College Therapist - LGBTQIA+ Specialist

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment : Apply by 6/12/2026 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Reassignment Applicants : Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

Applicants must provide a cover letter in order for your application to be considered complete.

The mission of the Student Health & Well-Being (SHW) cluster is to promote a culture of health and well-being for the student community, deliver equitable high quality innovative services, incorporate inclusive approaches, and celebrate diversity, with the goal of adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors contributing to the academic success and personal development of all students.

The UC San Diego SHW cluster, which reports through UC San Diego Health System, plays a leadership role in creating a strong and active wellness culture that enables all students to flourish in body, mind and spirit. This includes promotion and the transformation of existing departments, under the oversight of the Executive Director, into a cohesive, trans-disciplinary source of integrated wellness services. The SHW cluster includes the departments of Student Health Services (SHS); Health Promotion Services (HPS); Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS); Assessment and Analytics (SHAA), Strategic Planning, Innovation and Research (SPIR); and SHW Administration (ADM).

CAPS delivers campus-based mental health services to registered UC San Diego undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students. CAPS' multicultural, multidisciplinary, and student-centered staff strives to deliver trauma informed, culturally proficient counseling and psychiatric services, psycho-educational preventive outreach and early intervention programming, consultation, research, and training opportunities. CAPS is accredited by the International Accreditation of Counseling Services (IACS) and the Post-doctoral Resident Training Program is affiliated with the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Center (APPIC). CAPS is fully committed to self-examination, peer review, and quality improvement through the utilization of metrics, data, clinical outcomes, client experience measurements and feedback.

UCSD CAPS is seeking a skilled mental health professional, experienced in reducing barriers to student mental health care in a multicultural university environment, to provide counseling and clinical services for a diverse student population. Emphasis area for this position will be addressing the mental health needs of students within intersecting LGBTQIA+ identities and communities, to foster their academic success and wellness at UCSD. This position requires proven training, expertise, and sustained engagement in the provision of affirmative and inclusive care of LGBQIA+ identified young adults, toward their personal development, well-being, and academic success through culturally proficient individual, group and community interventions.

This licensed professional performs psychological assessments towards diagnosis and the formulation of a treatment plan, the provision of focused psychotherapy and referral of students to appropriate level of care. Also participates in after-hours, on-call, and urgent care coverage. The incumbent provides consultation to faculty, staff and administration, engages in mental health promotion and education to a diverse college population through preventive outreach including psycho-educational programming, evaluation and Psychological First Aid Postvention as needed. Incumbent also provides supervision and training of CAPS Post-doctoral Residents and maintains quality assurance and improvement in compliance standards

• Doctorate degree from an accredited program in Clinical or Counseling psychology.

• Unrestricted California license to practice psychology. Out of state licensed within 180 days.

• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification by the start date.

• Demonstrated training, experience, and expertise addressing the mental health needs of those with intersecting LGBQIA+ identities toward their personal development and well-being through culturally responsive individual, group and community interventions.

• Knowledge regarding sex, sexuality, sex positivity, and sexual health for LGBTQIA+ communities. Experience with complex relationship structures, including polyamory, queer platonic, asexuality, aromanticism and other diverse family relationship concepts.

• Demonstrated experience working with under-served college students and young adults, including proven success addressing their social/ecological and psychological experiences and dynamics on campus to foster their matriculation and academic achievements.

• Demonstrated skill in effectively managing mental health emergencies.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct culturally proficient and focused individual and group counseling and psychotherapy.

• Ability to relate warmly, humanely, sensitively and empathetically to others. Demonstrated ability to actively foster a positive, welcoming climate, and value, include and support all in the UC San Diego community.

• Demonstrated experience working with trans and genderqueer populations.

• Thorough knowledge associated with providing evaluation, diagnosis and psychotherapy services. Thorough knowledge of diagnostic / psychological testing methodologies. Ability to conduct complex analysis and develop and present recommendations and course of treatment. (JS)

• Proven ability to develop and implement effective culturally responsive outreach programs and provide consultation, mental health promotion, and preventative psycho-educational outreach services. Ability to assess outcomes and effectiveness of programs to adapt accordingly.

• Ability to work in a highly collaborative manner with diverse client group, members of the medical staff and faculty. (JS) // Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion to foster the best possible working and learning environment.

• Knowledge of clinical supervision, organizational consulting techniques, systems and community psychology models and approaches with demonstrated skills in consultation work with professional and non-professional colleagues.

• Thorough skills associated with conducting complex diagnosis, problem-solving and critical-thinking. (JS) // Demonstrated skills to perform psychological and interest, vocational and aptitudes testing to plan and implement a variety of case dispositions.

• Highly effective written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills. (JS)

• Thorough knowledge of applicable laws and standards of professional conduct.(JS)

• Knowledge of electronic / medical records systems. Must be computer literate. (JS)

• At all times, demonstrate the characteristics of professionalism in attire, attitude, conversation, behavior and attentiveness to others. All staff members are required to uphold the UCSD Principles of Community and to promote a positive and collaborative team environment. Ability to adhere to and practice the mandatory University Core Values & Safety Standards of performance. Ability to at all times adhere to UCSD Health Medical Center (C.A.R.I.N.G.) Standards of Performance as applicable to position.

• Must complete all required training assigned by UCOP, UCSD and SHW/CAPS on a timely basis.

• Ability to use discretion and maintain confidentiality of client, students, faculty, and staff disclosures, and comply with all requirements in use of computer systems and access to any and all patient, student, employee and University data, in electronic and hard copy formats, in compliance with University, state and federal guidelines, including, but not limited to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act(FERPA).

• University Counseling Center experience.
• Bilingual/language Proficiency to provide clinical care in a language other than English.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Must successfully complete credential verification in order to be granted practicing privileges.
• Must work some evenings, weekends, holidays for emergency coverage rotation, outreach and postvention.
• Various work locations, if needed and deemed necessary by the department.
• Must work on campus with ability to telecommute for work, if/when needed and operationally feasible, as determined by department.
• Completion of the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA) form will be required, because this position is listed as a mandated reporter under (CANRA).

Pay Transparency Act

Annual Full Pay Range: $101,954 - $177,522 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)

Hourly Equivalent: $48.83 - $85.02

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).