Developmental Pediatrician, Cleft Palate Craniofacial Program

BC Children’s Hospital / University of British Columbia

0.4 (flexible/shared arrangements considered)

Vancouver, British Columbia



General Information


The Developmental Pediatrician, Cleft Palate Craniofacial Program (CPCP) will work with BC Children’s Hospital, in partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC), within the provincial Cleft Palate Craniofacial Program. This program comprises an ACPA-accredited multidisciplinary team providing comprehensive care from prenatal diagnosis through transition to adult services.


This role offers a unique opportunity to shape a provincial model of excellence in developmental and craniofacial care — advancing equity, precision assessment, and integrated pathways for children, youth, and families across British Columbia.


The Developmental Pediatrician will work in close partnership within a high-functioning multidisciplinary team, including specialists in plastic surgery, otolaryngology (ENT), dentistry/orthodontics, audiology, speech-language pathology (SLP), psychology, nursing, genetics, and social work. Together with the CPCP Medial Geneticist, they will support a comprehensive, longitudinal model of care that integrates precision diagnosis (genomic and etiologic assessment); developmental and functional assessment across the lifespan; equity-informed, family-centred care pathways; and seamless coordination across hospital, community, education, and adult systems.



Specific Accountabilities


The Developmental Pediatrician provides specialized developmental assessment, diagnosis, and ongoing management for infants, children, and youth with orofacial clefts and other craniofacial conditions, including associated neurodevelopmental differences (NDDs).



Clinical Expertise


Conduct comprehensive developmental assessments (cognitive, language, motor, social-emotional, adaptive).
Diagnose and manage a broad range of NDDs and mental health conditions, including GDD/ID, ASD, language and learning disorders, developmental coordination disorder, ADHD, and mood disorders.
Perform detailed physical, neurodevelopmental, and dysmorphology examinations relevant to cleft and craniofacial conditions.

Utilize and interpret standardized tools (e.g., ADOS-2, MSEL, HINE, ABAS-3, WRAT) and Level C psychometric testing (e.g., WISC, WPPSI, WIAT, NEPSY, BRIEF).



Interdisciplinary Care and Communication


Work within a multidisciplinary team including plastic surgery, ENT, dentistry/orthodontics, audiology, Speech-Language Pathology (SLP), genetics, psychology, nursing, and social work.
Integrate interdisciplinary assessments into coordinated, longitudinal care plans.
Communicate complex developmental and genetic information clearly to families and youth.
Produce high-quality clinical reports facilitating equitable access, education planning, transition, and funding access.

Engage in youth- and family-centred shared decision-making.



Health Advocacy and Systems Navigation

Develop individualized, culturally safe, trauma-informed, and function-based care plans addressing developmental, behavioural, feeding, hearing, sleep, and communication needs.

Facilitate access to services including early intervention, school supports/Individualized Education Plans, and Community Living BC.

Align recommendations with evolving BC funding frameworks, supporting equitable access based on functional need.


Program and System Contribution

Contribute to program development, quality improvement, and innovation within provincial and ACPA-aligned cleft and craniofacial care systems and AboutFace Canada patient and family voices.

Support coordinated care pathways, including referrals to Sunny Hill, CDBC, BCAAN, and neuromotor services.
Participate in teaching, mentorship, and academic activities within UBC and BCCH



Qualifications


This position requires a Medical Doctor degree with current licensure or eligibility for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia and Royal College certification in Pediatrics with subspecialty certification in Developmental Pediatrics.


The successful candidate will receive a UBC academic appointment (rank commensurate with experience) and contribute to clinical care, teaching, and scholarly activities. Experience in academic engagement in teaching, quality improvement, and/or research is desirable, along with experience in multidisciplinary, team-based care. If candidates are also interested in joint appointments across clinical specialties, please note this in your application as joint appointments may be considered.


Candidates will require demonstrated expertise in the evaluation and management of complex neurodevelopmental conditions. Specialized areas of knowledge: developmental and etiologic evaluation of orofacial cleft and craniofacial populations, including chromosomal and copy number variants (e.g., 22q11.2 deletion); single-gene conditions (e.g., Stickler syndrome, IRF6-related conditions); craniosynostosis pathways (e.g., FGFR) and other syndromic conditions (e.g., Treacher Collins); and teratogen exposure assessment (e.g., FASD, medications, maternal illness). Expertise is also required in the areas of developmental impacts of hearing, vision, speech/resonance disorders, and medical complexity; and interpretation of genetic testing results and integration into management planning in alignment with provincial standards.


The successful candidate will also demonstrate a commitment to beginning and continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. They will demonstrate a willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.


As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Foundational knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Demonstrated understanding the impact of social determinants of health on health outcomes and a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.



Contact


Applications, accompanied by a cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae, and the name, title, rank and contact information of four references, should be directed to: Health Match BC



What we do


BC Children's Hospital (BCCH) is an academic health science center dedicated to the care of children, youth and their families and is affiliated with the Faculty of Medicine at The University of British Columbia (UBC). In 2023, it was ranked fifth in the World’s Best Specialized Hospitals. UBC is Canada’s third largest university and consistently ranks among the 40 best universities in the world. Primarily situated in Vancouver, UBC is a research-intensive university and has an economic impact of $4 billion to the provincial economy.


BCCH is a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) which plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Create equity – Be courageous.


The BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) is a partnership of UBC and PHSA whose programs include BC Children’s Hospital, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children and the BC Women’s Hospital and Health Centre. The BCCHR is dedicated to high quality research spanning a wide range of concerns relevant to children’s and family health.


PHSA, BCCH, BCCHR and UBC are committed to anti-racism and equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.


One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at ***@phsa.ca (🔒 Premium).


Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

Qualifications:
Current College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia (CPSBC) License (Full); Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) (Mandatory); Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada (FRCSC) (Mandatory)