Multicultural Postdoctoral Residency

Description of Residency

The Multicultural Postdoctoral Residency is a 1500-hour program beginning in mid-August 2023 and ending in late-May, with an option to extend to August 2024. Postdoctoral Residents will be expected to perform all the duties of a generalist clinician in a comprehensive multicultural university counseling center and will receive supervision according to the State of California Board of Psychology guidelines. Duties include but are not limited to: short-term individual, group, and couples counseling; possible supervision of psychology interns and/or practicum trainees; counseling assessment and referral; crisis intervention; consultation with students, faculty, staff, and parents; and development of campus outreach activities for a target population (e.g., International students, students who identify with a specific religious group, students with disabilities, LGBT Resource Center, Cross-cultural center). The Multicultural Postdoctoral Residency also provides the opportunity to develop or continue an area of emphasis regarding cultural diversity. 

Applicants will need to indicate their area of interest for the specialization in their application cover letter. 

Due to the unique professional development needs of Postdoctoral Residents, we encourage involvement in numerous forms of training and supervision of interns and/or practicum trainees. Postdoctoral Residents attend Social Justice and Outreach Seminar, attend a Supervision of Supervision or Professional Development seminar, provide (with a licensed psychologist) supervision to the psychology intern group supervision, and may have the opportunity to provide secondary supervision (30 minutes per week) to an intern and/or practicum trainee. 

Multicultural Postdoctoral Residency Emphasis Area

Due to CAPS' commitment to the development of practitioners who promote social justice and consistently work from a multicultural lens, Postdoctoral Residents are provided supervision and training as they develop an area of focus related to a specific cultural group or topic related to multiculturalism and diversity. The Multicultural Postdoctoral Residents are expected to engage in these activities as part of increasing their competency regarding the selected area of focus. The training coordinator, primary supervisor, and/or project mentor will provide support and guidance throughout these steps. 

Residency Components

There are four major component areas of the Training Program. These areas are Cultural Diversity, Training (including Supervision), Direct Service, and Indirect Service.

Cultural Diversity

This component is considered one of the most important of the training program for Postdoctoral Residents and is woven throughout all other components. Cultural diversity themes appear in individual and group sessions, supervision, in the outreach programming in which Postdoctoral Residents take part, in the training seminar presentations, and in clinical meetings. In addition, there are many seminar experiences focusing on self-awareness of cultural identities. Additionally, CAPS hosts an annual one-day Multicultural Training Day conference, which Postdoctoral Residents attend. Postdoctoral Residents have the option to deliver presentations at the conference. 

Training

Tentative Seminars Attended by Postdoctoral Residents 

Supervision of Supervision Seminar: The Supervision of Supervision Seminar is facilitated by a licensed psychologist and attended by only Postdoctoral Residents. The opportunity to provide supervision to an intern and/or a practicum trainees is dependent on the number of interns/practicum trainees available, the requirements set forth by the internship/practicum training program, and with approval from the resident's primary supervisor and Training Committee. Postdoctoral Residents may also obtain supervision experience by co-facilitating outreach activities, workshops, and groups with an intern and/or a practicum trainee. 

Social Justice and Outreach Seminar: The Social Justice and Outreach Seminar occurs during the Fall semester and is led by a licensed psychologist. Trainees will discuss the role of psychologists in addressing social justice issues that may prevent or alleviate mental health struggles; explore the relationship between social justice and the development of outreach services and programs; and may help in developing specialization areas in which they focus their outreach and group efforts (e.g., LGBT student services, cross-cultural center, international students, substance abuse, eating disordersand body image, suicide prevention). 

Seminars Co-Facilitated by Postdoctoral Residents: 

Co-Facilitating Intern Group Supervision: Postdoctoral Residents may have the opportunity to co-lead Intern Group Supervision for one semester out of the academic year. Group Supervision will be co-led with a licensed psychologist and is attended by the psychology interns. Group supervision provides a forum for the psychology interns to discuss clinical work and improve clinical skills, whereas it is an opportunity for the Postdoctoral Residents to provide clinical guidance, practice ethical decision making, and develop their identity as a supervisor. 

Supervision/Case Consultation: 

● Individual (1:1) Supervision (all trainees): CAPS meets or exceeds the supervision requirement in the Board of Psychology's Supervised Professional Experience (SPE) regulation. Postdoctoral Residents will be provided with supervision for at least 10% (4 or 4.5 hours) of the total time worked each week. Postdoctoral Residents will have at least one hour per week of individual supervision for the training year. 

Supervisor assignments for the Fall semester are made by the Training Committee. All trainees are required to change supervisors during the second semester to obtain a breadth of orientations, techniques, and styles. For the second semester, trainees' preferences for supervisors are solicited and considered in assignments made by the Training Committee. Every effort is made to match requests.

● Group Supervision: Group supervision occurs one hour per week. Group supervision is led by a licensed psychologist and is attended by the Postdoctoral Residents. Group supervision provides a forum for discussing clinical work and improving clinical skills, as well as professional development issues. 

● Clinical Consultation Meeting: This weekly meeting is for all clinicians, psychiatrists, and trainees. It is an opportunity to present cases to one another and engage in consultation. The emphasis in the meeting is on viewing our work as an interdisciplinary team effort to provide the best possible service to students. 

Audio/Video Recording:  Postdoctoral residents are highly encouraged to record most of their sessions and are required to record 10 sessions per semester for training purposes.  

Direct Service

Direct service hours are provided through individual, couple, and group counseling sessions; outreach presentations; assessment and crises coverage, and providing supervision. Postdoctoral Residents are expected to deliver 22.5 hours per week in Fall semester and 24.5 hours of direct service per week in the Spring. 

Individual/Couple Psychotherapy: 

Trainees are expected to accrue the majority of the direct service hours through work with individual clients and/or couples. The size of the caseload varies considerably depending on whether clients are seen weekly or less often. Clinical load may also vary during slower times of the year, such as winter break and the beginning of Fall semester, and higher during peak times such as midterms and finals. 

Groups 

Trainees may be involved in providing group therapy. Formation of groups will be discussed in orientation, individual and group supervision. Groups are supervised by the licensed clinician co-leading the group, or the designated supervisor. 

Outreach, Workshops, and Consultation 

Trainees are encouraged to be involved in various CAPS programming. Trainees are encouraged to present psycho-educational workshops at CAPS. Topics may include: stress management, procrastination, time management, cross-cultural communication skills, sleep hygiene, and many more. Trainees may also be part of programs presented during re-occurring campus events such as Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Transgender Awareness Week, or African American History month. Trainees may establish consultation relationships with any number of student organizations or offices, including: Gender Equity Center, MOSAIC Cross-Cultural Center, Athletics Department, Residence Life, Accessible Education Center, The Greek System, Mental Health Ambassadors (student group de-stigmatizing mental health services), and Peers In Pride (LGBTQ mentoring program) or the Pride Center. Time spent on these projects varies widely. Trainees are welcome to suggest programs based on their interest areas. 

Triage and Crisis Coverage

Postdoctoral Residents will be required to have 2 triage appointments per week (2 x 1 hour assessments or 2 hours); triage appointments are generally the entry point for our students and are scheduled appointments that last approximately 45 minutes and are designed to assess the student’s reason for wanting personal counseling, assess for risk, and plan treatment. After the triage appointment, if determined to be appropriate for our services, the student is either scheduled an intake or personal returning or placed on the waitlist to be assigned to an appropriate counselor (this depends on schedules and time of the semester). 

CAPS counselors provide crisis services during business hours Monday to Friday. Each semester, a variety of crisis cases demand our attention. These include walk-in clients who seem to be in crisis, calls from staff in the residence halls, or requests from faculty or staff to consult about troubled students. Postdoctoral Residents are required to have 2 hours of crisis coverage per week, during which you manage any crises that arise/come into the center. In addition to the assigned shift, from time to time all counselors may be called on to assist with crisis situations or cover for other team members. 

Trainees are not responsible for after-hour emergency coverage. All after-hours emergency coverage is managed by department administrators. 

Indirect Service

Peer Support Meetings 

Each level of trainee group is encouraged to develop a weekly meeting to support each other and process their unique developmental experiences. Meetings may focus on supporting each other through transitions, discussing issues that come up around working in CAPS, and processing the dynamics within the cohort. This experience is optional but highly encouraged for Postdoctoral Residents. 

Administrative Time

Trainees schedule time into their weekly schedules to complete their case records, review session recordings, and attend to other administrative tasks. In addition, certain blocks of free time for this will present themselves from time to time (e.g., cancellations, no-shows). 

Other Consultation, Club, or Committee Work 

In the past, trainees have become involved with other organizations that correspond to their own interests. These have included the Career Services; Health Services; MOSAIC Cross-cultural Center; Cesar Chavez Community Action Center; Pride Center; Gender Equity Center; Athletic Department, etc. Postdoctoral Residents also may have the opportunity to sit on search committees (e.g., CAPS’s APA-accredited psychology internship, Multicultural Postdoctoral Residency program). 

Attendance at Division or Departmental Meetings and Functions 

As part of CAPS, trainees attend various meetings throughout the year that involve the staff and faculty, such as Division meetings and functions. CAPS also provides 1-3 trainings per year to all staff which include trainees. 

Other Training Opportunities

Case Presentations/Mock Job Interviews 

Postdoctoral Residents, due to their unique developmental needs, are required to complete a form of professional development during the training year. The Postdoctoral Residents will provide one case presentation and a mock job interview. Presentations will be provided to the members of the training committee in a scheduled meeting. 

Multicultural Project

Postdoctoral Residents will also complete a special multicultural project that focuses on Postdoctoral Residents’ interest area. Multicultural Postdoctoral Residents will have an opportunity to create or join a project that focuses on a student population. Due to Counseling and Psychological Services’ commitment to the development of practitioners who promote social justice and consistently work within a multicultural lens, Postdoctoral Residents are provided guidance as they develop an area of focus related to a specific cultural group or topic related to multiculturalism and diversity. The Training Coordinator or designee will meet with the postdocs in the Fall Semester to provide initial guidance and connect the postdocs to the appropriate collaborator on campus. 

Salary Range 

The Multicultural Postdoctoral Residency for the 2023-24 cohort will provide a stipend comp rate of $4,800 a month from 08/07/23 – 08/02/24. Postdoctoral Residents will have access to excellent medical and dental benefits. Postdoctoral Residents will also have university privileges that include library use, access to a gym, discounts on public transportation, days off for holiday closures, and two personal holidays. Note that Postdoctoral Residents interested in parking on campus lots must purchase a parking permit (approximately $100 per semester; please see Parking Services website). 

Starting Date: August 7, 2023 

Application Procedure: Applications need to be submitted by Friday, January 6, 2023, at 5:00 PM, Pacific Standard Time (PST). It is our hope to notify applicants regarding interview offers around mid- January. Video conference or phone interviews will be offered to select applicants which will occur in January. CAPS will follow the APPIC Postdoctoral Selection Standards and Common Hold Date (CHD; February 27, 2023).

Please submit your application on the SJSU’s University Personnel Careers website using the link below: 

https://jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/520995/multicultural-postdoctoral-residency

1. A letter of interest which includes a clear statement of your area of interest for the multicultural specialization; 

2. A current curriculum vita that reflects all clinical experiences; 

3. Three recent (less than 3 years old) original letters of recommendation, including at least two letters from licensed clinical supervisors); and 

4. Official transcripts of terminal degree (copies are acceptable for the application process, but official transcripts will be needed if an offer is made). 

You must submit all of the application materials by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be accepted including all letters of recommendation and unofficial transcripts of your most recent completed degree. 

All letters (i.e., cover letter and letters of recommendation) need to be dated, have original signatures. Please check these materials before submitting. Questions about the program should be addressed to: 

Kathy Lee, Ph.D., Interim Postdoctoral Training Coordinator

Phone: 408-924-5910 

email: kathy.lee@sjsu.edu or counseling.services@sjsu.edu 

Conditional Offer 

Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Proof of immunization against COVID-19 or proof of a medical or religious exemption and compliance with testing protocols is required for employment. Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. CSU will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position. 

Appointment is contingent upon budget and enrollment considerations and subject to order of assignment provisions in the collective bargaining agreement between California State University and California Faculty Association. These provisions state the “Order of Work,” or the order in which available courses must be assigned to faculty, starting with tenure line faculty and ending with new lecturer appointees. 

San José State University: Silicon Valley's Public University 

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley — one of the most innovative regions in the world — San José State University is the founding campus of the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system and the first public university in the West. The 2020 #1 Most Transformative University in the nation according to Money Magazine, San José State is an essential partner in the economic, cultural, and social development of Silicon Valley, the Bay Area, and California. SJSU is a top-200 school nationally in research funding and second highest in research productivity in the CSU system. This cutting-edge research, combined with its world-class scholarship, student-centered learning opportunities, and experiential and interdisciplinary programs, allows SJSU to provide transformative opportunities that advance the public good locally and globally. San José State enrolls more than 36,000 students — many are historically underserved, and around 45% are first-generation and 38% are Pell-recipients. SJSU is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander (AANAPISI) Serving Institution. The university’s commitment to social justice extends from its vibrant, inclusive campus to an international network of over 275,000 alumni. As such, San José State is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and community can benefit from different and divergent cultural and identity perspectives. 

Equal Employment Statement 

San José State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity/expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, marital status, veteran status, or disability. This policy applies to all San José State University students, faculty, and staff as well as University programs and activities. Reasonable accommodations are made for applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. Note that all San José State University employees are considered mandated reporters under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and are required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

If applying for the position, please submit an application using the link below:

https://jobs.sjsu.edu/en-us/job/520995/multicultural-postdoctoral-residency