Assistant/Associate Professor of Counseling (Tenure Track)

Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university, founded in 1975 and located in the heart of Northern California’s Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice, dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology and counseling that meet the needs of today’s diverse society. The students at PAU reflect the diversity of the region, are engaged in their education, and committed to improving the lives of others. The University sees diversity in its staff and faculty as very important to serving its diverse student body (or synonymous with inclusive excellence).  PAU offers undergraduate and graduate programs with online, hybrid and residential options. PAU has an engaged faculty who make significant contributions to their fields and prepare future leaders who make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.  When you put all of this together, PAU creates a legacy of confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who are at the forefront of psychology and counseling and who move ahead in life by moving lives ahead. PAU’s core values include social justice and cultural competency. When you put all of this together, PAU creates a legacy of confident, competent, and compassionate professionals who are at the forefront of psychology and counseling and who move ahead in life by moving lives ahead.

PAU is committed to faculty success. The Center for Educational Excellence (CEE) provides resources and training in evidence-based teaching strategies for instructors at all stages of their career to advance a culture of continuous learning and growth. PAU has launched an onboarding process and two-year program for early career faculty to promote mentorship and support development. The University is an institutional member of the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity. Additionally, PAU supports faculty research through grants and other sources of funding to fulfill our vision to improve the well-being of others and contribute to just and inclusive communities.

Summary

The PAU Counseling Department invites applications for three tenure track (assistant/associate) Faculty positions. One of the open positions will be in our Counselor Education and Supervision(CES) program and the other two positions will be in our Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling programs. 

CES Program: We are looking for dynamic counselor educators who can join us in developing a strong doctoral training environment. This program is focused on training strong researchers, pedagogically sound educators, dedicated supervisors, and program administrators with skills in leadership, assessment, and accreditation. The program incorporates Inclusive Excellence principles, practices, pedagogy, and research throughout the curriculum and learning experiences. 

MA Program: Selected candidates will be required to demonstrate teaching and professional experiences that contribute to the specialization area, including teaching and supervision experiences in clinical practice courses (practicum and internship) and student mentoring. The selected candidate will also need to demonstrate the ability to enhance the Counselor Education Programs' mission to integrate advocacy, social justice, cultural competence, and ethical practice into the preparation of counseling professionals. This includes demonstrated engagement in professional service and leadership in counseling and community organizations. The area of research focus is open, but strong consideration will be given to candidates whose research focus integrates clinical application.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

1. Teaching and Advising

• Teach 18 units per year over 9.5 months. (1-2 classes per quarter)
• Advise/mentor doctoral and master’s students
• Teach virtual synchronous courses and be available for in-person teaching (this could include on campus courses and teaching at clinical residencies) 

2. Research and Scholarship

• Maintain an active research agenda, including scholarly contributions through professional presentations, published articles, manuals or other works of scholarship each year that contribute to the development of the counseling profession.
• Develop and maintain an active research lab with a research group of CES doctoral students(this is specific to CES program position).

3. Service and engagement

• Help with the development of a new Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. This program will be the first doctoral CES program in California. Faculty will take an active role in curriculum development, developing program structures and processes, creating a positive research training environment, and recruiting students to the program(this is specific to CES program position).
• Serve on university and department committees.
• Participate in university and department faculty meetings.
• Serve in leadership roles regionally and nationally in recognized counseling profession associations and organizations.

4. Faculty are expected to attend university events such as convocation, commencement, and other major events. 

Required Qualifications:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

• Earned doctoral degree in Counselor Education and Supervision, preferably from a CACREP-accredited program.
• Experience or ability to mentor doctoral students in dissertation research(this qualification is specific to the CES program position).
• Evidence of or potential to publish peer-reviewed articles(this qualification is specific to the CES program position).
• Experience or ability to teach research methods and facilitate student research methods(this qualification is specific to the CES program position).
• Professional identity as a Counselor demonstrated by affiliation with relevant professional counseling associations, including the American Counseling Association.
• Demonstrated engagement in active leadership and service in the counseling and/or counselor education profession.
• Evidence of inclusive excellence, as well as training and experience with multicultural competence in counseling
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both face-to-face, and connecting online through email, video conferencing, and chat.
• Demonstrated ability or potential for excellence in teaching in virtual synchronized and residential formats
• Demonstrated clinical knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrated ability or potential to facilitate conversations related to culture, power, and oppression and increasing cultural sensitivity in students.
• Demonstrated responsiveness to student issues and concerns.
• License or license eligibility as a Mental Health Counselor or Marriage, Family, Child Counselor or related counseling discipline.

Application Procedures:

PAU is committed to providing an educational environment that supports a diverse, equitable, and inclusive population. In your cover letter, please include information on how your background and experience has prepared you to be in an environment that holds equity and inclusion core to its mission and values. The expected start date for this position is September 2023. 

Interested candidates should submit:

• A letter of interest
• Curriculum Vitae
• One-page statement of teaching philosophy
• One-page statement of personal contributions and plans to foster an environment of equity and inclusion for faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds
• A list of 3-5 references with contact information
• One-page summary of teaching evaluations and TA, student, and/or peer comments/observations of teaching. Tables of teaching evaluation scores can be provided.

Please refer to the following web site to apply for these tenure track Faculty positions: https://www.paloaltou.edu/about/departments-and-offices/human-resources/employment-opportunities#:~:text=Faculty%20Opportunities. These positions are open until filled. All applications received by Nov 30, 2022 will receive full consideration.

Values in Practice:

Candidates who will contribute to the collaborative, interdisciplinary work at PAU and demonstrate inclusive excellence in their research, teaching, and service are strongly encouraged to apply. We particularly welcome applications from scholars with identities that are historically underrepresented in the academy and/or who have experience with and commitment to working with diverse populations

The University is an equal opportunity employer and is firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and in the application of its personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, employment decisions will be made irrespective of the staff member's race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. When necessary, the University will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities, if the individual is otherwise qualified to safely perform all essential functions of the position and if it will be done without undue hardship to the University.