Art Therapist in Paediatric Intensive Care - 30%

With more than 13,000 employees representing 160 professions, the Geneva University Hospitals are a reference institution at both national and international levels. To learn more about our institution, take a few minutes to view our 2025 retrospective by clicking here .

The position is attached to the Department of Women, Children and Adolescents , which aims to provide quality care tailored to the needs of women at every stage of their lives, and to address the health issues faced by newborns, children and adolescents from birth up to the age of 16. It works towards the development of cutting-edge services and specialised centres of expertise.

The paediatric and neonatal intensive care unit cares for any newborn, infant or child whose vital functions are threatened and who requires monitoring or therapeutic intervention related to intensive medicine.

Within the paediatric intensive care unit, you support hospitalised children and their families through artistic mediations adapted to their clinical condition and specific needs.

In collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, you contribute to the comprehensive care of the child, particularly in managing anxiety and pain, emotional expression, prevention of medical trauma, as well as supporting end-of-life situations.

Individual care sessions take place at the patient’s bedside or in isolation rooms, requiring constant adaptation to the constraints of the intensive care environment (hygiene, asepsis and infection prevention).

Based on your clinical assessment, you identify the needs of the child and their family, define individualised therapeutic objectives, and ensure the documentation of interventions in the patient’s record.

Using various means such as drawing, modelling, storytelling, music, puppetry or collage, you encourage emotional expression, the development of the child’s resources, and support their hospital experience.

You accompany patients from infancy to adolescence who face anxiety, pain, invasive treatments or the consequences of medical trauma, including when communication abilities are limited or absent.

With parents and siblings, you provide tailored support throughout the care pathway, especially in contexts of palliative care, end of life or bereavement.

Within interdisciplinary meetings and clinical handovers, you share your observations and contribute to the development of coordinated therapeutic responses.

You participate in the development of service projects related to the well-being of hospitalised children, developmental care and paediatric palliative care.

Managing equipment and monitoring the budget allocated to the activity are also part of your responsibilities.

With the care teams, you promote the benefits of art therapy, share your expertise and contribute to the development of this practice within the institution.

You participate in evaluation processes and research projects aimed at enriching knowledge and practices in hospital art therapy.

You hold a Bachelor of Science in Art Therapy or an equivalent qualification recognised in Switzerland.

You also hold the Federal Diploma of Art Therapist or an equivalent qualification recognised in Switzerland, which is an advantage.

You have a minimum of five years of clinical practice in a hospital setting, ideally in paediatrics or acute care, working with children, adolescents and their families.

You demonstrate autonomy, creativity and adaptability in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

In accordance with professional confidentiality, you know how to keep entrusted information confidential.

You possess very good emotional stability, show flexibility in your organisation and manage stress effectively.

• Start date: as soon as possible, no later than 01.01.2027
• Number of positions: 1
• Work rate: 30%
• Job class: 15, 16 if federal diploma additionally held
• Contract: 12-month fixed-term, renewable
• Application deadline: 19.11.2026
• Contact for information: Mr C. Clerc, Deputy HR, cedric.clerc@hug.ch

Your application file must include a letter demonstrating your motivation, your curriculum vitae, copies of diplomas and certificates required for the position, and the last two work certificates.

This announcement is addressed equally to women and men.

Committed to fighting unemployment, the HUG encourages applications from the Cantonal Employment Office.

Only applications submitted via the recruitment platform will be considered. Paper and email applications will not be processed.