Moorpark Post-Doctoral Fellowship

The Moorpark College Student Health Center offers post-doctoral training within a community college health setting. We have two, ten month, full-time post-doctoral fellowship positions for the 2022-23 academic year. The positions will span from 8/1/2022 - 5/15/2023 (10 months). Postdoctoral fellows will accrue the 1,500 hours of supervised professional experience required for licensure in California as defined by the California Code of Regulations.

This fellowship opportunity is designed to complement and extend prior clinical training with a focus on brief, empirically supported therapies. Fellows’ responsibilities include intake assessment, crisis intervention, short-term individual psychotherapy, consultation, and classroom presentations and workshops for the campus community. Fellows will also serve as community liaisons for equity groups on campus (students who identify as Latinx, African American or Black, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and young adults with histories in the foster care system) or high needs groups on campus (student athletes, students in the exotic animal training program ,nursing, etc.).

Clinical supervision supports the use of the following treatment modalities: CBT, Narrative, problem-solving, and mindfulness-based approaches as appropriate. Common student presenting problems include: anxiety, depression, stress, relationship concerns, self-image, academic difficulties, and trouble adjusting to college. The Student Health Center Mental Health Counseling and Psychological Services is embedded within Student Health Services, offering students integrated services oriented towards treating the whole person.

The mental health staff is comprised of a supervising psychologist, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and post-doctoral fellows. The medical staff includes a Coordinator, who oversees Student Health Services (both medical and mental health services), nurses, a nurse practitioner, health center assistants, a physician, nutrition interns, and a health educator. The Student Health Center offers a supportive and collegial working environment. Medical and mental health staff often collaborate on an individual student’s care. Fellows are regarded as important members of the SHC team.

The college serves approximately 14,000 full and part-time students. MC students self-identify as Hispanic or Latinx (35%), White or Caucasian (44%), Asian (8%), Black or African American (2%), and of two or more races/ethnicities (6%). The student community is highly diverse with respect to socio-economic backgrounds, gender/sexual identities, and age (24% of Moorpark students are age 25 or older). Additionally, many of our students are first generation college students. Moorpark has an excellent reputation for university transfer preparation, and its signature career/technical programs include nursing, emergency medical technician, radiation technology, biotechnology, and exotic animal training operated within the world-renowned America’s Teaching Zoo. The city of Moorpark is a suburban city in eastern Ventura County, easily accessed from all of Ventura County and much of Los Angeles County. Over the years,the majority of our postdocs have lived in the greater Los Angeles area.

Ideal Qualifications A doctorate in clinical or counseling psychology, or equivalent psychology degree from an APA accredited graduate program/internship is preferred. The doctoral degree must be completed before beginning the post-doctoral fellowship. Significant experience providing individual therapy to adolescents or young adults, a strong interest and prior experience in conducting short-term therapy with diverse populations, and previous experiences performing outreach services and delivering presentations are essential skills. Fellows must also demonstrate experience with crisis intervention, as fellows interact with students with debilitating conditions requiring hospitalization. Experience in providing trauma informed care/treatment is also desired, as students seeking support often report histories of childhood trauma, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. Schedule and Fellow Compensation Postdoctoral fellows work Monday through Friday from August to May, without on-call or after hours obligations. Fellows are contract employees of the Ventura County Community College District; pay is $30.00 per hour (equivalent to ~$43,000 for the academic year). There are approximately four weeks of break each academic year: three weeks during late December-early January and one week in the latter half of March. Fellows do not work and are not paid during campus holidays and breaks.

Address application materials to Robert Sack, Ph.D., Supervising Psychologist, and send your completed application materials via email to Dr. Sack at robert_sack1@vcccd.edu . Interviews will be conducted as applications are received.

To apply, please submit the following to robert_sack1@vcccd.edu:

1. A cover letter introducing yourself, describing your past experiences working with diverse populations, and your interest in Moorpark College.

2. Curriculum Vitae (CV).

3. Three letters of recommendation from clinical supervisors, including a letter from your pre- doctoral internship.

4. Unofficial Transcripts.