Forensic Science Masters Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $106,038.40 - $131,268.80 Annually
Location : 1125 Third Street, Napa, CA
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: 1104-2026-06-05
Department: Health & Human Services Agency
Opening Date: 06/05/2026
The Napa Valley
Napa County is home to 140,000 residents who share a strong sense of community and a legacy of preserving and protecting our rich agricultural heritage.
Located in the heart of California's preeminent wine region, the Napa Valley is also part of the dynamic San Francisco Bay Metropolitan Area. With its sunny Mediterranean climate and proximity to the mountains and ocean, the Valley offers residents easy access to virtually unlimited shopping, dining, cultural and recreational opportunities.
The Napa Valley's strategic location, natural and cultural resources, history of responsible land use planning and attractive quality of life provide the ideal mix of small town living and big city amenities.
Napa County as an Employer
As an organization, Napa County is dedicated to improving the lives of our citizens and reflecting the best of the community's values: Respect, Accountability, Dedication, Integrity and Innovation. Learn more Learn more here.
The Position
The Forensic Mental Health Counselor provides professional mental health forensic services for the adult correctional facility. Services include, but are not limited to, clinical assessments, counseling, crisis intervention and continuing care services.
The Forensic Mental Health Counselor - Licensed is the board licensed professional level of the Forensic Mental Health Counselor series. This class is distinguished from:

• The Forensic Mental Health Counselor - Registered classification, which is the board registered/intern level in the Forensic Mental Health Counselor series.

• The Mental Health Counselor - Licensed classification. Which is the licensed professional level in the Mental Health Counselor series responsible for performing mental health counseling, casework, case management, and treatment services for mental, emotional, and co-occurring disorders.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill one full-time vacancy. The list established by this recruitment may also be used to fill current and future full-time, part-time, limited term, and extra help vacancies for up to one year.
Click here to learn more about HHSA's commitment to learning and serving!
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Agreed Salary Increases and Winter Time Off:
32 hours of Winter Time Off
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
Experience and Education: To qualify for this classification, an individual must possess any combination of experience and education that would likely produce the required knowledge and abilities. A desirable combination is:
Forensic Mental Health Counselor - Registered ($50.98 - $ 60.97 Hourly)
Experience: No experience required.
Education: Possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in social work, clinical or counseling psychology, or a field of study approved by the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences.
License or Certificate*:

• Acceptance by the California State Board of Behavioral Science (Board) as a candidate for licensure (registered intern/associate) as either an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist, Associate Clinical Social Worker, or Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, or other Board approved equivalent license/registration.
• Possession of a valid California driver's license is required.

** Failure to obtain required license within the statutorily defined timelines or loss of State registration shall result in termination.
Forensic Mental Health Counselor - Licensed ($52.87 - $63.11 Hourly)
Experience: One year of professional, post-masters experience providing treatment and counseling in a mental health agency. Professional forensic counseling is highly desired.
Education: Possession of a Master's degree with a major in social work, clinical or counseling psychology, or a closely related behavioral science field, and completion of a university approved clinical internship in a mental health agency.
License or Certificate*:

• Possession of any of the following valid licenses issued by the State of California: Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, or Licensed Clinical Psychologist.
• Possession of a valid California driver's license is required.

*Any license, certification, or registration required for this position shall be maintained (i.e. active and in good standing) at all times during employment with Napa County. For continued employment with Napa County, you must maintain such license, certification, or registration to meet the minimum qualifications of this position.
Loss of the required State licensure may result in termination or reassignment.
THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
This is a continuous recruitment, and applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. This recruitment may close once a sufficient number of qualifying applications have been received.
1. Applications will be accepted on-line until the current vacancy is filled.
2. Applications will be reviewed for verification of possession of one of the required licenses and supplemental questions reviewed as they are received until the current vacancy is filled.
3. The most qualified candidates from the scoring of the supplemental questions will be invited for an Oral Panel Interview on a continuous basis until the current vacancy is filled. The most qualified candidates from the oral panel interview will be placed on the eligibility list for up to twelve months.
Human Resources reserves the right to make changes to the recruitment process and schedule at any time.
Example of Duties
View the full job description including the example of duties for these positions below:

• Forensic Mental Health Counselor - Registered

ADDITIONAL INCENTIVES:Loan Forgiveness Program: Applicants appointed to this position who attended and received a degree (Associate's or Bachelor's) consisting of a minimum of 60 credits/units at a regionally accredited school by the Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions are eligible to receive a payment up to $20,000 (or $30,000 if certified bilingual by Napa County) towards student loan(a). Loans must be existing loans, which the employee can prove they held as of their hire date and was borrowed while attending the accredited institution during the time the degree was earned. All payments will be made directly to the student loan lender once appropriate verifications have been made. In order to be eligible for loan forgiveness, the employee must complete five (5) years of satisfactory service with Napa County, without break in service.
BenefitsLearn more about the benefits package for this position HERE
ADA Accommodation
Applicants requiring accommodation during the application and/or selection process pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act should contact County of Napa Human Resources at (707) 253-4303.
Disaster Service Workers
Napa County employees automatically become Disaster Service Workers. This means that when Napa County experiences emergencies (earthquake, wildfire, power outage, etc.) you may be asked to pivot from your regular duties to provide critical services to those affected by the emergency (CA Govt Code § 3102).
Napa County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
PUBLIC SERVICES EMPLOYEES BENEFITS INFORMATION
SALARY -
Salaries are based on a five-step range. Appointments are usually made at the beginning step with advances occurring at six months and the completion of each year thereafter. Salary rates are reviewed annually.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS INFO -
Click here for additional benefits information for Public Services Employees:
THESE BENEFITS DO NOT APPLY TO EXTRA HELP POSITIONS
EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
PHYSICAL STANDARDS -
Certain designated County positions require a candidate to pass a physical examination prior to appointment. Offers of employment are conditional upon successful completion of this examination.
FINGERPRINTING -
All employees hired into allocated positions or extra help positions will be fingerprinted.
SELECTION PROCESS -
FOR POSITIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT - The selection process will include an oral board interview, psychological assessment, background investigation, and a pre-employment physical exam.
01
Instructions for Supplemental Application Questions. The following questions comprise one of the steps in the selection process for this position and are intended to assist you in presenting your qualifications. Only the information you provide in your answers to these questions will be evaluated and scored to determine the best qualified candidates to continue in the selection process for this position. Please be complete and specific in answering the questions as your score will be based on this information. Applications submitted without responses to the supplemental questions will not be evaluated. Although your experience and education should relate back to your application, your application and or resume will not be reviewed when scoring the supplemental questions. Therefore, please be as detailed as possible in your responses to the supplemental questions. I have read and understand the instructions presented above.

• Yes
• No

02
Based on the licensing requirements for this position, as it relates to the possession of a valid license issued by the State of California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners, please select the box that applies to you:

• Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT)
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC)
• Licensed Psychologist
• Registered Intern or Associate as a candidate for licensure as Marriage and Family Therapist, Associate Clinical Social Worker, Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, or other Board approved license./registration
• None of the above

03
Please describe your work-related experience, education and training that qualifies you to provide forensic mental health services to adults in a correctional setting.
04
Describe your experience assessing and managing risk in individuals experiencing serious mental illness, suicidal ideation, aggression, psychosis, or significant behavioral instability. Include any experience conducting crisis assessments or collaborating with custody, law enforcement, medical staff, or other disciplines.
05
This position requires time-sensitive assessments and documentation on inmates within a correctional facility, as well as evaluations and coordination of treatment for mentally ill individuals from the correctional facility to community programs. What is your experience balancing high acuity treatment provision, administrative responsibilities (such as documentation timeliness), and coordination with community providers?
06
What is your definition of diversity? How do you encourage people to honor the uniqueness of each individual, including both clients and staff?
07
Employees in this position are required to have a current California driver's license. Do you have a current California driver's license?

• Yes
• No

08
If selected for this position, medical screening may be required as part of the pre-employment process.I have read and understand this requirement.

• Yes
• No

Required Question