Doula Peer Support Specialist

University of Utah Health Research; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Utah Health invites applications for a Doula Peer Support Specialist within the Division of Epidemiology, Program for Addiction Research. The role supports a digitally enhanced peer model for pregnant and postpartum individuals with substance use disorders, providing emotional support, advocacy, education, and care coordination, across in-person, phone, text, and telehealth channels.

You will engage participants, reduce barriers to care, and support wellness goals through

Qualifications

• Certification as a Doula and Peer Support Specialist (or ability to obtain within timeframe).
• Experience with pregnant, postpartum, parenting, or recovery populations preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, advocacy, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of substance use disorders, trauma-informed care, and community resources.
• Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
• Proficiency with smartphones, telehealth platforms, text messaging, and electronic documentation systems.
• Community Health Worker and/or Lactation Counselor credentials are preferred but not required.
• Lived experience with recovery or perinatal services is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Support implementation of CTN-0157 study, providing peer recovery and care coordination.
• Build supportive relationships with pregnant/postpartum participants via in-person and remote contacts.
• Promote engagement in prenatal, postpartum, and substance use treatment services.
• Help participants navigate healthcare and community systems; advocate for needs.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Advocacy

Organizational skills

Trauma-informed care

Knowledge of substance use disorders

Ability to work independently and with

Education

Doula Certification

Community Health Worker credentials

Lactation Counselor credentials

Job description

Details

• Open Date 09/28/2026
• Requisition Number PRN46321B
• Job Title Healthcare Quality Analysts
• Working Title Doula Peer Support Specialist
• Career Progression Track P00
• Track Level P5 - Expert, P4 - Advanced, P3 - Career, P2 - Developing
• FLSA Code Professional
• Patient Sensitive Job Code? Yes
• Standard Hours per Week 40
• Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
• Shift Day
• VP Area U of U Health - Academics
• Department 00952 - Division of Epidemiology
• Location Campus
• City Salt Lake City, UT
• Type of Recruitment External Posting
• Pay Rate Range 50,000 - 60,000
• Close Date 11/02/2026

Job Summary

This position is within the Division of Epidemiology, housed within the Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy: https://medicine.utah.edu/internal-medicine/epidemiology/parcka . The Peer Doula is a certified paraprofessional team member who will support the implementation of CTN -0157, a study evaluating a digitally enhanced model of peer doula support for pregnant and postpartum individuals with substance use disorders. The peer doula provides peer recovery support, emotional support, advocacy, health education, and care coordination for pregnant and postpartum individuals with substance use disorders. Through in-person, telephone, text, and virtual interactions, the Peer Doula builds supportive relationships with participants, promotes engagement in prenatal, postpartum, and substance use treatment services, and helps participants navigate healthcare and community systems. The Peer Doula serves as a bridge between participants and providers, helping reduce barriers to care and supporting recovery, parenting, and wellness goals throughout pregnancy and the first year postpartum.

Qualifications

• Certification as a Doula and Peer Support Specialist (or ability to obtain certification within a specified timeframe).
• Experience working with pregnant, postpartum, parenting, or recovery populations preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, advocacy, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of substance use disorders, recovery support services, trauma-informed care, and community resources.
• Ability to work independently and as part of an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
• Proficiency with smartphones, telehealth platforms, text messaging, and electronic documentation systems.
• Community Health Worker and/or Certified Lactation Counselor credentials are preferred but not required.
• Lived experience with recovery, perinatal services, or community-based support is highly desirable.

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu

The department may choose to hire at any of the below job levels and associated pay rates based on their business need and budget.

Responsibilities

Healthcare Quality Analyst, II

Coordinate clinical performance improvement and patient safety initiatives aimed to improve patient outcomes and delivery of care for an organization that provides healthcare patient services. Establish metrics and measurement processes for analysis of patient safety and the effectiveness and quality of care provided. Provide quality monitoring reports and analysis to management. Ensure ongoing compliance with internal policies and external government regulations. May assist in the training of employees regarding quality improvement and patient safety. Requires moderate skill set and proficiency in discipline. Conducts work assignments of increasing complexity, under moderate supervision with some latitude for independent judgment.

Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

This is a Developing-Level position in the General Professional track.

Job Code: PZ7362

Grade: P13

Expected Pay Range: $29,913 to $68,625

Healthcare Quality Analyst, III

Coordinate clinical performance improvement and patient safety initiatives aimed to improve patient outcomes and delivery of care for an organization that provides healthcare patient services. Establish metrics and measurement processes for analysis of patient safety and the effectiveness and quality of care provided. Provide quality monitoring reports and analysis to management. Ensure ongoing compliance with internal policies and external government regulations. May assist in the training of employees regarding quality improvement and patient safety. Considered highly skilled and proficient in discipline. Conducts complex, important work under minimal supervision and with wide latitude for independent judgment.

Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.

This is a Career-Level position in the General Professional track.

Job Code: PZ7363

Grade: P15

Expected Pay Range: $36,196 to $83,036

Healthcare Quality Analyst, IV

Coordinate clinical performance improvement and patient safety initiatives aimed to improve patient outcomes and delivery of care for an organization that provides healthcare patient services. Establish metrics and measurement processes for analysis of patient safety and the effectiveness and quality of care provided. Provide quality monitoring reports and analysis to management. Ensure ongoing compliance with internal policies and external government regulations. May assist in the training of employees regarding quality improvement and patient safety. Recognized as subject matter expert and advanced individual contributor professional. Requires specialized skill set. Conducts highly complex work, unsupervised and with extensive latitude for independent judgment.

Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 8 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 6 years of directly related work experience.

This is an Advanced-Level position in the General Professional track.

Job Code: PZ7364

Grade: P17

Expected Pay Range: $43,796 to $100,474

Healthcare Quality Analyst, V

Coordinate clinical performance improvement and patient safety initiatives aimed to improve patient outcomes and delivery of care for an organization that provides healthcare patient services. Establish metrics and measurement processes for analysis of patient safety and the effectiveness and quality of care provided. Provide quality monitoring reports and analysis to management. Ensure ongoing compliance with internal policies and external government regulations. May assist in the training of employees regarding quality improvement and patient safety. Recognized as subject matter expert and advanced individual contributor professional. Requires specialized skill set. Conducts highly complex work, unsupervised and with extensive latitude for independent judgment.

Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 10 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly related work experience.

This is an Expert-Level position in the General Professional track.

Job Code: PZ7365

Grade: P19

Expected Pay Range: $52,993 to $121,573

Minimum Qualifications

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT : 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:

• Healthcare Quality Analyst, II: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 4 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.
• Healthcare Quality Analyst, III : Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 6 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 4 years of directly related work experience.
• Healthcare Quality Analyst, IV: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 8 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 6 years of directly related work experience.
• Healthcare Quality Analyst, V: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 10 years or a master’s (or equivalency) + 8 years of directly related work experience.

Preferences

Type Benefited Staff

Special Instructions Summary

Additional Information : The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems(“URS”). Eligible new hires with prior URS service, may elect to enroll in URS if they make the election before they become eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at [phone] for information. Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS’ post-retirement rules and restrictions. Please contact Utah Retirement Systems at [phone] or [phone] or University Human Resource Management at [phone] if you have questions regarding the post-retirement rules.

This position may require the successful completion of a criminal background check and/or drug screen.

The University of Utah values candidates who have experience working in settings with students and possess a strong commitment to improving access to higher education.

Veterans’ preference is extended to qualified applicants, upon request and consistent with University policy and Utah state law. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

Consistent with state and federal law, the University of Utah does not discriminate based upon race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, or protected veteran’s status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs or activities extends to admission and employment. Inquiries about the application of Title IX and its regulations may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, or both.

To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability or if you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or sexual misconduct including sexual harassment, you may contact the Director/Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX ( OEO ). More information, including the Director/Title IX Coordinator’s office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number can be located at the: University of Utah Non‑Discrimination page .

Online reports may be submitted at https://oeo.utah.edu

• https://publicsafety.utah.edu/safetyreport/**This report includes statistics about criminal offenses, hate crimes, arrests and referrals for disciplinary action, and Violence Against Women Act offenses. They also provide information about safety and security-related services offered by the University of Utah. A paper copy can be obtained by request at the Department of Public Safety located at 1658 East 500 South.

As per University of Utah policy 5-108: Transfer of Benefits Eligible Staff Members, a new hire to the University of Utah who is still serving a 12 month probationary period will not be hired into another University of Utah job (a transfer) until the successful completion of the probationary period.