Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)

Band 5 Assistant Psychologist

The closing date is 18 September 2025

Job summary

Here at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation centre (DMRC), we are an inclusive and dedicated organisation working to provide excellent care to our entitled personnel.

Are you an Assistant Clinical Psychologist looking for a fascinating role working alongside the military that offers numerous benefits and opportunities for career-development in a phenomenal team?

The DMRC is a fast paced and vibrant organisation that seeks to sustain and improve efficiency of injured service personnel by providing high quality psychological care.

This post will be 32 hours over a 5 day week

Does this sound like the role for you?

We offer the following employee benefits:

  • Free Parking
  • Access to a gym
  • Access to a swimming pool
  • Wonderful grounds
  • Onsite shop
  • An inclusive working environment
  • An NHS pension

Main duties of the job

DMRC provides medical rehabilitation for patients with complex needs who may have sustained multiple injuries; this includes neurological injury and complex trauma. In addition, the Centres of Spinal and Upper Quadrant, Lower Limb and Specialist Rehabilitation provide the consultant led multidisciplinary management at secondary care level.

About us

Our success depends on our people our Whole Force regular and reservist military, civil servants and contractors, all working as one, working together seamlessly to deliver for us.

Our civil servants are a central part of this Whole Force, developing strategy, making policy, supporting ministerial decision-making and Parliamentary processes. In fact, with over 2,000 different roles working across 650 sites around the world, now really is an excellent time to join one of the largest, most exciting departments in government.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to attracting and retaining people from across the full range of backgrounds and enabling flexible ways of working as the norm. We offer maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks of statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.

In return, you can expect a department that helps you learn and develop that recognises your expertise and contribution, both as an individual and part of a team.

If youve ever wanted to do more, see more, go further or be better, we have roles in more professions and vocations than ever before. Let's see where your future will take you, together.

Details

Date posted

04 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year Pro Rata for part time * Pay award pending

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

K0003-25-0415

Job locations

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre

Stanford Hall

Loughborough

LE12 5QW


Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

  • Providing a specialist psychology service for all clients of the service.
  • Providing training to staff within the service involved in the delivery of neuro-psychologically based interventions.
  • Participating in local management groups and being responsible for service development for aspects of psychological care.
  • Providing specialist psychological research expertise to the service.
  • The post holder will contribute to the provision of psychology services as appropriate to their level of competence and experience under the supervision of a qualified DMRC clinical psychologist.
The selection at sift stage will be based on your CV.

Please ensure you demonstrate that you have the required skills, knowledge, experience, qualifications and memberships in your CV and that you have saved it, making sure that any reference to your personal details have been removed from your CV prior to submitting your application.

Please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the Job Description. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advert.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/artificial-intelligence-and-recruitment/

At interview you will be assessed against the following:

  • NHS Health & Wellbeing HWB2 Assessment & Care Planning
  • NHS Health & Wellbeing HWB6 Assessment & Treatment Planning
  • NHS Core NHSC1 Communication
  • NHS Core NHSC2 Personal & People Development
  • NHS Core NHSC5 Quality
  • NHS Core NHSC4 Service Improvement
Please see the link to our YouTube channel for advice preparing your best responses with some hints and tips on answering behaviour-based questions. Hints and tips such as: Your behaviours can be based on situations from work, volunteering or home; match your situation to the behaviour requested and how to use your 250-word limit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEpdNWKQSRI

The sift will be completed within 10 working days of the vacancy closing date. Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

Access to the NHS pension scheme is available to the successful candidate.

If found successful for this position, you will be required to provide evidence of your immunity to Hepatitis B. Please note that evidence of your vaccination is not a proof of your immunity, but your serology levels will be required. Failure to provide sufficient evidence may result in the offer of employment being withdrawn.

To be considered for this role, qualifications and memberships detailed must be held in full, prior to submitting your application.

The post does NOT offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non-Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact dbscivpers-sgdmsresourcing@mod.gov.uk.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:

  • Providing a specialist psychology service for all clients of the service.
  • Providing training to staff within the service involved in the delivery of neuro-psychologically based interventions.
  • Participating in local management groups and being responsible for service development for aspects of psychological care.
  • Providing specialist psychological research expertise to the service.
  • The post holder will contribute to the provision of psychology services as appropriate to their level of competence and experience under the supervision of a qualified DMRC clinical psychologist.
The selection at sift stage will be based on your CV.

Please ensure you demonstrate that you have the required skills, knowledge, experience, qualifications and memberships in your CV and that you have saved it, making sure that any reference to your personal details have been removed from your CV prior to submitting your application.

Please provide information of how you meet the criteria set out in the Job Description. You may wish to further include examples of how you have tackled similar tasks or demonstrated the skills outlined in the job advert.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/artificial-intelligence-and-recruitment/

At interview you will be assessed against the following:

  • NHS Health & Wellbeing HWB2 Assessment & Care Planning
  • NHS Health & Wellbeing HWB6 Assessment & Treatment Planning
  • NHS Core NHSC1 Communication
  • NHS Core NHSC2 Personal & People Development
  • NHS Core NHSC5 Quality
  • NHS Core NHSC4 Service Improvement
Please see the link to our YouTube channel for advice preparing your best responses with some hints and tips on answering behaviour-based questions. Hints and tips such as: Your behaviours can be based on situations from work, volunteering or home; match your situation to the behaviour requested and how to use your 250-word limit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEpdNWKQSRI

The sift will be completed within 10 working days of the vacancy closing date. Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

All employees joining Ministry of Defence who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a 6-month probation period (unless otherwise advised) effective from the employment start date.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

Access to the NHS pension scheme is available to the successful candidate.

If found successful for this position, you will be required to provide evidence of your immunity to Hepatitis B. Please note that evidence of your vaccination is not a proof of your immunity, but your serology levels will be required. Failure to provide sufficient evidence may result in the offer of employment being withdrawn.

To be considered for this role, qualifications and memberships detailed must be held in full, prior to submitting your application.

The post does NOT offer relocation expenses (move of home, excess fares or temporary transfer). Non-Standard move applicants will be eligible for the full package, subject to eligibility.

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points-based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected, and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

This vacancy is part of the A Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact dbscivpers-sgdmsresourcing@mod.gov.uk.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Upper second-class honours degree or higher in Psychology
  • Eligibility for Graduate Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
  • Full UK Driving Licence and ability to drive.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be high paced and/or emotive.
  • High standard of report writing.
  • Good organisational and time managements skills
  • Abilities in use of databases or data-analysis, including Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows and Excel.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

  • An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge, underpinned by theory, to a military mental health context.
  • Ability to adapt style and or intervention strategies to meet the challenges of complex and highly sensitive situations.
  • Ability to liaise with and work alongside clinical and academic teams
  • Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently.
  • Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
  • Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support and supervision when needed.
  • An understanding of psychology applied to health care.

Provide a CV

Essential

  • Please copy and paste your full CV as your response to this question; you will not be able to upload your CV as an attachment.
  • Please ensure to refer to the essential criteria where applicable as your application may be rejected should insufficient information to shortlist be included.
  • Please use double spacing where possible

Behaviour Statement

Essential

  • Have you been dismissed for gross misconduct relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation from any role in the past five years, or resigned or otherwise left a role but would have been dismissed for such gross misconduct because of an adverse decision, had you continued in that employment?
  • Please respond with Yes or No as appropriate.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Upper second-class honours degree or higher in Psychology
  • Eligibility for Graduate Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
  • Full UK Driving Licence and ability to drive.

Skills and Abilities

Essential

  • High level communication skills (written and verbal) including an ability to communicate and work in settings in which the atmosphere may be high paced and/or emotive.
  • High standard of report writing.
  • Good organisational and time managements skills
  • Abilities in use of databases or data-analysis, including Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows and Excel.

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

  • An ability to apply existing psychological knowledge, underpinned by theory, to a military mental health context.
  • Ability to adapt style and or intervention strategies to meet the challenges of complex and highly sensitive situations.
  • Ability to liaise with and work alongside clinical and academic teams
  • Ability to work independently, reliably and consistently.
  • Ability to accept and use supervision appropriately and effectively.
  • Ability to recognise limits of competence and seek support and supervision when needed.
  • An understanding of psychology applied to health care.

Provide a CV

Essential

  • Please copy and paste your full CV as your response to this question; you will not be able to upload your CV as an attachment.
  • Please ensure to refer to the essential criteria where applicable as your application may be rejected should insufficient information to shortlist be included.
  • Please use double spacing where possible

Behaviour Statement

Essential

  • Have you been dismissed for gross misconduct relating to bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation from any role in the past five years, or resigned or otherwise left a role but would have been dismissed for such gross misconduct because of an adverse decision, had you continued in that employment?
  • Please respond with Yes or No as appropriate.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)

Address

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre

Stanford Hall

Loughborough

LE12 5QW


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)

Address

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre

Stanford Hall

Loughborough

LE12 5QW


Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Jennifer Ditchfield

jennifer.ditchfield102@mod.gov.uk

Details

Date posted

04 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year Pro Rata for part time * Pay award pending

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

K0003-25-0415

Job locations

Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre

Stanford Hall

Loughborough

LE12 5QW


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Services)'s privacy notice (opens in a new tab)