Assistant/Associate Professor of Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western has additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Port Angeles, and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, such as being named one of the top public master's-granting institutions in the Pacific Northwest for 25 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

The Department of Psychology has 33 permanent full-time faculty. In addition to our undergraduate B.S. in psychology major, the department offers an undergraduate degree in behavioral neuroscience and a master’s degree in Experimental Psychology. We are also home to the internationally recognized Center for Cross-Cultural Research.

The Counseling Program, with Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling specialty areas, has been accredited by CACREP since 1993. Both are fulltime, two-year cohort-based programs which enjoy considerable institutional support. The mission of the Counseling Programs is to prepare knowledgeable, skilled, culturally sensitive, and ethical professional counselors who meet the relevant licensing or credentialing standards for practice in mental health and educational settings in the State of Washington. We believe this is best accomplished in small rigorous programs in which students have substantive opportunities to acquire evidence-based knowledge and develop their professional and interpersonal skills under the supervision of faculty who are committed to training exceptional counselors.

• Academic Experience: (a) PhD degree at time of application from a CACREP accredited counselor education program (b) minimum three years in a tenure-track/tenured position as a core faculty member in a CACREP accredited program OR minimum three years’ experience in a leadership role of a CACREP program with current tenure-track appointment, (c) two semesters or three quarters teaching practicum, (d) two semesters or three quarters providing direct individual clinical supervision.
• Licensure: Currently fully licensed as a mental health counselor. The offer will be contingent on acquiring a Washington LMHC credential within 12 months of the hiring date.
• Scholarship: Evidence of an established and ongoing program of research, including planned, in progress and completed work that advances this program. At least one peer-reviewed journal article, accepted for publication in a quality outlet for counseling research, in which all aspects of the work were completed since the applicant completed their terminal degree. Evidence of additional scholarly accomplishment commensurate with experience.
• A strong and consistent dedication to social justice, equity and inclusion in counseling practice and counselor education, evidenced through teaching and supervision pedagogy commensurate with experience.
• For appointment at the Associate Professor level (tenure track), demonstrated significant research and evidence of successful teaching commensurate with standards for promotion to Associate Professor in the Department, College, and University.

• Tenured at current institution
• Three years’ experience as a CACREP core faculty member.
• Evidence of scholarship in the areas of equity, inclusion, and diversity.
• Leadership experience demonstrated through one or more of the following: (a) previous service as CACREP program director, (b) other program leadership, for example, internship coordinator, admissions coordinator, CACREP liaison/coordinator; (c) chaired college or university committee commensurate with experience.
• Professional identity and engagement. Presentations at ACA conferences, publication in counseling-related journals, service on counseling journal editorial boards, national service to the counseling profession, commensurate with experience.

Salary

Commensurate with experience and qualifications. Anticipated starting salary range for assistant professor appointment, tenure-track is $72,000-$75,000 with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the assistant professor position is $72,000 - $84,500 with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments. For Associate Professor appointment, tenure track, anticipated starting range is $82,000-$84,000 with placement within the position’s salary range being based on qualifications and professional experience. The entire salary range for the associate professor position is $82,000 - $97,500 with the upper end of the salary range typically being achieved through collectively bargained salary adjustments. Relocation assistance may be available per University guidelines and dependent on available budget. Salary and Start-up funds are to be determined upon being offered the position.

In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the entire salary ranges provided above reflect the anticipated full salary range in the position at the given rank, with progression in ranks occurring as outlined in the University’s tenure and promotion process, per the collective bargaining agreement.

Bargaining Unit

United Faculty of Western Washington

Application Instructions

Please submit your application to Professor Brent Mallinckrodt and the search committee through Western’s PageUp system. Please include a cover letter that addresses your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. The letter should summarize the ways in which your strengths are consistent with the values of the department and the program priorities outlined for this position, including your commitment to working toward equity and inclusion, and your preferred graduate teaching specialization. The application should also include:

1. A curriculum vitae.
2. An autobiographical statement limited to a total of 1500 words that addresses these three elements:
   • examples of your previous experience building community, promoting social justice, and/or expanding educational opportunity for graduate students from underrepresented groups
   • description of the values and pedagogical principles that guide your graduate teaching and clinical supervision, including how you have responded to feedback,
   • outline of the program of research you hope to pursue in our department of psychology.
3. Names and contact information for three references. Please do not upload reference letters. We will only contact references of applicants who are selected as semi-finalists. Semi-finalists will be contacted to confirm they wish to proceed to the next stage of selection. Reference letters will be required at the semi-finalist stage and these will be requested of the provided references via the PageUp application system.
4. Semi-finalist applicants will also be asked to provide a teaching portfolio including sample syllabi from a practicum course and one other graduate offering.

Western Washington University sponsors employment-based work visas on a case-by-case basis. Eligibility for visa sponsorship depends on the position, the candidate’s qualifications, and applicable immigration requirements. To determine whether visa sponsorship may be available for this position, please contact Kaylan Rocamora at rocamok@wwu.edu.

For more information about Western Washington University, see the Psychology Department's web page.

Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2026; position is open until filled

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity employer. In compliance with applicable laws, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, citizenship or immigration status, pregnancy, use of protective leave, genetic status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, creed, religion, veteran or military status, disability or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal (including a service animal in training) by a person with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policies on Prohibiting Discrimination Based on A Protected Class and Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Sex. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3751 or 711 (Washington Relay).

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All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires and rehires, which includes a sexual misconduct background check.