Psychiatrist

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) — Doctors Without Borders — is seeking a qualified and compassionate Psychiatrist to join its international humanitarian programmes. As a Nobel Peace Prize-winning NGO operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, MSF delivers critical mental health services to populations affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, public health emergencies, and systemic exclusion from healthcare. This is a full-time international field role based in Nairobi, Kenya, with deployment to MSF programme contexts globally.

In this role, you will serve as the clinical lead for mental health interventions, designing and implementing culturally sensitive treatment plans for patients living with a range of psychiatric and psychosocial disorders. You will work closely with locally recruited mental health professionals, providing supervision, training, and mentorship to build sustainable capacity within the teams you lead.

• Propose, implement, and continuously improve individualized treatment plans for patients with mental health disorders, ensuring cultural and contextual appropriateness.
• Conduct individual clinical consultations, psychiatric assessments, and follow-up sessions for patients presenting with complex mental health conditions.
• Organize and facilitate therapeutic group sessions and psycho-educational activities tailored to the needs of the affected population.
• Recruit, train, supervise, and mentor locally recruited mental health staff including psychologists, counselors, and psychosocial workers.
• Adapt clinical tools, protocols, and interventions to align with local cultural norms and respond to evolving field contexts.
• Coordinate mental health activities across multidisciplinary teams including medical, nursing, and social work colleagues.
• Provide clinical guidance on cases involving trauma, PTSD, sexual violence, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other contextually prevalent conditions.
• Document clinical findings, monitor treatment outcomes, and contribute to programme reporting and evaluation.
• Participate in needs assessments and contribute to the strategic planning of mental health programming within the mission.

• Hold a recognized Certification in Psychiatry with current active licensure to practice.
• Demonstrate at least 2 years of post-residency clinical experience in a multidisciplinary setting, applying psychotherapeutic and/or counseling methods.
• Show evidence of clinical practice within the last two years, with a minimum of six months of recent hands-on experience.
• Apply specialized clinical knowledge to mental health issues in at least two of the following areas: HIV/AIDS, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Sexual Violence, Trauma, or Tuberculosis (TB).
• Lead and manage multicultural teams effectively, demonstrating experience in clinical supervision and staff training.
• Communicate professionally in English at an expert level; French fluency is highly valued, and proficiency in Spanish, Arabic, or Portuguese is an asset.
• Demonstrate familiarity with humanitarian or low-resource contexts such as armed conflict zones, disaster-affected areas, public health emergencies, or populations excluded from standard healthcare access.
• Commit to a minimum deployment period of 6 to 12 months within MSF's international programmes.

MSF offers a competitive international humanitarian compensation package commensurate with experience and deployment context. While the exact salary is not publicly disclosed for this role, MSF international field staff typically receive a monthly living allowance, comprehensive medical and life insurance coverage, accommodation in the field, and return travel to and from the mission. Estimated monthly equivalent compensation ranges from KES 350,000 to KES 600,000 depending on experience and mission location. Benefits are benchmarked against INGO sector standards.

This role is ideal for a licensed psychiatrist with strong clinical grounding, genuine commitment to humanitarian principles, and the resilience to work in complex, resource-constrained environments. You are adaptable, culturally sensitive, and thrive in team settings where supervision and knowledge transfer are as valued as direct clinical care. Professionals with experience working with refugees, internally displaced persons, survivors of sexual violence, or communities affected by conflict are especially encouraged to apply. Experience in short-term therapy, community-based mental health, and working with children, youth, and families will strengthen your application.

Please do not apply if you are not willing to be deployed internationally for a minimum of 6 months, are unable to commit to field-based living conditions, or do not hold an active psychiatry license.

• Visit the MSF Kenya careers portal or the official MSF international recruitment page at www.msf.org.
• Prepare an updated CV highlighting your clinical experience, specialization areas, and any humanitarian field exposure.
• Write a motivation letter explaining your interest in humanitarian psychiatry and your availability for deployment.
• Submit your application online through the MSF recruitment system — no walk-in applications are accepted.
• Note: MSF does not charge any fees at any stage of the recruitment process. Do not pay for certifications, assessments, or notarization as part of this application.