Child Life Specialist

Company: UW Health
Location: Madison
Posted on: January 30, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description UW Health is seeking a Child Life Specialist for a job in MADISON, Wisconsin. Job Description & Requirements - Specialty: Child Life Specialist - Discipline: Allied Health Professional - Duration: Ongoing - Employment Type: Staff Work Schedule: Part-time, 60% FTE, evening/night shift. This position will work 12-hour shifts between the hours of 7:00pm and 7:30am and will be scheduled a weekend rotation. Hours may vary based on the operational needs of the department. Be part of something remarkable Come make a difference in the lives of pediatric patients at UW Health. We are seeking a Child Life Specialist to: - Provide age-appropriate information and administer appropriate child life therapies in conjunction with the patient's age, medical condition, and family/significant others. - Work with both outpatients and inpatients (and families) during their medical encounters to foster a level of trust and comfort, which allows children to express their fears, discontents, and misconceptions about their care. - Advocate for patients and provide appropriate clinical interventions to the ever-changing needs of children with chronic illness and handicapping conditions that are potentially disruptive to children's development and effective family functioning. - Work with an interdisciplinary team to set priorities in the planning, implementation and evaluation of therapeutic and psychosocial programming of child life services with all children and families receiving care in the outpatient and inpatient areas. At UW Health, you will have: - An excellent benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, two-week paid parental leave and adoption assistance. - Options for a variety of schedules and shifts that offer flexibility and allow for work-life balance. - Access to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being. - Tuition benefits eligibility - UW Health invests in your professional growth by helping pay for coursework associated with career advancement. - The opportunity to earn a referral bonus for referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions. Qualifications - Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Child Life, Child Development, or a related field Required - Master's Degree from an accredited college or university in Child Life, Child Development, or a related field Preferred Work Experience - Completion of a Child Life internship with a minimum of 480 hours in a pediatric health care setting Required - At least two (2) years of related experience working with children and adolescents in a hospital setting Preferred - Experience in specific specialty area Preferred - Paid clinical experience Preferred Licenses & Certifications - Certified as a Child Life Specialist by the Association for Child Life Professionals (ACLP) or certification in progress with ability to obtain this credential within 1 Year Required - CPR certification or attain certification within 90 Days Required Our Commitment to Social Impact and BelongingUW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day. It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin—also a Magnet®-designated facility—provides specialized care in a healing environment designed especially for pediatric patients and their families. American Family Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive pediatric medical and surgical center, with nationally recognized pediatric specialists in a wide range of fields. It is also home to our Level One Pediatric Trauma Center and Level IV NICU, which cares for the tiniest patients throughout Wisconsin and beyond. View Full Job Description UW Hospital and Clinics benefits /n/n UW Health Job ID 44381. Posted job title: Child Life Specialist About UW Health UW Health is an integrated academic health system that is home to the No. 1 hospital in Wisconsin (for the 13th year in a row) as ranked by U.S. News & World Report. We’re made up of six main hospitals, one JOA partner hospital in Madison and two hospitals located within the main hospital in Illinois. We also have more than 90 clinics across Wisconsin and northern Illinois. UW Health cares for more than 800,000 patients each year and employs more than 24,000 people — one of the region’s largest employers. Many of our 1,800 physicians are faculty members at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, one of the nation’s highly regarded medical schools. Benefits - Holiday Pay - Vision benefits - Continuing Education - Sick pay - Dental benefits - Life insurance - Discount program - Pet insurance - Wellness and fitness programs - Medical benefits

Keywords: UW Health, Palatine , Child Life Specialist, Healthcare , Madison, Illinois