Short Term or As Needed Coverage, MFLC Counselor, Camp Pendleton, CA

Leidos; Oceanside (CA); On-site; USD 59,000 - 76,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited CEUs

License renewal reimbursement

401K eligibility

Health and wellness programs

Employee discount program

Job summary

Leidos is seeking licensed mental health professionals to serve as Mission Ready Reserve MFLCs across military installations and communities. The role emphasizes flexible, assignment‑ready counseling for adults and/or youth with no required insurance or treatment plans.

Responsibilities include face‑to‑face counseling, collaboration with families, and outreach activities. SOCOM positions may require security clearance; opportunities span adult and CYB counseling in diverse settings.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Behavioral Health Professions.
• Licensed to practice in a US state (LCSW, MFT, LPCC, Psychologist).
• U.S. citizenship and ability to pass background checks.
• Must be able to obtain required security clearances.

Responsibilities

• Face‑to‑face counseling to Service Members and families.
• Offer referrals and handoffs to military/community resources.
• Deliver presentations on social skills and resilience.
• Build rapport at installations and community events.

Skills

Counseling

Mental health

Crisis intervention

Communication

Education

Master's degree in Behavioral Health

Job description

Description

Make a difference in the lives of our military Service Members and their families with your expertise in counseling and mental health – without the fuss of insurance, treatment plans, or overhead. Military and Family Life Counselors (MFLCs) are the first line of defense for our Service Members’ mental health, and we need flexible, ready-to-serve counselors willing to jump in at a moment’s notice. Leidos seeks passionate licensed mental healthcare providers ready to embrace a flexible PRN-type schedule, stepping in where needed across military installations and communities to safeguard and enhance mental well-being. MFLCs proactively provide counseling services, preventative in nature, to address and provide solution‑focused approaches to issues before they become greater challenges. Interested counselors may support either adults or minors in a wide variety of assignments including but not limited to being embedded with a military unit, supporting military families, or working within a school setting.

What is the Mission Ready Reserve (MRR)?

Mission Ready Reserve MFLCs are trained and available counselors ready to serve when called upon. Working as a Mission Ready Reserve MFLC allows counselors to focus wholeheartedly on their passion for helping others, unencumbered by administrative burdens. MRR counselors are assignment‑ready and taking an assignment is at the discretion of the MRR counselor.

Adult Counseling

Adult MFLCs provide support, including counseling, consultation, and outreach to eligible Service Members and adult family members. Counseling provided through the MFLC program is an adjunct and supplemental to the formal military behavioral and physical health treatment system. Adult counseling service is needed on military installations, either at community service buildings or embedded with a unit. The focus is on enhancing operational readiness and increasing individual and family resiliency by offering support on issues such as:

• Relationships
• Stress management
• Parenting and parent‑child communications
• Child behavioral issues
• Frequent relocations and deployments
• Financial and budget issues
• Job stress

Special Operations Command (SOCOM) Positions

MFLCs provide crucial mental health support to Service Members and their families, and when working within SOCOM units, their role becomes even more pivotal. MFLCs seeking positions within SOCOM must obtain at least a Secret (T3) clearance due to the sensitive nature of the work conducted with special forces and the special operations community. Special operations commands operate in high‑pressure environments with high‑stakes missions, often deploying frequently and facing intense operational demands. Service Members within SOCOM are involved in clandestine operations, counterterrorism efforts, and other critical tasks where mental resilience and support are essential. The intense nature of a SOCOM position is felt within the military family as well. Spouses and children are often affected by frequent separations, lack of understanding or ability to know what the Service Members do today‑to‑day, and high‑stake missions that may result in increased stress or worry for the family. MFLCs entering this domain must be prepared for the unique challenges and demands inherent in supporting personnel and families operating within such environments.

Child and Youth Behavioral (CYB) Counseling

CYB‑MFLCs provide support, including counseling, consultation, and outreach to eligible children, youth, parents, staff, and faculty. Counselors may observe, participate, and engage in activities with children and youth; provide coaching, guidance, and support to staff and parents; and model behavior management techniques for staff and parents. CYB counseling services may be needed at installations, Child Development Centers (CDC), Department of War Education Activity (DoWEA) schools, summer schools, camps, and programs across the country, addressing issues such as:

• Identifying feelings
• Bullying
• Conflict resolution
• Self‑esteem
• Managing anger and aggression
• Separation from parents
• Problem‑solving
• Coping with deployment and reunification
• Transition and moving
• Sibling and parental relationships
• Time management

MRRMFLC Service Oriented Model

• No insurance to file.
• No progress notes required.
• No treatment plans to develop.
• Intuitive reporting tools

MRRMFLC Will Also Benefit From

• Unlimited and free CEUs through a Leidos affiliate.
• Reimbursement for job‑related license renewal fees.
• Eligibility to participate in 401K retirement plan.
• Access to health and wellness programs with cashback incentives.
• Access to Leidos’ Employee Discount Program and exclusive discount marketplace.

MRRMFLC Responsibilities Include

• Face‑to‑face counseling to military Service Members and their families (individual, couples, family, and children).
• Recommending appropriate referrals and handoffs based on your experienced differential clinical skills to military and community resources according to the needs of military Service Members and their families.
• Offer presentations to address social skills development and social emotional learning that is crucial for early childhood development.
• Build rapport with Service Members, spouses, and children by attending installation and community events.
• Help families and children with challenges that are particular to the military community, transitions, reoccurring moves, frequent separations, deployments, and more.

Environment

At the direction of the Department of War (DoW), duties are performed in multiple indoor locations (approximately 60%) and outdoor locations (approximately 40%). The indoor locations are located on a military installation, a school setting, or a child development center (CDC) setting controlled by the DoW. The outdoor locations frequently involve traversing over uneven grassy, gravel, and/or dirt areas, ascending/descending stairs, and exposure to the weather. CDC settings frequently involve sitting on the floor to interact with children for up to 2 hours at a time. As a Mission Ready Reserve MFLC, you may experience various environments depending on the assignment.

Minimum Requirements

• A master’s degree or higher in the Behavioral Health Professions (MS/MSW/MA/PhD).
• Licensure to practice at the independent practice level(LCSW, MFT, LPCC, Psychologist) in a state or territory of the United States.t
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Must be able to pass a basic background check for employment, a National /Child National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI/CNACI) clearance, commonly called a Public Trust clearance.

Pay Range

Pay Range $43/hr. - $55/hr.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay And Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment‑related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment‑related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [e-mail].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.