This postdoctoral fellowship will focus primarily on forensic assessment with an opportunity to provide psychotherapy to people returning from incarceration.
The Center for Justice Innovation and Teachers College at Columbia University have partnered up to offer a new postdoctoral fellowship opportunity in forensic psychology.
The fellowship is a full-time, one- to two-year program providing advanced training at the intersection of psychology and law. The program’s mission is to train psychologists to conduct high-quality, evidence-based forensic evaluations in a criminal justice context while upholding ethical guidelines and professional impartiality.
About the Opportunity
Postdoctoral fellows conduct forensic assessments mainly for the Center’s Jail Population Review Program, which reviews information about people who are currently incarcerated in order to identify opportunities for pretrial release or case resolution. In addition to providing a number of clinical consultation services—including independent clinical assessments and review of medical records—the Jail Population Review Program also keeps prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges informed in order to reduce unnecessary pretrial detention.
Fellows in the program gain supervised experience conducting psychological evaluations and clinical assessments in a criminal court context, including diagnostic assessments, violence risk assessments, risk and needs assessments, and mitigation evaluations. They will also have a chance to conduct psychological testing in order to assist in developing treatment plans for people in mental health courts and other alternative-to-incarceration programs.
In collaboration with Columbia University, fellows will have an opportunity to conduct psychotherapy with one participant of the Columbia Reentry Initiative under faculty supervision or audit a graduate-level forensic psychology course (Forensic Assessment or Correctional Psychology). The Columbia Reentry Initiative is a no-cost, evidence-based, and trauma-informed psychological treatment program for people returning to their communities after incarceration.
Fellows receive at least one hour of individual supervision and one hour of group supervision per week. They also attend weekly multidisciplinary case discussions and monthly seminars on topics like relevant case law, report writing for legal audiences, cultural considerations in forensic work, and more.
How to Apply
Applicants in the fellowship program must hold a doctoral degree in psychology (Ph.D. or Psy.D.). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. To learn more about this opportunity or to apply for the program, see here.
The fellowship begins on September 8, 2026. Candidates invited for an interview will be asked to provide three professional references and two clinical assessment writing samples. For more information, please contact Dr. Zoe Feingold at zfeingold@innovatingjustice.org.