Acting Assistant Professor | Psychologist, Center for Suicide Prevention and Recovery
Position Overview
Organization: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Title: Acting Assistant Professor | Psychologist, Center for Suicide Prevention and Recovery
Position Details
Position Description
The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington invites applications for two faculty positions at the rank of Acting Assistant Professor. We seek applicants who demonstrate commitment to excellence in research, teaching, and service in a diverse and inclusive academic community. The successful candidate will join our faculty on a full-time (0.50 - 1.0 FTE) basis for a twelve-month appointment beginning Winter 2026. This position may be primarily clinical in responsibility; however, psychology faculty may also have a portion of their time spent in teaching and/or research-related activities.
The base salary range for these positions will be as follows below, commensurate with experience and qualifications, or as mandated by a U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage determination. The base salary range for an Acting Assistant Professor position will be $110,004 - $125,004 annually ($9,167 - $10,417 per month).
The successful candidate will be expected to perform the following duties and responsibilities:
- This position will be as part of the Suicide Care Team at the UWMC Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. The clinicians on the Suicide Care Team conduct 5 core suicide care services:
- Suicide Care Warm Handoff - Receive referrals and take over clinical responsibility immediately through a warm hand-off of care. Via phone or telehealth, conduct an assessment, develop a crisis response plan and offer an appointment within the next week to begin evidence-based suicide care
- Evidence-based suicide care – conduct 4-12 weeks of suicide care interventions including a combination of evidence-based psychotherapy, a family intervention, and/or care navigation. Evidence based psychotherapies offered will include CAMS, Brief CBT, CBT for Insomnia, Behavioral Activation, Mentalization, and DBT strategies.
- Caring Contacts - send 10-15 brief, non-demanding messages of care and concern periodically for one year following active treatment for suicide and responding to patient replies. This both provides aftercare and is an easy pathway for a patient to alert the team if they need further help.
- Suicide Care Consultation – provide suicide-specific consultation to clinicians (including primary care providers, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors) as well as wellness staff serving UW faculty, staff, and students.
- Population Health – review reports of system-wide metrics indicating suicide risk (e.g., PHQ-9, suicide risk pathway) which was missed or insufficiently addressed and provide pro-active outreach to UW Medicine clinicians to offer consultation or assistance.
- Coordinate with other treatment providers to assure strong and helpful communication and smooth the entry and exit of patients from the Suicide Care Team.
- Attend training and consultation in evidence-based suicide care interventions
- Provide evaluation, psychotherapy or consultation with non-suicidal patients at the UWMC Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic when needed
- Provide teaching, supervision and mentorship to trainees (students, fellows, junior faculty) as appropriate and in conjunction with your clinical activities.
- Complete all aspects of quality improvement and program evaluation data collection and required reports.
- Attend meetings with clinicians and referral partners to discuss SCT services and answer questions
- Occasionally attend conferences or events to exhibit on behalf of the SCT in partnership with other SCT members.
- Other responsibilities as assigned by the Chair or Service Chief by mutual agreement.
Preferred factors for consideration include, but are not limited to:
- Expertise or experience in evidence-based suicide care interventions
- Experience in suicide-specific service (e.g., emergency or inpatient service, crisis line, etc.)
All University of Washington faculty are expected to engage in teaching, research, and service.
UW Medicine, Center for Suicide Prevention and Recovery (CSPAR)
CSPAR conducts research and training to provide mental health professionals with the resources they need to effectively care for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts and behavior. Based on our and others research on what works to treat suicidality, we provide training, self-directed courses and a wide range of tools and resources to improve suicide care.
Website: https://uwcspar.org/
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is an integral component of the UW School of Medicine and shares UW Medicine’s mission to ‘Improve the Health of the Public.’ We accomplish this by providing the best care we can today, conducting research to develop better treatments for tomorrow, and inspiring and training the next generation of health care professionals for the Pacific Northwest. Our core values include openness, transparency, integrity, engagement, collaboration, and mutual respect.
Our department is the third largest within the School of Medicine. As the only academic psychiatry department serving Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, we are committed to improving access to psychiatric care and consultation throughout the greater Pacific Northwest. Our educational programs include a required medical student clerkship for 260 medical students per year at some 30 sites across the WWAMI region, a nationally competitive psychiatry residency program with more than 90 psychiatry residents in Seattle and in two regional residency tracks in Idaho and Montana, subspecialty fellowships in addiction, child and adolescent, consultation-liaison, perinatal mental health and geriatric psychiatry, a nationally renowned scientist-practitioner psychology internship program, and numerous post-doctoral clinical and research fellowships.
Qualifications
Applicants for this position must meet the following minimum qualifications:
- A PhD or PsyD in a relevant field
- Washington State Licensure
- Eligibility for Washington State Medical License
Instructions
To ensure full consideration of your application, please submit all materials. Applications will only be accepted via Interfolio. The positions will remain open until filled.
Applications should include the following materials:
- a cover letter of no more than 1-2 pages detailing your interest in the position, relevant qualifications, and experiences
- a curriculum vitae
Applicants should articulate how their past experiences and/or future plans in research, teaching, mentoring, patient care, and/or service promote a sense of belonging and foster a welcoming and inclusive environment.
Please also include contact information for at least 3-5 referees who are prepared to provide letters of recommendation upon request.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Equal Opportunity
The University of Washington is committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful and welcoming community for all. As an equal opportunity employer, the University considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, or veteran status consistent with UW Executive Order No. 81.
Benefits Information
The University is committed to providing excellent benefits to our faculty. For a summary of available benefits, please see UWHR benefits information.
Privacy Notice
Your application materials may be used for employment consideration and shared in accordance with UW’s Privacy Policy.
Disability Services
The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 or dso@uw.edu.