Clinical Professor (Open Rank) and PsyD Field Placement Director

The University of Denver (DU) is a top-ranked university in a thriving city at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The ethnic and cultural diversity of the Denver Metro area includes a Latino/Hispanic population that represents about a third of the population, a strong and visible African American community, a diverse array of Southeast Asian refugees and immigrants, and a similarly diverse population of refugees and immigrants from East Africa. The Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) at DU was created in 1976 to house one of the first Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) programs in the country, under the Vail training model (practitioner-scholar). The PsyD program has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1979. Furthermore, GSPP provides four specialized master’s programs: Sport Coaching, Sport and Performance Psychology, Forensic Psychology, and International Disaster Psychology, as well as online certificates and continuing education. The School also has a partially affiliated, APA-accredited internship consortium and several in-house and satellite psychology training clinics that serve Denver and the surrounding communities. As a professional school, GSPP promotes and utilizes high-level pedagogy that integrates applied practice, theory, research, and scholarship. Our strategic plan Innovation and Impact: Psychology for a Complex World outlines how we are building on our academic strengths in order to expand our community reach.

Position Summary

This open-rank faculty role is a 12-month position in the clinical professional series with responsibilities in administration, teaching, and service. The University of Denver has developed multi-year contracts in the professorial series described in the Policies and Procedures Relating to Faculty Appointment, Promotion, & Tenure. In addition, GSPP requires all faculty and staff to exhibit excellent citizenship and pursue professional development to foster a model workplace. 

The PsyD Field Placement Director will oversee all aspects of the field placement program. This position has opportunities to build on and maintain the strong foundation of GSPP’s historical field placement program and community relationships while also exploring innovative approaches to practicum training through partnerships such as embedded psychology and telehealth. The role requires close collaboration with faculty, staff, students, and community partners in order to improve systems and processes to support more than 200 placements each year. In addition, this position has opportunities for leadership among field placements in other academic programs at GSPP and across the University, where students from the Schools of Social Work, Education, and the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences also engage in clinical practicum training.

As part of our training model and in accordance with APA requirements, PsyD students engage in practicum training through more than 200 placements at more than 160 locations. GSPP has also developed innovative ways to increase the number of high-quality field placements available for students, for example by embedding psychologists in community agencies and schools.

All GSPP programs promote comprehensive academic and applied training within an environment that values cooperation and collaboration and fosters critical thinking and self-determined functioning. The School is committed to educating students to provide culturally competent services to clients and the community. Knowledge of multiculturalism and inclusive excellence guides GSPP in the mission to be as welcoming and inclusive as possible to all students, staff, and faculty. GSPP has developed a collegial atmosphere with significant opportunities for creativity, teamwork and innovation. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive educational environment and encourage applications from individuals with marginalized identities.

This is an open-rank position that will be appointed at the rank appropriate for the candidate’s documented experience and excellence in the field:

  • Clinical Assistant Professors will be candidates in the first two to seven years of experience post-doctorate with strong, documented potential for excellence in teaching, service, clinical expertise, administration, and/or scholarship. Appointments at this rank will have a maximum of six years of service prior to consideration for promotion, and a reappointment review before the fourth year at the assistant rank. 
  • Clinical Associate Professors will be candidates who are mid-career teacher/practitioner/scholars with a strong, documented record of excellence in teaching, service, clinical expertise, administration, and/or scholarship.
  • Clinical Professors will be candidates at the top of the profession as teacher/practitioner/scholars with an extensive, strong, documented excellence in teaching, service, clinical expertise, administration, and/or scholarship. Often candidates will have received awards for their teaching and have evidence of functioning as a mentor to other faculty.

Essential Functions

Administration

  • Provide programmatic oversight of more than 200 practicum assignments at more than 160 practicum sites.
  • Establish and maintain positive working relationships with community practicum partners, agency supervisors, and programs such as AmeriCorps.
  • Develop packet of field placement opportunities for students for each selection process.
  • Work closely with faculty advisors and GSPP’s Data Systems Analyst, Student Services Administrator, and Director of Enrollment to ensure field placement information is communicated effectively and required student paperwork is complete.
  • Orient entering students to practicum processes, policies, expectations, and requirements.
  • Coordinate and supervise the fall and spring interview and selection process.
  • Monitor and supervise agency and student compliance in accordance with the community practicum expectations and policies statement and intervene as necessary, following GSPP, DU, and APA protocols for addressing concerns.
  • Communicate with students in groups and individually to provide support and develop collaborative solutions to improve the field placement program.
  • Review student evaluations of field placement supervisors and address concerns.
  • Advise GSPP colleagues on department policy, DORA, and statutory legal questions regarding field placements.
  • Track, report on, and adapt to trends in field placement availability and selection.
  • Facilitate recruitment and creation of new practicum training opportunities.
  • Develop and oversee innovative practicum training opportunities such as GSPP’s training psychologists embedded in schools and community agencies.
  • Annually revise Community Practicum Expectations and Policies Statement.
  • Provide attestation for students to fulfill contractual obligations with some agencies.
  • Interface with DU Counsel’s Office and GSPP Director of Business and Operations to facilitate contract and attestation processes.
  • Supervise a Field Placement Liaison who conducts site visits; review reports and respond to pertinent issues.
  • Oversee process of evaluating student competencies in field placements, including updating evaluation tools as needed and compiling reports of student performance.

Teaching and Advising

  • Teach courses to fulfill needs of the PsyD program, with the teaching load and specific courses to be determined in discussions with the PsyD Program Director and Associate Dean.
  • Provide high-quality advising for students in accordance with GSPP, DU, and APA protocols.
  • Maintain high teaching standards informed by best practices in pedagogy and leveraging available technologies to improve the student experience.
  • Provide clinical supervision, participation in competency exams, serve on or chair doctoral papers, and engage in practice-informed teaching.
  • Pursue professional development to enhance this capacity.

Service

  • Exhibit good citizenship through collaboration and service on committees to support GSPP, the University, community, and (inter)national efforts to improve the practice of psychology.
  • Participate in the PsyD admissions process.
  • Uphold GSPP’s commitment to inclusive excellence and to being a model workplace through all professional activities.
  • Scholarship is not a required aspect of this position but can be pursued with the support of the PsyD Program Director and Associate Dean.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Knowledge of and commitment to professional psychology model.
  • Strong interpersonal, administrative, and teaching skills.
  • Ability to engage conflict resolution to mediate student issues.
  • Ability to problem-solve to address complex challenges associated with innovation.
  • Ability to identify and implement collaborative process improvements.

Required Qualifications

  • PsyD or PhD in Psychology.
  • At least five years of teaching, training, and/or supervision experience at the doctoral level.
  • Licensed or license eligible to practice psychology in Colorado.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience directing a field placement/practicum training program.
  • Experience as a training director.
  • Experience working in NCSPP program at the doctoral level.
  • Local and/or national involvement in education and training.

Application Deadline
For best consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) on Friday, September 6, 2019.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. CV
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is committed to enhancing the diversity of its faculty and staff. We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of age, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, military/ veteran status or any other status protected by law.

All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.