Assistant/Associate Professor of Psychology (Clinical) - #231540

Western Carolina University has been named to the 2022 "America's Best Employers by State" list by Forbes, ranking 14 out of the top 100 employers in North Carolina. Forbes has also ranked Western Carolina University in the Top 100 of America's Best Midsize Employers for 2023. Western Carolina University is the UNC system's westernmost campus and has been consistently ranked as one of the top 15 public regional institutions in the South. WCU's main campus is nestled in a beautiful valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains, 50 miles west of Asheville. WCU is located just 25 miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, one of the nation's most spectacular and most visited national parks. The entire region is known for its excellent quality of life and access to outdoor activities.

Employees of WCU are provided a comprehensive benefits package as well as other resources, policies and programs to ensure a happy and healthy work/life balance. Benefit eligible employees have access to dental, vision and health insurance plans - eligibility begins on the first of the month following date of hire. Retirement plan contributions begin on the eligibility date following election and include employer contributions for either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Optional disability plans are also available.

Also offered are free group exercise classes multiple times per week, a discounted membership to the campus recreation center, and free vaccine and booster shots offered on campus.

The primary location of this position is on the main Cullowhee, NC campus.

The Psychology Department at Western Carolina University (WCU) invites applications for a 9-month tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant or Associate professor level, with a projected begin work date of August 2024. The typical teaching load is 3-3 (Fall/Spring), consisting of both undergraduate and graduate courses. Supervision of graduate students in the McKee Clinic or External Practicum is included in the 3/3 teaching load.

The successful candidate will show evidence of or potential for success in the teaching and supervision of students in our APA accredited post-masters Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Health Service Psychology (Combined Clinical- School) program and our scientist-practitioner oriented MA program in clinical psychology. (For those with school psychology background, please see our ad for an assistant/associate professor of school psychology). Each of these programs has a theoretical orientation consistent with behavioral/cognitive-behavioral foundations and accept typically 6 to 8 students per cohort. Relevant to this faculty position is our department's state-of-the art, public-facing McKee Assessment and Psychological Services Clinic, dedicated to providing advanced assessment training for our graduate students (PsyD, SSP, MA) through affordable comprehensive services to individuals, families, and schools in our community. To this end, the eligible candidate needs to have earned a doctorate (PhD or PsyD) in clinical or health service psychology from an APA-accredited program. Being licensed or license eligible (near completion of post-doctoral hours) as a psychologist in North Carolina is required.

As a teacher scholar, the successful faculty member is expected to maintain a program of meaningful disciplinary research that is engaging to both undergraduate and graduate students. The area of research is open. The department has a dedicated space for cognitive neuroscience (i.e., "the Brain lab") with EEG equipment, and existing research partnerships with schools-, hospitals-, non-profit organizations, and other service providers in the region.

At the undergraduate level, the psychology major is WCU's second largest major with approximately 500 students. The department, college, and university offer faculty internal funding opportunities to support scholarship, conference travel, and professional development. Moreover, WCU is a 12,000-student regional comprehensive university in the University of North Carolina system. The university offers 115 undergraduate programs and more than 40 graduate programs. The campus is located in the picturesque Cullowhee valley between the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, just minutes from the town of Sylva, public schools, recreation centers, trails, and rivers. Campus is midway between Charlotte and Atlanta, 50 miles west of Asheville, NC, a city with vibrant art, entertainment, food, and culture scenes, and 20 miles west of Waynesville, NC, the largest town in Western North Carolina with many options for dining, shopping, entertainment, and craft breweries. The entire region is noted for its excellent quality of life and access to outdoor activities.

The Department of Psychology is located in the College of Education and Allied Professions (CEAP). Psychology, CEAP, and Western Carolina University holds inclusive excellence as a core value, and we work together to foster a welcoming community, where all are respected and know they belong.

WCU embraces its role as a regionally engaged university and is designated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a community engaged university. Preference will be given to candidates who can demonstrate a commitment to public engagement through their teaching, service, and scholarship.

Doctorate in clinical psychology (PhD or PsyD) or closely related field from an accredited institution; Licensed or license eligible in NC.

To be considered, applicants must apply online. Hard copy materials will not be accepted. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate has been selected.

Completed applications will include:

*All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript of their highest attained degree, showing all completed coursework and the date the degree was conferred. The transcript must state "Degree Awarded," "Degree Conferred," or a similar phrase. For candidates who are ABD, please submit your most recent doctoral program transcript along with your master's degree transcript, if you hold such a degree. The master's degree transcript must have a notation such as "Degree Awarded," "Degree Conferred," or similar phrase, to verify it as your highest completed degree.

Materials should be submitted online via the secure application site. Questions about the submission should be directed to Dr. Alvin Malesky, search committee chair at malesky@wcu.edu

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks.

Western Carolina University uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify. Proper documentation of identity and employability are required at the time of employment.

All new employees are required to have listed credentials/degrees verified within 30 days of employment. All new employees who will be teaching are required to provide official transcripts within 30 days of employment. Transcripts should be provided for the highest earned degree and/or the degree which is being used to satisfy credential/qualification requirements.

Western Carolina University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race; color; religion; sex; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; national origin; age; disability; genetic information; political affiliation; National Guard or veteran status, consistent with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, and policies, and the policies of The University of North Carolina. Additionally, the University promotes the realization of equal employment opportunity for minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans through its affirmative action program.
Persons with disabilities requiring accommodations in the application and interview process please call (828) 227-7218 or email at jobs@email.wcu.edu.

The Western Carolina University Annual Safety Report is available online at or in hard-copy by request at the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, 227 HFR Administration Building, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7147) or the Office of University Police, 111 Camp Annex, Cullowhee, NC 28723 (828-227-7301). The report, required of all universities participating in Title IV student financial aid programs, discusses crime statistics, procedures for reporting suspicious or criminal activity, security, police authority, crime prevention strategies, university policies on substance abuse and sexual offenses, workplace violence and fire safety.