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Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

Clinical Social Worker Peds Oncology

Social WorkerFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 36m ago · Verified live

Job Description

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke University Hospital Pursue your passion for caring with Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, which is consistently ranked among the best in the United States.

The largest of the four Duke Healthhospitals with 1062 patient beds, it features comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic facilities, including a regional emergency/trauma center, an endo-surgery center, and more.$5,000.00 Commitment Bonus for External Candidates paid over 1 year for Clinical Social Worker position

Up to $8000.00 in relocation for External Candidates moving more thatn 50 miles for new position

The Clinical Social Worker provides comprehensive psychosocial assessments, diagnosis, treatment, and discharge planning services to support patients and families coping with hospitalization, illness, treatment, and complex life situations. Clinicians address emotional, behavioral, mental health, and substance use concerns while collaborating closely with the multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Level I clinicians function as independent practitioners providing assessment, intervention, counseling, crisis response, and care coordination.

Level II clinicians perform all Level I duties plus serve as team leaders, providing clinical and administrative supervision, supporting team operations, and participating in performance management.

Duties and Responsibilities

Level I Responsibilities

Conduct comprehensive psychosocial assessments of patients and families to identify emotional, social, and environmental strengths and needs.

Develop and implement individualized psychosocial treatment plans using appropriate interventions, including:

  • Crisis intervention
  • Short- and long‑term individual, family, marital, and group therapy
  • Grief, loss, and bereavement counseling

Screen, diagnose (using DSM criteria), and provide therapeutic interventions for mental health and/or substance use disorders.

Assist with identification, assessment, and management of cases involving abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and sexual assault; provide related training to healthcare professionals.

  • Deliver patient and family education on coping with illness, treatment, hospitalization, and life changes.
  • Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings; serve as a liaison providing clinical social work expertise.
  • Provide consultation to healthcare team members within scope of practice.

Maintain knowledge of medical/legal issues affecting patient care (e. g., advance directives, elder/child abuse laws).

Coordinate patient and family needs for pre‑ and post‑hospital services, including community resources.

Document assessments, treatment plans, interventions, and encounters according to departmental and health system standards.

Participate in teaching, training, research, committee work, and other academic activities supporting the institution’s mission.

  • Maintain accurate records, statistics, and required reports.
  • Attend staff meetings and participate in continuous quality improvement initiatives.
  • Stay current with trends in clinical social work and healthcare through supervision and continuing education.
  • May participate in on‑call or after‑hours coverage as required.

Level II (In Addition to Level I)

  • Provide clinical and administrative supervision for social workers and clinical social workers.
  • Lead team meetings, coordinate staffing coverage, and support workflow management.
  • Assist with hiring, onboarding, and performance evaluation processes.
  • Help implement departmental, hospital, and health system initiatives.
  • Model advanced clinical practice, conflict resolution, and leadership behaviors.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Level I

  • Adherence to NASW ethical standards and NC licensure regulations.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills.
  • Solid knowledge of clinical social work practices.
  • Proficiency in assessment, interviewing, counseling, and crisis intervention.
  • Working knowledge of mental health and substance use disorders and related interventions.
  • Ability to practice autonomously and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.
  • Strong interpersonal and team-building skills.
  • Ability to prioritize, manage multiple tasks, and navigate change effectively.
  • Basic computer skills.

Level II

All Level I Competencies, Plus

  • Strong supervisory, leadership, and team‑building skills.
  • Ability to resolve conflict and support team performance.
  • Ability to guide and implement organizational initiatives at the unit or department level.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

Level I & Level II: Master’s degree in Social Work from an accredited school of social work.

Experience

Level I

Two years of post‑internship social work experience in a healthcare or social service setting required.

Two years of recent post‑master’s clinical experience preferred.

Level II

All Level I requirements plus five years post‑master’s experience in a healthcare or social service setting.

Demonstrated experience in leadership and staff supervision.

Licensure / Certification

Level I & Level II

Current Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential from the North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes.

To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Key Responsibilities

The Clinical Social Worker provides comprehensive psychosocial assessments, diagnosis, and treatment planning to support patients and families coping with illness and hospitalization. They also collaborate with the multidisciplinary healthcare team to provide crisis intervention, counseling, and discharge planning services.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master’s degree in Social Work and a current Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential from the North Carolina Board. A minimum of two years of post-internship social work experience in a healthcare or social service setting is required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Psychosocial assessmentClinical counselingCase managementMental health diagnosisSubstance use counselingInterdisciplinary collaborationGrief counselingPatient educationDocumentation

Oncology — Social Worker Career Context

The cost-of-living index for North Carolina is 94.3 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.2% of North Carolina clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Social Worker listings this role was benchmarked against, 34% are remote, 40% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

What does the Social Worker market look like in North Carolina?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Cost of livingNorth Carolina index 94.3US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
All social worker listings in North Carolina228 active7,106 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 34% remote · 40% no call · 60% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repayment$5k sign-onNorth Carolina social worker listings (all specialties): 15% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 3% offer loan repayment228 active listings, Nov 2026
New Oncology listings423 in the last 30 days319 the 30 days before (+33%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Social Worker pay trend (all specialties)−1.2% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page. North Carolina figures use all social workers: too few North Carolina Oncology postings state pay.

Top Social Worker Jobs

36 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

35 jobs · 29 employers
8
<$80k
8
$80k-100k
7
$100k-120k
9
$120k-140k
3
$140k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

29 jobs
401k / retirement match
97%
CME allowance
31% this job
Sign-on bonus
17% this job
Loan repayment
7%
PSLF eligible
7%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

FFS Clinical Supervisor - LCSW

Northeast Family Services · New York, New York

$62-$70/hr
#2

Medical Social Worker - Population Health (Full Time, Day)

NorthBay Health · Fairfield, California

$55.87-$67.96/hr
#3

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

$123k-$141k
#4

Mental Health Clinician (LCSW or LMFT), Suicide Risk and Assessment (ASSIST Program)

$59.42-$66.62/hr
+ 34 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Oncology (Social Work) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 53 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Durham

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$358k
Typical market rent
$1,626/mo
Residents’ average commute
22 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
97.6
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.