Clinical Counselor (12 months), SSP AR II

Job Summary

Reporting to the Director of Counseling & Psychological Services, this position supports this mission through the provision of individual, couples, and group counseling, crisis intervention, outreach, consultation, and prevention education as a member of the CAPS team within Campus Health & Wellbeing. The position requires considerable crisis intervention and work with serious presenting concerns as well as the ability to conceptualize cases and provide diagnoses within a sociocultural context. Clinicians with specialization and expertise in working with historically marginalized students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Department Summary

Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) is a department within Campus Health & Wellbeing under Student Affairs & Strategic Enrollment Management at Cal Poly. CAPS provides a variety of culturally responsive services to help enrolled students understand themselves, enjoy satisfying relationships, achieve academic success, and make effective life choices. CAPS promotes the development of holistic student emotional health and serves the campus through advocacy and the provision of confidential, accessible services. Additionally, CAPS provides outreach, educational services, and campus consultations.

For more information on other openings within the department, please see Cal Poly Jobs .

Key Qualifications

• Demonstrated competence with diversity and intersectionality, and ability to address the mental health needs of historically marginalized populations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of FERPA, HIPAA, and the California Medical Information Act as it relates to the provision of psychotherapy in a university counseling center and confidentiality.
• Demonstrated ability to speak publicly, provide training to, and consult with the campus community regarding mental health topics.
• Demonstrated experience providing brief individual and group psychotherapy to late adolescent and young adult populations including DSM diagnosis.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage clinical crisis situations, including hospitalizations.

Education and Experience

• Possession of a Master’s degree in appropriate field and current licensure or eligible for licensure to practice in the State of California as an LPCC, LCSW or LMFT with a minimum of 7 years of clinical experience post-licensure (in any state or province).
  
  OR
  
• Possession of doctoral degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology and current licensure or eligible for licensure as a psychologist in the State of California with a minimum of 5 years of clinical experience post licensure (in any state or province).
  
• Experience working in a college mental health setting

(Note that hiring level will be commensurate with the qualifications and experience of the candidate.)

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, DEGREES, CREDENTIALS:

• All counselors must be licensed in California within two years of initial appointment.
• Preferred: Current California psychologist, LPCC, LCSW, or LMFT license that is free of active disciplinary action.

Salary and Benefits

Anticipated Hiring Range: $108,000-$115,000

Classification Range: $93,960-$168,228

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 Anticipated Hiring Range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Classification Range may be broader than what the University anticipates paying for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees' Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees. See our benefits website for additional information.

Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally-ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 20,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit calpoly.edu .

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Cal Poly is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At Cal Poly, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. Cal Poly will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions. Applicants for staff and management positions must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

For health and well-being, Cal Poly is a smoke & tobacco-free campus. The university is committed to promoting a healthy environment for all members of our community.

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California and prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU related work outside of California.

How to Apply

To apply, please attach (1) a cover letter illustrating how you meet the requirements of the position, particularly regarding crisis and diagnostic experience and expertise in providing services to underserved student populations, (2) curriculum vitae (CV), (3) unofficial transcripts to your online application, (4) a copy of license (as applicable), and (5) responses to the supplemental application questions listed below.

Please be prepared to provide three professional references with names and email addresses when completing the online faculty application. Cal Poly will directly solicit letters from the people listed by applicants; please include your current/most recent supervisor as one of these three. Sealed official transcripts showing highest degree earned will be required of finalists.

Supplemental Questions are included within the application.
How do you tailor your approach to clinical work to meet the unique needs of diverse client populations? How have your specific training, experience, and educational endeavors prepared you for this position at Cal Poly?

For questions, please contact: Andrea Lawson - 805-756-2511 or alawso07@calpoly.edu

Advertised: Feb 03 2026 Pacific Standard Time
Applications close:

• 

• California Polytechnic State University

• 805-756-2236

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