Job Description

DEPARTMENT: Education and Research

REPORTS TO: Department Chair

LOCATION: Evanston, IL

FLSA CLASSIFICATION: [EXEMPT]

THE ORGANIZATION

Through clinical services, education, and research, The Family Institute at Northwestern University is one of the nation’s leading relationship-based behavioral health organizations committed to strengthening and healing children and adolescents, couples, families, and individuals. When you join The Family Institute, you are joining a team of over 230 collaborators comprised of clinicians, educators, researchers, therapists-in-training, partners, and administrators across three service sites. We are a strong, independent organization focused on advancing the world of behavioral health.

Learn more about our culture.

THE ROLE

Core faculty members are employees of The Family Institute at Northwestern University with significant teaching, supervising and governing responsibilities in the COAMFTE-accredited Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy Program (MSMFT Program), housed within the Center of Applied Psychological and Family Studies (CAPFS) at Northwestern University. They hold clinical faculty appointments in the Department of Psychology at Northwestern. Core faculty members are also responsible for clinical caseloads in keeping with TFI policies and at a level negotiated yearly within their contracts. This position is posted as visiting core faculty for the 2026-2027 academic year and is dependent on budget approval.

ESSENTIAL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

1. This position is open to individuals who qualify at the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor and operate within the guidelines and requirements of the MSMFT program, Northwestern University policies, and the AAMFT Code of Ethics.
2. Design and deliver an outcome-based education framework, ensuring measurable student learning outcomes consistent with developing systemic, culturally competent, empirically informed, and ethical Marriage and Family Therapists.
3. Assess the academic and professional competencies of students and all aspects of the program's operation, using data and feedback to drive program improvements.
4. Serve as part of the collaborative core faculty governing body, supporting the program's mission and goals and demonstrating flexibility within a changing structure.
5. Attend and contribute to core faculty meetings, quarterly cohort meetings, and program sub-committees — including an active role on the admissions committee (recruitment, open house support, and review of applications and interviews) — providing leadership as needed.
6. Serve as academic advisor to MSMFT graduate students through their course of training, from orientation to graduation.
7. Serve as instructor and guest lecturer for program courses as needed, with flexibility to teach both on-ground and online, including support for the online branch of the MSMFT program.
8. Serve as a clinical supervisor, and mentor/supervise AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidates as needed.
9. Support students with academic and professional development, remediation, and career development, including (pre)licensure application and job negotiation.
10. Engage in scholarly activities — including maintaining a research lab and mentoring students in their scholarly pursuits — while working toward academic promotional ranking within CAPFS.
11. Maintain an active clinical caseload at a level negotiated yearly within contract, and attend clinical services meetings.
12. Commit to the program's Integrative Systemic Therapy (IST) approach, and participate in activities supporting the marriage and family therapy profession beyond program tasks.
13. Write program communications, marketing materials, and blogs as requested, engaging effectively with a wide range of stakeholders using strong interpersonal skills.
14. Apply AI and/or automation tools that streamline or improve processes, efficiency, and quality while exercising discretion and ethical judgment.
15. Perform other duties as assigned by manager.

OF QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge and Skills

1. Strong MFT identity as evidenced by LMFT licensure, professional affiliations including AAMFT, graduate degrees, scholarship, and AAMFT Approved Supervisor status or eligibility. *Hold a current license or be eligible to hold a license in the State of Illinois.
2. Commitment to the AAMFT Code of Ethics.
3. Evidence of ability to teach a broad range of MFT courses, with flexibility to teach both on-ground and online as needed.
4. Experience supervising graduate students in clinical settings.
5. Demonstrated leadership and maturity in addressing complex educational and training issues.
6. Excellent oral, written, and active listening communication skills, with the ability to connect and build rapport with a diverse range of students, staff, and faculty, and collegially collaborate with core, teaching, and supervising faculty.
7. Strong time management, organization, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to adapt to new and rapidly changing situations and resolve issues from identification through resolution.
8. Creativity, innovation, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team.
9. Effectively work with teaching and learning technology, multiple databases, and student platforms.
10. Knowledgeable of (or willing to learn) the integrative systemic therapy (IST) perspective.

MINIMUM HIRING SPECIFICATIONS

1. Earned doctorate in MFT/CFT from a COAMFTE-accredited program (or related field with a graduate-level degree in MFT/CFT/MedFT); ABD doctoral candidate will be considered
2. AAMFT Approved Supervisor (or Supervisor Candidate)
3. Licensed as an LMFT (or be license eligible) in Illinois
4. Experience teaching graduate-level courses in the areas of family therapy or other systemically oriented courses
5. Experience supervising graduate students in clinical settings, who may work with diverse clients
6. Eligibility to hold rank of Clinical Assistant Professor at Northwestern University

APPLICATION MATERIALS & TIMELINE

• CV
• Teaching and Supervision Philosophies
• Outline of Scholarly Agenda including 2 sample peer reviewed publications
• Letter of Interest

* Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Our preferred start date is August 31, 2026, in preparation for the Fall 2026 quarter; however, the start date is negotiable for the right candidate.

Requirements

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Must be able to compose written reports clearly and effectively
2. Must be able to be in a stationary position due to attention to computer screen
3. The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
4. The ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer) to perform work-related duties
5. Must be able to apply established protocols in a timely manner
6. Must be able to determine solutions to problems
7. Must be able to operate successfully while handling multiple projects

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Family Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other protected class. We strive to create a working environment that is free of all forms of discrimination and one that promotes human dignity and mutual respect among all staff. We believe every member of our organization enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, to identify challenges, and to discover, design, and deliver solutions.

If you are a candidate with a disability and require reasonable accommodation to complete this application, please direct your inquiries to the Recruiter.

Compensation is based on a number of factors, including but not limited to: scope and responsibilities of the position; a candidate’s applicable work experience, key skills and qualifications, as well as internal and external market considerations. The pay range for this full-time, exempt position is $70,060.00 - $130,333.00/year. The Family Institute provides competitive benefits, including health, a 403(b) retirement savings plan, generous time off, and professional development. For a more inclusive list of benefits, please visit our Careers page at https://www.family-institute.org/about-us/careers