OPS Licensed Human Services Practitioner

The Counseling Center is a critical component of Student Success at the University of South Florida, located in beautiful Tampa Bay on Florida's spectacular west coast.

The Counseling Center strives to support the mental health and well-being of the 44,000 enrolled graduate and undergraduate students at the USF Tampa campus. Through the provision of high quality clinical services and evidenced-based practice, innovative outreach, consultation, and education, the Counseling Center is recognized and valued for its contribution to the success of an exceptionally diverse student body. The Counseling Center, with a
dedicated, energetic, and motivated team of 30 multidisciplinary professionals including licensed psychologists, licensed mental health counselors, licensed clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and administrative support personnel is accredited by IACS and has an APA-accredited doctoral internship and APPIC affiliated post-doctoral fellowships.

The Counseling Center is committed to a team approach to client care across all staff. With a thriving group therapy program, interdisciplinary training programs, embedded clinicians, and ongoing consultation opportunities, the Counseling Center is seeking staff clinicians with a commitment to excellence, culturally responsive care, and who would enhance the diversity and resources of our staff.

Clinicians directly serve the USF community through the ethical practice of culturally responsive, theoretically grounded, and evidenced based individual and group therapies, crisis intervention, and mental health consultation and prevention activities.  Part-time clinicians/psychologists provide intake assessments, individual and group psychotherapy to assigned USF students, and complete required documentation.  Knowledge of electronic medical record-keeping and computer proficiency are required.

Special Skills or Training: 

Clinicians are expected to be knowledgeable of culturally responsive approaches to mental health treatment, and skilled in treating common presenting concerns of college-age students including anxiety, depression, substance misuse, eating disorders, and interpersonal trauma, with evidenced-based interventions.

• 60%: Provides psychotherapy for individuals, groups, and intimate partners, presenting with a range of psychological concerns.
• 25%: Assesses presenting concerns through the Center's intake and assessment process. Provides crisis intervention at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels, including involuntary hospitalization, USF community consultation, and post-incident debriefing.
• 15%: Participates in Counseling Center sponsored outreach and consultation programming for the university community. Develops and participates in psychoeducational presentations, as assigned, for all USF students. Establishes a consultative liaison relationship with a strategic campus partner

Minimum Qualifications:

•    Each position assigned to this classification must require specific training at the master's degree level in Education, Special Education, Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy or other field appropriate to the program content.
•    Licensure in the State of Florida is a requirement.

Preferred Qualifications:

-Three years post-master's experience.
-Experience working with a college student population.
-Experience providing short-term individual and group therapy, using theoretically grounded approaches and evidenced-based therapies.
-Ability to work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
-Clinical experience with culturally diverse groups including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, international, and differently-abled students, and a desire to grow in providing culturally responsive care.
-Experience and comfort working with students presenting with high risk difficulties including suicidal ideation, self-injurious behaviors, eating disorders, substance abuse, PTSD, and/or trauma.

Licenses, certifications or registrations that are required to qualify:

Licensed or license eligible at the master's level in the State of Florida in accordance with Chapter 491, F.S.

Relevant Fields of Study for Specified Degree: 

Master's Degree in applied health sciences (mental health counseling, social work, counselor education, couple & family therapy, psychology)

    
•    Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.
•    SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements
•    A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:
(a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
(b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
(c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
(d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
(e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree
•    Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: 

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.  This job description does not constitute an employment contract.