Staff Psychologist

Job Summary This position is filled by a licensed, experienced psychologist whose core responsibility is to be an active and connected presence within the client community. The Staff Psychologist brings both clinical expertise and a genuine commitment to neurodivergent-affirming care, joining a team that approaches mental health through an empowerment-based, identity-affirming lens. The Staff Psychologist's primary responsibilities include community building among the client milieu, leading group programming, carrying an individual caseload as a primary therapist, and fulfilling administrative leadership duties as directed by the Clinical Director. This is a leadership position that carries expectations for training other staff, organizing events for staff, alumni, and clients, and providing ongoing support to clinical and operations team members. The Staff Psychologist will have, or actively develop, specialty expertise in neurodivergent-affirming clinical practice. This includes an understanding of neurodivergent identity, ableism and its clinical implications, and evidence-based frameworks that center client autonomy and authentic selfhood. The Staff Psychologist will also receive training in trauma-focused modalities, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and is expected to integrate trauma-informed principles into all aspects of clinical care. The Staff Psychologist will develop areas of clinical application that are showcased in marketing activities including writing blogs, presenting at conferences, and other public-facing activities. Clinical Responsibilities The Staff Psychologist carries a caseload of 3 to 5 individual therapy clients. In addition to individual therapy services, responsibilities include: • Participation in weekly treatment team meetings • Attendance at bi-weekly case consultations with staff, clients, and families • Phone communication with client families, referring therapists, and referral sources as needed • Collaborative guidance of therapeutic treatment in partnership with the Clinical Director, Program Director, and Psychiatrist • Screening for suicide, homicide, abuse, and other risk factors; reporting to the treatment team immediately and adhering to all Collective policies on risk management • Completion of all clinical documentation within 24 hours of client contact • Participation in on-call crisis management as part of the full-time clinical team; on-call rotation is approximately one week per month Leadership & Community Responsibilities • Contribute to community building within the client milieu through presence, programming, and a genuine relational approach • Train and support clinical staff in neurodivergent-affirming practices, trauma-focused modalities, and evidence-based frameworks • Organize and participate in events for clients, alumni, and staff • Contribute to the organization's public-facing clinical voice through conference presentations, blog authorship, and other thought leadership activities • Provide ongoing collegial support to clinical and operations team members Education, Experience & Requirements • Doctoral degree in psychology (PhD or PsyD) from an APA-accredited university — required • Current, valid California license to practice as a psychologist — required • Minimum one year of clinical experience working directly with individuals with mental health conditions — required • Experience with or commitment to developing expertise in neurodivergent-affirming clinical practice — required • Training in or willingness to be trained in trauma-focused modalities including EMDR — required • Must be 18 years of age or older • Valid state drivers license • Valid CPR/First Aid certification • Current TB test clearance • Required health screening on file • Criminal record clearance • COVID-19 vaccination or qualified exemption Performance Standards All direct care staff shall hold a minimum of one year of full-time experience, or its part-time equivalent, working in a program serving persons with mental health conditions. Such experience must include direct provision of services to clients. Where a staff member does not meet this threshold at the time of hire, the program shall document a specific plan of supervision and in-service training sufficient to ensure ongoing qualification. This plan shall include, at minimum: the frequency and number of training hours, subjects to be covered, and a description of the supervision to be provided. On-Call Requirements The Staff Psychologist participates in the organization's on-call crisis management rotation as a member of the full-time clinical team. On-call responsibility is approximately one week per month and may include after-hours phone consultation and crisis response coordination. Specific on-call protocols and expectations will be reviewed during onboarding and are subject to The Collective's current crisis management policies. Physical Requirements & Work Environment Work is primarily sedentary in nature. The position requires the ability to occasionally lift 30 or more pounds, and must be able to lift up to 50 pounds when necessary (e.g., luggage). Must be able to walk, stoop, sit, stand, climb, stretch, reach, and demonstrate sufficient finger dexterity. Must be able to walk and work on feet for up to 75% of the workday and maintain a level of mobility sufficient to meet client needs. Acceptable quality of hearing (with or without accommodation) is required due to frequent phone communication with clients, families, and referral sources. The ability to manage multiple concurrent tasks and calls is expected. The position carries inherent risk of exposure to unpredictable client behavior, and all staff are expected to adhere to The Collective's safety protocols at all times.