs · 16 employers

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15
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Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks41 jobs · 16 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
CME allowance
49%
Sign-on bonus
34% this job
Loan repayment
12%
PSLF eligible
12%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 6.5this job 3.0
Below most of 1,627 Psychology listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10. Shaded area = share of comparable listings scoring below this one.

Living in Danville

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$190k≈ 1.8× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,128/mo≈ 13% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
20 min
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

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About Virginia Information Technologies Agency

IT Services and IT Consulting
Richmond, VA
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

$8,000 sign-on bonus for new state service candidates
13 paid holidays
12+ paid vacation days
8 paid sick days
4+ paid family personal days
Family Medical Leave
Short- and Long-term disability coverage
Low-cost comprehensive Anthem or AETNA health insurance