Educational Psychologist

The Role

NEPS’ Educational Psychologists are assigned to a local team of psychologists coordinated by a Senior Team Leading Psychologist. NEPS psychologists provide an educational psychological service for their assigned schools, generally in the catchment area of their assigned office, and may also work collaboratively with colleagues to meet NEPS national service priorities, and regional and team commitments. Within this context, each psychologist takes responsibility for their own day-to-day time and work management.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities of the Role

The Principal Duties and Responsibilities of the Role may include some or all of the following:

• Ensuring the delivery of a high quality professional educational psychological service to their assigned schools, and to other schools, as appropriate, in accordance with the Regional Service Plan, the Business Plan of NEPS and the Statement of Strategy of the Department of Education and Youth.

• Supporting national and regional Support and Development initiatives to build capacity/capability in assigned schools and more broadly in schools within the region.

• Developing co-operative linkages with other educational services in the local team area and region.

• Developing co-operative linkages with other relevant statutory and voluntary bodies in the local team area region.

• Attending regular supervision as a core professional activity to support the delivery of an effective, ethical and high-quality educational psychological service.

• Contributing to the development of the NEPS service through participation at team, regional and national meetings and participation in working groups.

• Adhering to the Code of Professional Ethics of the Psychological Society of Ireland (2019), whether a member of that society or not. Under the Health & Social Care Professionals Act 2005 all psychologists working in NEPS will have to fulfil the requirements for statutory registration.

• Fulfilling their functions in line with the policies, protocols and legislative obligations of the Department.

• Engaging with continuing professional development (CPD), including a comprehensive induction programme and ongoing opportunities for national, regional and personal continuing professional development. NEPS psychologists are given the opportunity to review their development needs through the Department’s Performance Management and Development System (PMDS).

• Supporting the training placements of Trainee Educational Psychologists in NEPS through the provision of professional supervision and guidance.

Please note:

The above is a general guide to the key duties and responsibilities of the role and is not an exhaustive description. Other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the role may also be assigned from time to time.

Working Environment

Each Educational Psychologist is assigned to an office base and in the normal course, will work within the catchment area of the office to which they are assigned. From time to time, they may be required to work in the catchment area(s) of other office(s).

If not involved in the delivery of psychological services in their catchment area or in carrying out assigned tasks outside the catchment area, psychologists are expected to work in their assigned office base. Travelling to schools and other locations is an essential part of a psychologist’s work. At times, it may be necessary to spend overnight(s) away from home. This is especially the case during the induction period.

Salary Range: €65,783 - €112,803*

*From 1st June 2026, a 1% pay increase will apply to the salary scale

Annual Leave: 30 days

Hours of attendance: 41 hours and 15 minutes gross per week

The Principal Conditions of Service applicable to the role, including details of the pay scale and incremental points, and Eligibility to Compete and Certain Restrictions on Eligibility applicable to the role, including citizenship requirements, are accessible on the job listing.

Competition Closing Date: Your application must be submitted on the publicjobs website not later than 3pm on Thursday, 11th of June 2026.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Essential

Candidates must have on or before 11th of June 2026:

A recognised qualification at minimum Level 8 (1st or 2nd class honours) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) or a NARIC Ireland Foreign Qualifications equivalent in Psychology1. Candidates’ Psychology qualification(s) should deem them eligible to hold graduate membership of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) or the British Psychological Society (BPS). (Evidence of graduate membership/eligibility to hold graduate membership will be requested from candidates should they come under consideration for a position)

AND

(a) A post-graduate professional qualification in educational psychology, that includes supervised practice placement in an educational psychological service working with school-aged children and young people, accredited* by the PSI or equivalent body2. Students currently undertaking such an accredited post-graduate professional qualification in educational psychology who expect to successfully complete their course of study in 2026, and who meet criterion 1 above will also be considered.

or

(b) A post-graduate professional qualification in clinical or counselling psychology, accredited* by the PSI, or equivalent body, and at least two years continuous supervised post-graduate professional experience employed as a psychologist working with children and young people in education, community or disability settings.

*Candidates who come under consideration for a position must provide evidence confirming that their post-graduate professional qualification in educational psychology or clinical or counselling psychology is accredited by the PSI or an equivalent body (e.g. letter from awarding college/university)

Candidates must also have:

Experience of engaging in individual casework with children and young people, including experience using consultation skills within a continuum of support framework; administering, interpreting and reporting on a range of psychometric instruments suitable for use with children and young people; formulating multiple data to identify need linked to specific and targeted interventions.

A comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the Irish Education and school systems, experience working systemically to promote change within an education system, commitment to the ideals and objectives of NEPS/Department of Education and Youth and willingness to work within the overall parameters of NEPS/ Department of Education and Youth policy and practice.

The ability to communicate effectively in Irish and/or English;

A full driving licence (Category B), valid in Ireland, and have access to a suitable vehicle that will enable them to carry out the full mobility requirements of the post in an efficient and effective manner.

Pre-Employment Checks

Should your place on the panel be reached and you come under consideration for a position, several pre-employment checks must be completed before a candidate is deemed suitable for appointment. These checks are carried out to satisfy publicjobs that the candidate satisfies all necessary requirements.

Prior to assigning/recommending a candidate for appointment to a position, publicjobs will make all such enquiries necessary to determine the suitability and eligibility of that candidate. These checks include an evaluation of Citizenship, Health & Character, Garda Vetting & Security Clearance and Reference Checks. Where Citizenship, Health & Character, Garda Vetting and Reference Checks are unsatisfactory or cannot be obtained, publicjobs reserves the right to disqualify a candidate from any further consideration of appointment or termination of your employment where an appointment has already been made.

Candidates with Disabilities

Attracting candidates from all sectors of society to ensure accessible routes to career opportunities is a key priority of publicjobs. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all candidates. If you have a disability or need reasonable accommodations made during the selection process, (e.g. for interview, assessments or exercises), we strongly encourage you to share this with us so that we can ensure you get the support you need.

Reasonable accommodation in our selection process refers to adjustments and practical changes which would enable a disabled candidate to have an equitable opportunity for this competition. We can provide accommodations for any stage of the process, including online assessments, interviews or exercises. Examples of adjustments we provide include the use of assistive technology, extra time, scribes and/or readers or a range of other accommodations.

Please be assured that having a disability or requiring adjustments will not impact on your progress in the selection process; you will not be at a disadvantage if you disclose your disability or requirements to us. Your disability and/or adjustments will be kept entirely confidential.

Should you be successful, the disclosure of a disability for this stage of the process will not be passed onto the employing department unless you request that we do so.

If you indicate on your application form that you require reasonable accommodations, you will have the following option:

A. If you have been provided with reasonable accommodations from publicjobs in the last three years, you should input the details of the most recent competition for which you were assigned accommodations along with your Candidate ID

OR

B. You will need to upload a psychologist/medical report as part of your application, which details your disability/requirements.

We require a report to better understand your disability and requirements. The report, in addition to your request, helps us determine what accommodations may be suitable for you, in the selection process. The reports will only be shared with our Assessment Services Unit. In the reports, it is useful for us to see the outcome of any diagnostic tests conducted by your psychologist/doctor, and their summary of recommendations in relation to your requirements. You may redact (block out) parts of medical reports/psychologist’s reports that you feel are sensitive or unnecessary for the decision to make reasonable adjustments.