The Psychological Services Division of the Minnesota Judicial Branch is pleased to offer forensic psychology postdoctoral fellowships for individuals interested in gaining expertise in forensic evaluation. These positions are temporary from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024.

These are postdoctoral fellowship positions requiring solid foundational knowledge of the spectrum of psychological and Psycholegal issues that are routinely encountered in court proceedings. Work includes performing forensic psychological evaluations of adult and/or child clients, using psycho-diagnostic tests and other professional techniques. Emphasis of the work is on the evaluation of psychiatric illness, personality characteristics and dynamics that contribute to the court's understanding of the psycholegal issues essential to court cases. All clinical work will be completed under the supervision of a Senior Clinical Forensic Psychologist.

These positions are classified as a Clinical Forensic Psychology Postdoctoral Fellow and will be based in the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis. Work, including evaluations, will be conducted at multiple locations throughout the Twin Cities Metropolitan area. Some travel to court locations in the metro area may also be required. Typical hours for this position are 8:00-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.

To be considered for these fellowships, candidates must also submit a separate application to the Psychological Services Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Director as instructed in the Psychological Services Postdoctoral Fellowship Brochure, located on the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) and Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) websites.

To ensure the health and safety of all judicial officials and employees, the Minnesota Judicial Branch follows recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) regarding COVID-19 and related mitigation efforts. Effective November 1, 2021, all Minnesota Judicial Branch judicial officers and employees are required to complete an internal Vaccination Verification Status form. Individuals hired following this date will be required to complete the Vaccination Verification Status form during the first week of employment.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch offers a comprehensive benefits package. To learn more about benefits, click here.

Under supervision, the fellows will engage in the following activities to reach and provide forensic opinions to the court in order to resolve psycho-legal questions:

• Determine scope, method, timeline and resources to be allocated for the evaluation of clients referred by the Court; delegate routine tasks to staff, and coordinate efforts with other agencies and professionals
• Locate, collect, review, and integrate collateral case information from correctional, law enforcement, mental/chemical health, medical, educational, and social service agencies
• Direct and/or administer, score, and interpret specialized psychological tests
• Formulate expert, professional opinions about highly complex psycholegal questions and provide consultation to the Court and its officers
• Write comprehensive forensic psychological assessment reports providing conclusions concerning psycholegal issues based on case history material, individual and familial interviews, and interpretations of results of specialized psychological tests
• Prepare for and provide expert courtroom testimony
• Assure full compliance with all state licensing and statutory requirements

Minimum Education and Experience

• Prior to beginning the fellowship, the successful candidates will have graduated from an accredited college or university whose program has been approved by the American Psychological Association with a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology or its equivalent
• Ability to travel to locations around the greater Twin Cities Metropolitan area

• Considerable knowledge of the principles of clinical psychology, personality development, psychopathology and forensic psychology
• Skill in psychological diagnosis
• Strong writing skills
• Ability to work effectively under considerable time pressures
• Ability to prioritize work assignments and delegate routine data retrieval and testing tasks to technical and support staff
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with clients, professional colleagues, co-workers, subordinates, supervisors and members of the Bench

• Specialty training in forensic applications, or other specialty applications (such as neuropsychology, child adolescent psychology)
• Training and experience in family, adult or juvenile forensic assessments
• Experience in conducting evaluations for criminal, family and/or juvenile courts
• Considerable knowledge of the ethics and standards of practice governing the independent practice of psychology, generally, and forensic psychology, specifically
• Ability to apply psychological expertise to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of personality disorders, behavioral deviance, and mental illness
• Ability to write about highly complex and technical findings in a clear and organized manner
• Clinical skills in engaging the cooperation of non-voluntary clients, managing high-conflict situations and defusing the agitation and potential aggression of hostile, psychotic and/or severely disturbed clientele
• Cross-cultural skills in engaging clients from a diverse array of racial, ethnic, geopolitical, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Knowledge of state and federal statutes, case law, rules and court processes relevant to the provision of forensic services to district courts

The Minnesota Judicial Branch (MJB) is committed to providing fair and equal access to justice. If you share this same commitment, desire a meaningful career serving the public, and want the opportunity to make a difference for your community, consider a career with us. We celebrate and are committed to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and actively seek and encourage applications from persons with diverse backgrounds and characteristics. Minnesota Judicial Branch employees consistently express pride in their public service and in the quality of programs and services provided to customers, as well as appreciation for the teamwork and collaboration that is promoted within the MJB.

TO APPLY: Please apply online by following the Career Opportunities link on the Minnesota Judicial Branch website: www.mncourts.gov. Complete and submit your online application with resume and cover letter attached.

To be considered for this fellowship, candidates must also submit a separate application to the Psychological Services Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Director as instructed in the Psychological Services Postdoctoral Fellowship Brochure, located on the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) and Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and internship Centers (APPIC) websites.

This position is posted for internal and external application simultaneously. The selection process is a resume-based, skill-matching process. If your skills match the required skills for this position, the department may contact you.

All employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory results of a criminal background check. An employment offer may be rescinded if the background check identifies job-related convictions.

Please contact Human Resources with questions regarding this posting via email: 4thRecruitment@courts.state.mn.us; Phone: (612) 348-2298.

It is the policy of the Minnesota Judicial Branch that all decisions regarding employment are made without discrimination on the basis of disability. Please let us know if you need a reasonable accommodation for a disability to participate in the employee selection process by contacting HR at 4th.Human.Resources@courts.state.mn.us.

The Minnesota Judicial Branch is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Minnesota Judicial Branch that all decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, promotions, and other terms and conditions of employment be made without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age. We value and encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds.