Staff Psychotherapist (BIPOC Student Focus)
Anticipated Start: Spring 2026
Position Description: Cal Poly Humboldt Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is collecting applications for a Staff Psychotherapist or Psychologist with a particular focus on identifying and supporting the mental health needs of students of color. This full-time position will include providing direct clinical services (individual and couples counseling, group psychotherapy, and crisis intervention) as well as outreach, and other duties assigned. Outreach and campus engagement will involve close collaboration with our University’s Cultural Centers of Academic Excellence. Depending on experience and qualifications of the candidate, the clinician may also be involved in ongoing training and support efforts to strengthen cultural competency among CAPS staff.
Professional Duties:
- Clinical services - Provide individual and couples counseling, single-session therapy, group psychotherapy, and crisis intervention.
- Outreach services - Engage in outreach presentations and workshops with a focus on supporting the mental health of students of color; foster relationships with University’s Cultural Centers for Academic Excellence; and provide consultations with faculty, staff, and students.
- Training activities - Provide individual and group clinical supervision and training of post-graduate residents and practicum trainees in the university’s master’s in counseling program
- Other professional duties as assigned - For example, depending on the qualifications and interest of the successful candidate, the position may involve training and support for CAPS staff to increase cultural competency and to develop cultural humility, consultation with CAPS leadership on improving access to services for students of color, engagement in additional administrative and professional activities.
Minimum Qualifications:
Degree-
- Master’s Degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, Social Work, or closely related field. Doctorate Degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, Social Work, or closely related field will be given preference.
- California license-eligible (as a Psychologist, LMFT, or LCSW) by date of appointment (e.g. potential for licensure within a year of hire).
Experience-
- Experience in time‐limited psychotherapy and crisis intervention with young adults.
- Competence in the assessment and treatment of AOD issues, trauma, anxiety, and depression.
- Professional experience supporting communities of color, knowledge of historic and current issues facing people of color, expertise in both outreach to, and engagement with, historically underserved groups.
- The ability to conceptualize cases and provide diagnoses within a sociocultural context.
- Collaborative team member with excellent communication skills.
- Ability to keep up with the fast pace of the center and maintain timely case documentation.
Preferred:
- Professional license to practice as a mental health clinician.
- Previous experience providing psychological services in a university or college counseling center.
- Interest and experience providing clinical supervision, particularly with counseling students just learning to be therapists.
- Specialization in time-limited approaches to therapy (such as, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).
- Experience and interest in leading psychotherapy or psycho-educational groups.
- Strong skills in suicide risk assessment and management and working with “high risk” issues more generally.
- Bilingual (ability to conduct services in both English and Spanish).
Rank and Salary: This is an open rank position and outstanding candidates at both the SSP AR I and SSP AR II rank will be considered. Rank and salary are dependent on the successful candidate's experience, qualifications and degree of assigned leadership tasks. The expected salary range is $75,000 to $92,000 for the academic year position (which is paid over a 12-month period). Early career (e.g., non-licensed or recently licensed candidates) are expected to be hired at the lower end of this pay scale ($75,000 to $83,000) and candidates with longer-standing mental health licensure and experience are expected to land higher on the pay scale ($84,000 to $92,000).
Application: For consideration, applicants must include a letter of interest describing relevant skills and experience, reasons for interest, and the unique qualities you would bring to Humboldt. In addition, please submit a detailed resume/C.V., and names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three professional references.
In your Letter of Interest, please address interest and experience in supporting the mental health needs of people of color.
Application Deadline: This position has an anticipated start of Spring 2026; will remain open until filled. First review date November 14, 2025. Early response is encouraged. Candidates are welcome to utilize fax (707-826-5735), e-mail (humboldtcaps@humboldt.edu), or post for correspondence.
Background Check: Cal Poly Humboldt conducts Live Scan criminal history background checks for all new hires, including current counselors applying for vacant counselor positions. Live Scan fingerprinting costs will be borne by the University. Confidential background check results are reported to Human Resources.
The Department: The primary location of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is the Student Health & Counseling (SHC) building on campus. The CAPS facility (2nd floor, above medical services) includes 13 clinician offices, a reception area and waiting room, a group room, and a shared conference room and staff kitchen / break room. CAPS has a secondary location across campus in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSS) building that serves as our primary training site for practicum trainees. CAPS includes ten licensed clinicians, and several therapists-in-training, working as a team. Peer consultation is emphasized and constantly utilized in a supportive and collegial atmosphere. The staff is especially interested in clinicians who will support this type of work environment. Most of our professional staff members are involved in supervising trainees. Professionals at CAPS represent a range of theoretical orientations.
General Information:
As an institution, Cal Poly Humboldt is committed to eliminating the equity gap in all student populations with dynamic, student-centered practices and policies that fully engage the campus community. The ideal candidate will share Cal Poly Humboldt’s commitment to helping its racially and socioeconomically diverse students succeed in their degree and career objectives.
We value the ability to serve students from a broad range of cultural heritages, socioeconomic backgrounds, genders, ability, and orientations. Therefore, we prioritize applicants who demonstrate they understand the benefits diversity brings to a professional educational community. The successful candidate will be an equity-minded individual committed to collaborating with faculty, classified staff, administration, and students who are also committed to closing equity gaps.
Cal Poly Humboldt is part of the 23-campus California State University system. The University has a comprehensive arts and sciences curriculum, which is recognized nationally for its high academic quality. Founded in 1913, Cal Poly Humboldt began as a small college for teachers. Today Humboldt has grown into a comprehensive university with rigorous science and liberal arts programs. Designated a polytechnic in 2022, Cal Poly Humboldt provides hands-on, impactful educational opportunities that lead to meaningful, measurable outcomes for the individual, for the state, and the world. Cal Poly Humboldt is proud to have nearly 6,000 students of all backgrounds spread across 61 majors, 13 graduate programs, and 4 credential programs — all of whom contribute passion and creativity within their fields and set the stage for a future grounded in equity and sustainability. Hands-on learning, inspired teaching, groundbreaking research, and thought-provoking creative activity happen daily at Humboldt. Finding a better future is a task for the bold, open, down-to-earth, and visionary. Cal Poly Humboldt strives to cultivate these qualities in leaders, innovators, and scholars in every field.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s main campus is located in Arcata, California, in the northwestern part of the state along the coast, situated among redwood trees in an area that offers unmatched scenic beauty, moderate climate and opportunities for outdoor activities. The surrounding Humboldt County locale has a population of around 130,000. The community offers an excellent range of businesses, services and cultural activities/performances. The local schools are ranked in the top performance percentiles, both nationally and in the state. Additional information about Cal Poly Humboldt can be found at: http://www.humboldt.edu.
Cal Poly Humboldt sits on the traditional homelands of the Wiyot people in what is currently called Arcata, CA. The Wiyot people call the area Goudi’ni (over in the woods). The Cal Poly Humboldt campus in Northern California is in close proximity to several thriving Native American tribes and communities. Cal Poly Humboldt currently has the largest percentage of Native American students in the CSU system and has over 30 Native American faculty and staff many from local area California Indian tribes. Cal Poly Humboldt is home to a number of leading Native American programs including the Indian Tribal Education and Personnel Program (ITEPP) and the Indian Natural Resource, Science and Engineering Program (INRSEP). There are also many opportunities at Cal Poly Humboldt to conduct research, teaching and community work on Native American history and cultures in Special Collections at the Cal Poly Humboldt library. The Humboldt Room in the Library has fantastic resources for tribally focused archive materials from the region. Cal Poly Humboldt strives to build a supportive and inclusive Native community and engages with Native communities through various initiatives and opportunities like the annual California Indian Big Time and Indigenous People’s Week and a chance to network with other faculty and staff as part of the Cal Poly Humboldt Council of American Indian Faculty and Staff. For more information, please visit: https://www.humboldt.edu/nas.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide complete and accurate employment information. Evidence of required degree(s), certification(s), or license(s) will be required prior to the appointment date. A background check (including a criminal records check, employment verification, and education verification) must be completed satisfactorily as a condition of employment with the CSU. Certain positions may also require a credit check, motor vehicle report, and/or fingerprinting through Live Scan service. Adverse findings from a background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current CSU employees who apply for the position. All CSU employees are obligated to respond to and report incidents of sexual harassment and sexual violence. The successful candidate for this position will be mandated to receive relevant training on an annual basis. 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.
Working in the state of California is a condition of employment for this position. Pursuant to the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy (effective January 1, 2022), hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside of the state of California is prohibited. The employee must be able to accept on-campus instruction, as assigned, and come to campus when needed. The CSU also prohibits hiring and retaining employees working permanently from a business location outside of the United States.
Maintaining eligibility to work in the United States is a condition of employment. Cal Poly Humboldt does not sponsor H-1B visas for staff, management, or temporary faculty positions. See the policy and other resources located here: https://www.humboldt.edu/academic-personnel-services/faculty-immigration-resources. Please contact aps@humboldt.edu if you have questions.
New employees hired by the CSU for the first time who first become CalPERS members on or after July 1, 2017 are subject to a 10 year vesting period for retiree health and dental benefits.
Cal Poly Humboldt is a Title IX/Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status. If accommodations need to be made during the recruitment and interview process, please contact Human Resources at (707) 826-3626 or hr@humboldt.edu.