CAREERS
Current Open Positions:
Forensic Social Worker and Project Manager- Justice Project
Postdoctoral Fellow -Psychological Testing & Evaluation
GOLDEN PSYCHOLOGY
Forensic Social Worker — The Justice Project
Full-Time | W-2 Employee | In-Person | Manhattan, Union Square, NY
Role Overview
The Forensic Social Worker and Project Manager is a full-time, salaried W-2 position embedded within Golden Psychology's Justice Project — a specialized project focused on psychological and social evaluation at the intersection of mental health and the legal system. This person works directly alongside the practice owner, a licensed psychologist with extensive forensic expertise, to deliver high-quality evaluations for courts, counsel, and justice-involved individuals across the United States.
The Forensic Social Worker and Project Manager manages the Justice Project, while also conducting independent clinical interviews, collateral investigations, and social history documentation that form the evidentiary foundation of complex forensic evaluations — including competency to stand trial (CPL 730), extreme emotional disturbance (EED) mitigation, and assessments under the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA). The work requires clinical skill, excellent writing, forensic literacy, and the ability to engage meaningfully with clients in institutional settings — jails, prisons, courts, and community-based supervision. It also requires project management skills: organization, planning, communicating with collaborators and any other tasks needed to keep the project running smoothly. The Forensic Social Worker and Project Manager also has the opportunity to supervise a social work student, and to run groups.
Writing is central to this role. Forensic social histories are used in court, reviewed by attorneys and judges, and contribute directly to legal outcomes for clients whose futures depend on them. The right person writes with precision, clarity, and discipline — and is excellent at editing and reframing existing reports.
The right person for this role brings not only clinical and forensic competence, but a deep commitment to justice — a belief that every person who enters the legal system deserves rigorous, humane, and expert evaluation.
Core Responsibility Areas
1. Forensic Evaluation Support
Conduct in-depth social history interviews with justice-involved clients in custodial and community settings — including jails, prisons, and community supervision. Gather and synthesize collateral information with family members, treatment providers, school records, prior case files, and social service histories. Produce clear, precise, court-ready social history reports — documents that must be accurate, well-organized, and legally defensible under scrutiny from attorneys, judges, and opposing experts. Collaborate closely with the supervising psychologist to ensure evaluation components are integrated and coherent. Support expert testimony preparation. Navigate facility scheduling, security clearance processes, and documentation submission to courts and attorneys. Review Records — carefully review records and be able to transfer that knowledge to other team members efficiently and effectively.
2. Clinical Interviewing & Assessment
Conduct structured and semi-structured clinical interviews to assess trauma history, mental health symptomatology, developmental history, and social functioning. Identify and sensitively document histories of domestic violence, trauma, substance use, psychiatric treatment, and other clinically and legally relevant factors. Apply trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice frameworks throughout the evaluation process. Administer measures directly to clients in a uniform and consistent manner. Translate clinical observations into written documentation that is clear to non-clinical readers without sacrificing clinical accuracy. Exercise sound clinical judgment in challenging interview environments, including with clients who are guarded, distressed, cognitively impaired, or in acute mental health distress.
3. Legal & Institutional Coordination
Liaise with counsel and court personnel to coordinate evaluation logistics and deadlines. Manage documentation workflows: retainer paperwork, authorization forms, court orders, and facility correspondence Track active cases and upcoming deadlines — ensuring nothing is missed due to poor coordination. Maintain organized, well-documented case files that support both clinical and legal defensibility. Understand the legal frameworks governing forensic evaluations in New York — CPL Article 730, DVSJA eligibility criteria, and the role of EED in sentencing — at a level sufficient to support the supervising psychologist's clinical-legal analysis.
Who Will Thrive in This Role
An exceptional writer: This is not a secondary skill — it is the core deliverable of the role. Social history reports are used in court proceedings, reviewed by judges and attorneys, and contribute directly to legal outcomes. The person who succeeds here writes with precision, discipline, and clarity, and consistently produces reports that require minimal revision. Candidates with writing samples are strongly encouraged to submit them.
Clinically skilled and forensically curious: Has direct experience with justice-involved populations — in a correctional, legal, hospital, or community setting. Understands that forensic work demands a different discipline than therapeutic work, and welcomes that distinction.
A thorough and organized investigator: Can gather, organize, and synthesize large volumes of collateral information without losing the thread. Understands what is clinically relevant, what is legally significant, and how to document both with economy and precision.
Someone steady in difficult environments: Comfortable conducting clinical interviews in institutional settings — jails, prisons, holding facilities — with clients who may be frightened, hostile, or in crisis. Does not require optimal conditions to do excellent work.
Trauma-informed and culturally responsive: Approaches clients with genuine respect for the complexity of their histories. Understands the relationship between poverty, trauma, systemic racism, and involvement in the criminal legal system — and brings that understanding to the work without letting it distort clinical objectivity.
Collaborative and professionally humble: Works closely with a supervising psychologist and understands the scope of the social worker's role in a forensic evaluation. Knows when to ask questions and when to act independently.
Mission-aligned: Believes that expert, rigorous evaluation is a form of advocacy — and that justice-involved people deserve the same quality of care and attention as any other client population.
Highly organized: Whomever takes on this role needs to be able to manage the project altogether, which requires organizational skill, management of multiple needs of the project at the same time.
Qualifications
Required
Current LMSW or LCSW licensure in New York State is required.
At least two years of post licensure experience directly working with justice-involved individuals in a forensic social work position, trauma survivors, or populations with serious mental illness. Ideally, two years of post licensure experience working as a forensic social worker within a public defense or other forensic business.
Demonstrated excellence in professional writing — candidates are strongly encouraged to submit a writing sample (social history, assessment, or comparable document) with their application Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple active cases simultaneously under court-driven deadlines.
Experience conducting forensic social histories, mitigation investigations, or evaluations in legal contexts. Familiarity with CPL Article 730, DVSJA, or EED frameworks.
Preferred
Project management experience.
Proficiency in Spanish or another language spoken by GP's client population.
Compensation
Employment Status Full-time, W-2 salaried employee
Base Salary Commensurate with experience; $75,000-115,000 with clear 6 month and 1 year opportunities to increase salary as the project grows.
Benefits Health insurance contribution, PTO (Sick, Vacation, Holidays, Prenatal, Personal time), training stipend, in person office space, equipment (computer, cell phone).
Supervision
Weekly clinical and forensic supervision provided by licensed psychologist.
6-Month Review
Formal review tied to report quality, documentation standards, and case coordination performance. Review is tied to salary increases and bonuses.
A Note on This Role
The Justice Project exists because the people who are most often evaluated in the criminal legal system are also the people who have experienced the most concentrated trauma, disadvantage, and systemic harm. Golden Psychology brings the same values to forensic work that it brings to every service it offers: clinical excellence, inclusive and affirming practice, and an uncompromising commitment to the people we serve. The Forensic Social Worker and Project Manager is not a peripheral support role — they are a core member of the team whose work directly shapes evaluation quality and outcomes for clients whose lives are on the line.
If you are a clinician who takes that responsibility seriously, writes with care and precision, and wants to grow in a forensic specialty under strong supervision, this role is built for you.
How to Apply
Please submit a resume, cover letter and professional writing sample to hello@golden-psychology.com. The professional writing sample must be completely deidentified, and should include a social history, psychological summary, assessment narrative, or should be a comparable document that reflects the quality and style of your written work.
We will offer three rounds of interviews, with the final interview in person. After the second interview, candidates will be asked to edit a written report- both for line edits and to suggest stylistic revisions of our reports as a whole.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Postdoctoral Fellow – Psychological Testing & Evaluation
Golden Psychology | Union Square, NY
About Golden Psychology
Golden Psychology is a multi-service psychology practice in Union Square offering individual, family, and group therapy, an intensive day program, legal and forensic services, and mental health policy consulting. We are committed to providing comprehensive, culturally responsive care across the lifespan and serve a diverse clinical population across multiple programs.
Position Overview
Golden Psychology is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow with specialized training in biopsychosocial and educational evaluation across the lifespan. This is a clinically rich fellowship offering focused experience in psychological testing alongside meaningful cross-program involvement. The Fellow will contribute to our Justice Project (forensic and legal evaluation services), a newly developing Testing Program, and will provide evaluative support to our Intensive Day Program.
This fellowship is structured to meet New York State Education Department (NYSED) licensure requirements for postdoctoral supervised experience. The Fellow will work a minimum of 40 hours per week (full-time) and accrue 1,750 qualifying hours over the fellowship year, consistent with NYSED Part 72 regulations. The position is well-suited to a postdoctoral fellow who wants to develop as a testing specialist while building clinical breadth across child, adolescent, and adult populations.
Core Responsibilities
Psychological Testing & Evaluation
Conduct comprehensive biopsychosocial and educational evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults
Administer, score, and interpret a broad battery of psychological and psychoeducational instruments (cognitive, achievement, personality, psychopathology, and adaptive functioning)
Produce high-quality written reports with diagnosis, functional formulation, and actionable recommendations
Communicate findings to clients, families, and collateral providers
Justice Project
Conduct psychological evaluations in support of legal proceedings, including competency assessments, mitigation evaluations, and comprehensive mental health evaluations.
Collaborate with legal teams and contribute to expert process as appropriate
Gain supervised exposure to forensic evaluation methodology and report writing
Testing Program (New)
Support the launch and operation of Golden Psychology’s dedicated testing program
Assist in developing workflows, referral processes, and report templates
Contribute to building a sustainable, high-quality testing service within the practice
Provide evaluations for school aged youth and adults
Intensive Day Program
Conduct intake and ongoing psychological evaluations for day program participants
Integrate evaluation findings into treatment planning in collaboration with the clinical team
Provide consultation on diagnostic clarification as needed
Training & Supervision Structure
This fellowship is designed as a planned, programmatic sequence of training consistent with NYSED licensure requirements (Part 72 of the Commissioner's Regulations). Specifically:
Supervision: The Fellow will receive a minimum of 2 hours of individual supervision per week from a psychologist licensed and registered in New York State, as required by NYSED. At least one hour per week will be face-to-face (or secure video-conferencing) supervision directly pertaining to services rendered.
Supervisor qualifications: All supervising psychologists are licensed and registered to practice psychology in New York State and are retained by Golden Psychology, in accordance with NYSED Part 72 requirements.
Training title: The Fellow will hold the title of Psychological Postdoctoral Fellow, consistent with Section 7605 of the NYS Education Law.
Form 4 completion: The supervising psychologist will complete and submit NYSED Form 4 (Report of Professional Experience) directly to the State Education Department at the conclusion of the fellowship year, attesting to the Fellow's hours and experience.
Limited Permit: Applicants who have not yet obtained their NYS Limited Permit for Psychology must apply for and obtain the permit prior to the fellowship start date. Golden Psychology will provide the required site and supervisor information for the permit application (Form 5A). Applicants are encouraged to begin this process early, as permit processing times vary.
Breadth of experience: Training activities will be planned to meet NYSED's standards of quality, breadth, scope, and nature — integrating knowledge and practical application across populations, settings, and evaluation types in preparation for independent practice.
The Fellow will also participate in case consultation, group supervision, and professional development activities as part of a structured training curriculum.
Qualifications
Required
Doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in clinical or school psychology from an APA-accredited program, conferred prior to the fellowship start date
Completion of APA-accredited predoctoral internship
Demonstrated training and experience in psychological and psychoeducational assessment with children and adults
Eligibility to obtain a New York State Limited Permit for Psychology
Strong written communication and report-writing skills
Ability to work across diverse clinical populations and presenting concerns
Preferred
Experience or coursework in forensic evaluation or legal consultation
Familiarity with a broad testing battery including cognitive, and objective personality measures
Experience in intensive outpatient or day treatment settings
Interest in contributing to program development
Compensation & Benefits
The annual stipend for this fellowship is $63,000 (Year 0), consistent with the FY 2025 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein NRSA postdoctoral pay scale. Fellows with prior relevant postdoctoral experience (including research, teaching, internship, residency, or clinical work beyond the doctoral degree) may be considered at a higher stipend level commensurate with experience. Benefits details provided upon request.
Fellowship Dates
As soon as available, with possibility of renewal. Full-time, minimum 40 hours per week.
To Apply
Please submit the following to hello@golden-psychology.com:
CV
Cover letter describing your testing background and clinical interests
Two writing samples (at least one deidentified psychological evaluation report)
Two professional references
Golden Psychology is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workforce and clinical practice.