MSK Peds - Child Life Specialist

About Us

The people of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) are united by a singular mission: ending cancer for life. Our specialized care teams provide personalized, compassionate, expert care to patients of all ages. Informed by basic research done at our Sloan Kettering Institute, scientists across MSK collaborate to conduct innovative translational and clinical research that is driving a revolution in our understanding of cancer as a disease and improving the ability to prevent, diagnose, and treat it. MSK is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists and clinicians, who go on to pursue our mission at MSK and around the globe.

Exciting Opportunity at MSK: We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Child Life Specialist to join our MSK Kids team within the Department of Pediatrics! In this role, you will provide developmentally appropriate education, therapeutic interventions, and emotional support to pediatric, adolescent, and young adult patients and their families. As a member of our multidisciplinary healthcare team, you will help patients navigate the challenges of illness and treatment while promoting positive coping and normalizing the hospital experience.

MSK Kids – Department of Pediatrics

Our MSK Kids team provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary care to children, adolescents, and young adults undergoing cancer treatment. Child Life Specialists work closely with physicians, nurses, social workers, and other healthcare professionals to support the emotional, developmental, and psychosocial needs of patients and families throughout their care journey.

Role Overview

• Conduct psychosocial assessments to identify the developmental, emotional, and coping needs of pediatric patients and their families.
• Develop and implement individualized therapeutic interventions, including medical play, expressive arts, recreational activities, and developmentally appropriate programming.
• Provide age-appropriate education and preparation for medical procedures, surgeries, diagnoses, and treatments to promote understanding and reduce anxiety.
• Support patients and families during medical procedures through individualized coping strategies, distraction techniques, and emotional support.
• Facilitate individual and group therapeutic activities that encourage self-expression, emotional processing, and positive coping.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to coordinate patient-centered care and participate in disease-specific meetings and psychosocial rounds.
• Assist with special events, patient programming, volunteer supervision and training, and Child Life student internship development.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of patient and family interactions and interventions within the electronic health record (EHR).

Key Qualifications

• Completion of a clinical Child Life internship required.
• Child Life Specialist Certification (CCLS) required or Certification ready (must be certified within one year of employment)
• Knowledge of pediatric growth and development, psychosocial assessments, and developmentally appropriate interventions.
• Experience providing therapeutic play, emotional support, and coping strategies to children, adolescents, and young adults.

Core Skills

• Compassionate and patient-centered professional with a passion for supporting children and families throughout their healthcare experience.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build positive relationships with patients, families, and multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Creative and resourceful problem-solver who can develop individualized therapeutic interventions to meet diverse patient needs.
• Collaborative team player who works effectively across clinical disciplines to support patient care goals.
• Adaptable and organized professional with the ability to prioritize patient needs and provide emotional support in a dynamic healthcare environment.

Additional Information

• Location: 1275 York Avenue, NY, NY
• Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8 hour shifts, intermittent weekend coverage and variable scheduled between hours of 6am and 6pm
• Department: MSK Kids – Pediatrics

Helpful Links

• MSK Compensation Philosophy
• Review Our Great Benefits Offerings

Pay Range: $29.03 - $44.92

FSLA Status: Non-Exempt

Closing :

At MSK, we believe in fair, competitive pay that reflects your job, experience, and skills.

MSK is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruiting and employment. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration without regard to race, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status or any other factor which cannot lawfully be used as a basis for an employment decision.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.