About the Role
The Counsellor role will be an integral member of the Swinburne Health Service team who provides holistic care in accordance with the core values of the Swinburne University of Technology Health & Wellbeing area. This position reports to the Manager of the Counselling & Psychological Services (CAPS) team who provides direction and supervision as required. 

Counsellors are qualified and experienced mental health nurses, psychologists, counsellors, or social workers who work in an inclusive way. Counsellors provide quality professional counselling services to students who require psycho-social support to fully realise their personal and academic goals.

The aim of the position is to provide improved access to mental health services and improve outcomes in terms of recovery and relapse prevention. The dominant patient population are young adults of diverse cultures.

The Counsellor will deliver an advanced level of psychosocial assessment and interventions for students and their families, as well as take part in the development and implementation of activities in line with the mental health strategies promoted by Swinburne Health Service.  The delivery of these services will support the University’s commitment to the retention of students and the successful completion of their studies.  The incumbent will provide positive health experiences for staff, students, and wider community.

You will be required to travel between Hawthorn, Wantirna, and Croydon campus. The incumbent is required to be flexible in hours to cover practice working hours, which are 07:00am to 6:00pm. 

This is a part time role .5 FTE, 2.5 days per week and is a contract role until 31 Dec 2025.

About You
To be suitable for this role you will need to have experience in the below key accountabilities: 
• Extensive experience in provision of mental health care including completion of mental health assessments, crisis management, and therapeutic interventions based on current evidence-based approaches. 
• Sound knowledge and understanding of Victorian and National Legislation governing area of practice (e.g., Mental Health Act, Vic 2014).
• Proficient/Excellent triage skills.
• Experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse background.
• Proficiency in recording patient care details electronically.
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work autonomously but also work collaboratively within the Wellbeing at Swinburne multi-disciplinary team.
• High level communication, written and verbal, with demonstrated high level of interpersonal skills with clients, their families, and all health care professionals.
• Good computer literacy with common Microsoft platforms and patient management systems.
• A demonstrated commitment to community participation and ongoing engagement with consumers. 
• A demonstrated commitment to participating in the ongoing quality improvement activities of the agency.
• Experience/knowledge for processes involving Centrelink, National Redress Scheme, and National Disability Insurance Scheme, including students from rural and regional areas, students from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds, care leavers, students living with disability and members of the LGBTIQA+ community.
• Experience working in tertiary education or with young adults. 

Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in either Social Work, Mental Health Nursing, Counselling, or a related field with at least 4 years subsequent experience; or a master’s degree in psychology or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education and training.
• Full registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a mental health nurse; or 
• Full membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW); or
• Full clinical membership of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) or minimum level 3 membership with the Australian Counselling Association (ACA). 
• Basic First Aid and CPR certificate.

About Swinburne University of Technology 

Swinburne’s strategy draws upon our understanding of future challenges. We choose to build Swinburne as the prototype of a new and different university – one that is truly of Technology, of Innovation and of Entrepreneurship. We are committed to a differentiated university proposition in education and research. 

What We Offer You!

• Work your way with flexible working arrangements, including hybrid options and generous parental leave to support a balanced lifestyle. 
• Exclusive staff discounts, including discounted Medibank health insurance, 50% off Swinburne courses and other partner offers.
• Swinburne offers 17% super and salary packaging options, including car leasing and extra super contributions.

Want to learn more? Head over to our benefits page!

To Apply

Please submit your CV and cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria and your suitability for this position.  

Please Note: Appointment to this position is subject to passing a Working with Children Check.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application, please contact the Swinburne Talent Acquisition Team on [email protected]

Applications will close on Sunday 28th September 2025.

Swinburne offers flexible working options contained in our leave and parenting/carer policies to support work-life balance.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Swinburne has become a world-class university, driving social and economic impacts through science, technology, and innovation. As a dual-sector university, our vision is for people and technology working together to build a better world.

Central to our vision is our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We pride ourselves on being an equal opportunity employer focused on attracting, retaining, and developing great talent. We work to remove barriers related to gender identity, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and age.

We strongly encourage applicants from diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our Moondani Toombadool Centre leads our Indigenous education and culture at Swinburne, guided by community wisdom and leadership.

We support applicants with disabilities. Adjustments can be requested at any time during the recruitment process. For Reasonable Adjustment requests, including accessible formats for the PD, application form or any other document, please contact [email protected]  or call +61 3 9214 3550.

Please note the above number and DCR email address are for disability or reasonable adjustments queries only. General enquiries about the role can be sent to [email protected] (general enquiries will not be answered by phone).

Victoria’s Commitment to Action: Improving international student employment outcomes.

As a signatory to Victoria’s Commitment to Action, Swinburne seeks to remove barriers to international graduate employment. We welcome and encourage applications from international graduates.  

As a Circle Back Initiative Employer, we commit to responding to every applicant.