OPS Counselor

University of Florida; Gainesville (FL); On-site; USD 48,000 - 54,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of Florida is seeking an OPS Counselor on the Main Campus in Gainesville, FL. This 28-hour per week, time-limited role supports the Counseling and Wellness Center with crisis intervention, brief consultations, and case management for UF students.

The position requires a master’s degree in social work or counseling (or related licensure) and relevant clinical experience under supervision. 28 hours weekly for 12–16 weeks, with possible extension.

Qualifications

• Master's or doctoral level graduate student intern from an accredited school of social work or a psychology or counseling program, under supervision of licensed practitioner.
• Licensed to provide clinical, counseling, and psychotherapy services by Florida DOH.
• Crisis counseling and brief consultation capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide daytime crisis services and crisis counseling to students.
• Conduct brief consultation and referral appointments (BCR) with UF students.
• Maintain clinical case management system for continuity of care.
• Assist students with social services needs and referrals to community resources.
• Complete records and service reports per procedures and regulations.

Skills

Crisis counseling

Brief consultation

Case management

Assessment

Safety planning

Communication with faculty/parents

Education

Master's in social work

PhD in social work

Master's in counseling

RN with counseling education

Job description

OPS Counselor

Job No: 541582

Work Type: Part Time

Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)

Categories: Social/Behavioral Science, Student Services, Counseling/Community Outreach/Social Work

Department: 04030100 - SL-COUNSELING & WELLNESS CTR

Job Description

Classification Title: OPS Counselor

Classification Minimum Requirements

• Social worker with a master's degree or a Ph.D. in social work from a Certified Social Work Education-accredited school of social work.
• Registered nurse with advanced specialized counseling education and training as a clinical nurse specialist or certified psychiatric nurse.
• Professional licensed to provide clinical, counseling, and psychotherapy services by the Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance.
• Counselor with a master's degree in counseling.
• Psychologist with a master's or Ph.D. in psychology.
• Master's or doctoral level graduate student intern from an accredited school of social work or a psychology or counseling program, under the supervision of a licensed practitioner qualified to supervise such interns.

Time-Limited OPS Counselor position, 28 hours per week, for an estimated time period of 12-16 weeks, with the potential of an extension based on program and staffing needs.

Under the general direction of the Counseling and Wellness Center (CWC) Associate Director and immediate direction of the CWC Assistant Director/CART Coordinator, this position requires a variety of skills involving brief consultation & referral, brief clinical assessment, and crisis counseling, including referral to on-campus and off-campus resources, as well as lethality assessment, safety planning, case management, and consultation with parents, faculty, and staff. CART counselors spend the majority of their time conducting brief consultation & referral appointments and providing crisis counseling/consultations to students who walk in for same‑day support.

Crisis Counseling

Provide daytime crisis services. Consult with faculty, staff, students, and family members who are concerned about a student. Crisis counseling includes the following skills: empathic listening and validation, de‑escalation, prioritization, assessment of suicide/homicide danger, safety planning, efficient intervention, consultation, and consideration of other risk factors such substance use, self‑care, social support, and mental status. Crisis counseling occasionally involves interventions of last resort, such as psychiatric hospitalization.

Crisis Counseling Consultation

Consult with clinical faculty, clinical director, clinic coordinator, and case managers on students with urgent/emergent/recurrent concerns.

Brief Consultation & Referral

Brief Consultation & Referral (BCR) appointments are brief (20-30 minutes) assessment and referral meetings with UF students seeking counseling services. During these meetings, CART counselors briefly determine students’ appropriateness for various on‑campus and community resources and make recommendations and referrals accordingly. During the BCR, CART counselors also assess for suicide/homicide danger and address other urgent concerns, such as substance use and mental status. BCRs may include safety planning and referral to on‑call CART counselors for further evaluation and crisis intervention.

• In collaboration with CWC case managers, maintain and monitor a clinical case management system to provide continuity of care and follow‑up for clients.
• Assist students with social services needs including, but not limited to, referral to community resources.
• Follow up to ensure that clients are appropriately assessed, successfully referred, and compliant with treatment recommendations.
• Complete records punctually according to record keeping/report writing procedures that are currently operative at the CWC and required by legal and ethical regulations. Prepare and submit all service reports, or other communications involving the clinical operations of the CWC which are intended for persons, departments, or agencies outside of the CWC for review and approval of the Director or Associate Director.

Performs other related duties as assigned; such as campus outreach, single‑session therapy, group therapy, etc. Attend weekly meetings and dyadic/group supervision. Maintain awareness of CWC’s relationships with other university departments, community health providers, services, hospitals, and other resources. Clinical supervision of trainees, as needed or requested.

The Counseling and Wellness Center is a multi‑mission agency within the Division of Student Life serving a wide variety of counseling services and programs offered to students in direct support of the academic mission of the University. There is also extensive outreach and consultation to the campus community, a national professional training program (at levels ranging from pre‑practicum through residencies), and academic activities. The multi‑disciplinary staff of the CWC includes approximately 45 1.0 FTE permanent Clinical faculty and professional staff, 13 TEAMS/USPS support staff, and 10 CART counselors. Additional personnel include 15 or more graduate student trainees, and approximately 10 student assistants. The Center is housed in two physical locations. The CART Team is located on the fourth floor of Peabody Hall & Counseling & Case Management Teams are located at Radio Road. We also have several embedded positions within the university. Students use the Center in increasingly large numbers, averaging over 5,800 student clients per year and approximately 44,000 annual counseling appointment hours. Outreach programs and consultations are offered to more than 29,000 contacts.

The CWC provides:

• Individual, couples, and group counseling for students with psychological, emotional, academic and/or relationship concerns
• Crisis intervention for students experiencing a personal crisis or emergency
• Psychiatric evaluation and medication consultation
• Stress management and biofeedback services
• Outreach, prevention, and educational programs for students, faculty, and staff
• Consultation services for students, faculty, staff, families, and friends of students
• Training and supervision in counseling and psychology graduate students from pre‑practicum through Post‑doctoral residency
• Assessment and referral services
• Teaching, research, and scholarship

Expected Salary: $50,400

Required Qualifications

• Social worker with a master's degree or a Ph.D. in social work from a Certified Social Work Education-accredited school of social work.
• Registered nurse with advanced specialized counseling education and training as a clinical nurse specialist or certified psychiatric nurse.
• Professional licensed to provide clinical, counseling, and psychotherapy services by the Florida Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance.
• Counselor with a master's degree in counseling.
• Psychologist with a master's or Ph.D. in psychology.
• Master's or doctoral level graduate student intern from an accredited school of social work or a psychology or counseling program, under the supervision of a licensed practitioner qualified to supervise such interns.

Preferred

Preferred qualifications include: (1) demonstrated expertise in clinical case management, (2) administrative and computer application skills required to effectively implement and maintain clinical documentation, (3) demonstrated skill in working well under pressure to prioritize and manage multiple clinical situations and to coordinate these efforts as a part of a multidisciplinary team, (4) energy to flexibly manage the professional demands of a challenging workload while maintaining positive and healthy perspectives and relationships, (5) collaborative spirit of warmth, acceptance, respect, and trust towards colleagues, (6) self‑motivated, self‑directed commitment to high professional ideals, (7) excellent oral and written communication skills, and (8) experience in college mental health, including crisis assessment, brief intervention, confidentiality requirements, and referral.

Special Instructions to Applicants

To ensure full consideration, application letters, vitas, and three letters of recommendation from professional references including email addresses for contact should be submitted.

The final candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered "official" if a designation of "Issued to Student" is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.

Health Assessment Required: No

Applications Close: 30 October 2026

Our Commitment

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

Hiring is contingent on eligibility to work in the U.S. The University of Florida is a public institution and is subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.