Providence·Anchorage, Alaska
The Child Life Specialist coordinates and implements therapeutic and educational programs to help pediatric patients and their families adjust to hospitalization. They provide interventions to reduce the negative psychological impact of illness through play, discussion, and the promotion of coping skills.
We are hiring for Child Life Specialist position at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, AK!
Position is Full time, 1 FTE, Variable Shift, 40 hours per week.
Apply today! Applicants that meet qualifications will receive an invite with additional screening questions from our HireVue system!
Responsible for the coordination, planning, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive therapeutic and educational programs with the emphasis on the Pediatric patients' and families' positive adjustment to hospitalization. Provides interventions to circumvent the negative psychological impact of hospitalization and illness. Includes working with all pediatric age patients to facilitate their socialization and positive adjustment to the hospital environment by promoting age appropriate activities to assure continued growth and development; by preparing them for the necessary medical interventions through play and/or discussion; by encouraging the use of coping skills during stressful medical encounters and by fostering the patient's self expression, autonomy, sense of mastery and positive self esteem.
Providence caregivers are not simply valued – they’re invaluable. Join our team at Providence Alaska Medical Center and thrive in our culture of patient-focused, whole-person care built on understanding, commitment, and mutual respect. Your voice matters here, because we know that to inspire and retain the best people, we must empower them.
Why Join Providence?
Our best-in-class benefits [https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fprovidence.jobs%2Fbenefits%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cethelleah.torres1%40providence.org%7C6da11282629946c936bc08dbf64b1e78%7C2e3190869a2646a3865f615bed576786%7C0%7C0%7C638374574718197112%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=CHUc7JRL0t6AAExYx6UfCEVEH8gfmaw9cEOZ4wX0%2BZU%3D&reserved=0] are uniquely designed to support you and your family in staying well, growing professionally, and achieving financial security. We take care of you, so you can focus on delivering our Mission [https://providence.jobs/mission/] of caring for everyone, especially the most vulnerable in our communities.
The Providence family of organizations has a vision of health for a better world. As such, we are called to care wisely for our communities, resources, and earth. Our organizations strive to become carbon negative by 2030.
Accepting a new position at another facility that is part of the Providence family of organizations may change your current benefits. Changes in benefits, including paid time-off, happen for various reasons. These reasons can include changes of Legal Employer, FTE, Union, location, time-off plan policies, availability of health and welfare benefit plan offerings, and other various reasons.
At Providence, our strength lies in Our Promise of “Know me, care for me, ease my way.” Working at our family of organizations means that regardless of your role, we’ll walk alongside you in your career, supporting you so you can support others. We provide best-in-class benefits and we foster an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued, and everyone is essential, heard and respected. Together, our 120,000 caregivers (all employees) serve in over 50 hospitals, over 1,000 clinics and a full range of health and social services across Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas and Washington. As a comprehensive health care organization, we are serving more people, advancing best practices and continuing our more than 100-year tradition of serving the poor and vulnerable.
Posted are the minimum and the maximum wage rates on the wage range for this position. The successful candidate's placement on the wage range for this position will be determined based upon relevant job experience and other applicable factors. These amounts are the base pay range; additional compensation may be available for this role, such as shift differentials, standby/on-call, overtime, premiums, extra shift incentives, or bonus opportunities.
Providence offers a comprehensive benefits package including a retirement 401(k) Savings Plan with employer matching, health care benefits (medical, dental, vision), life insurance, disability insurance, time off benefits (paid parental leave, vacations, holidays, health issues), voluntary benefits, well-being resources and much more. Learn more at providence.jobs/benefits [https://providence.jobs/benefits/].
Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Unincorporated Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act [https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/images.provhealth.org/HR-onboarding/LA_County_Fair_Chance_Ordinance_2024.pdf].
Providence has a long history of serving Alaska, beginning when the Sisters of Providence first brought health care to Nome in 1902 during the Gold Rush. This pioneering spirit set the standard for modern health care in Alaska and formed the foundation for Providence's growth as the state's largest private employer and leading health care provider.
Our award-winning and comprehensive medical centers are located in Anchorage, Eagle River, Kodiak Island, Mat-Su, Seward, and Valdez. Our not-for-profit network also provides a full spectrum of care with leading-edge diagnostics and treatment, outpatient health centers, physician groups and clinics, outreach programs, and hospice and home care.
Providence is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer [https://www.providenceiscalling.jobs/eeo/]. We are committed to the principle that every workforce member has the right to work in surroundings that are free from all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, veteran, military status, religion, age, creed, national origin, sexual identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. We believe diversity [https://providence.jobs/diversity/] makes us stronger, so we are dedicated to shaping an inclusive workforce, learning from each other, and creating equal opportunities for advancement.
Applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development, Child Life, or a related field and possess a National Certified Child Life Specialist certification. A Master's degree and two years of relevant experience are preferred.
Market context
Child Life Specialist roles in Alaska are typically tied to pediatric hospitals and other acute care settings, where demand can be steady because the work requires specialized training and certification. These positions are competitive because employers often prefer candidates with a bachelor’s degree in Child Development, Child Life, or a related field, plus National Certified Child Life Specialist certification; a master’s degree and relevant experience can strengthen an application. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits here to save research time, then tailor your application to highlight child-focused clinical experience and certification status.