Psychiatrist - Secure Extended Care Unit

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• Hours per week:  17.5
• Employment status:  Permanent part time (fractional)
• Appointment available:  from 6 April 2026

Austin Health is the major provider of tertiary health services, health professional education and research across three campuses in the north-east of Melbourne and statewide. We have a highly engaged, diverse and collaborative workforce that is unified by our goal to help people live healthy and fulfilled lives. 

About the department

Austin Health’s Mental Health Division (MHD) provides care and services through a comprehensive range of teams to meet the needs of mental health consumers and carers throughout Victoria.  Services in the MHD are located across Austin Health and in the community. 

The Secure Extended Care Unit (SECU) is part of the Adult and Older Mental Health Service located at the Austin Hospital in Heidelberg. SECU is a 25-bed facility providing secure inpatient treatment and care for people with severe symptomatology and associated behavioural disturbance who require an extended period of sustained treatment and rehabilitation in a contained environment. The program is broadly based on a recovery-orientated model which is flexible in providing individualised plans of care.

About the role 

This is a senior Medical Position and carries with it the professional responsibilities of clinical leadership, teaching and training as well as administrative requirements.  You will be working with a team of professionals to make a difference to consumers impacted by mental health difficulties.

About you 

You will be someone who has excellent communication skills, with a strong commitment to excellence in patient care. You’ll bring energy and drive to your work and have a keen interest in developing your skillset.

You’ll further bring with you: 

• Medical Practitioner registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists or equivalent post graduate specialist qualification.
• Experience in providing services to people with serious mental illness.
• A commitment to community approaches to the care of the mentally ill and providing support for their families.
• Demonstrated commitment to high quality patient care.

Our benefits 

Working at Austin Health means enjoying a strong sense of purpose, engaging in meaningful work every day. Our people also receive a variety of rewarding benefits, including: 

• Greater take-home pay through generous salary packaging, for living expenses, meals, and holiday accommodation. 
• A suite of wellness initiatives designed to support you, including discounted fitness memberships and special offers on health insurance, and a comprehensive wellbeing program. 
• Onsite childcare at Austin Hospital, easy access via public transport and car parking options. 
• Mentoring and career development opportunities. 

Work with us! 

We are committed to cultural safety and health equity for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People. We celebrate, value, and include people of all backgrounds, genders, identities, cultures, bodies, and abilities. We welcome and support applications from talented people identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, people with disability, neurodiverse people, LGBTQIA+ and people of all ages and cultures. 

If you feel this role is right for you, we encourage your early application. Even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. What matters most is your passion, your drive and your willingness to learn and contribute. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and interviews may take place prior to the closing date. This means we reserve the right to close a job ad prior to the advertised closing date. 

All appointments are made subject to a satisfactory National Police Check and if required, a Working With Children Check. If you require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, you are welcome to reach out to the hiring manager: Victoria Harpwood, Clinical Director at Victoria.HARPWOOD@austin.org.au

Interested in finding out more about this opportunity? Read the position description for further details. 

Application closing date: Sunday 1 February 2026