Genetic Counselor 1

CounselorNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$60K - $96K

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 2mo ago

Job Description

Provide genetic counseling to patients seen in Mercyhealth. - Genetics, Rockford IL (Riverside) - 80 Hours/2 Weeks - Monday - Friday, No Weekends

Essential Functions

  • Facilitates comprehensive patient care. Includes: Provides description of genetic counseling process during initial patient contact, gathers relevant information including medical records/family history and obtains appropriate current medical literature. Ensures the distribution of a summary letter to the patient and referral source in a timely fashion. - Assists/conducts counseling session: Coordinates further care and follow-up. - Participates in community and professional education. Accommodates the majority of requests by community and professional groups for lectures. Organizes and presents educational conference as funding is available and need is demonstrated. - Participates in obtaining and utilizing grant funding as it is available. Ensures maximal use of grant funds. - Promotes public awareness of the regional genetics service. Functions as a regional community resource for genetic disease-related inquiries. - Maintains patient data for yearly statistics. Maintains documentation of the number of referrals, the referral source and patient demographic information. Maintains statistics on indication for referral and diagnosis. - Attends continuing education programs, attending appropriate educations seminars on a yearly basis, as funding permits. - Maintains current educational materials. Maintains up-to-date patient educational materials in sufficient quantities and maintains current medical resources used by the department staff and other medical professions. - Provide genetic counseling and medical care as needed for position newborn screen cases. Provides information to the State of IL NBS program, as needed. - Act as an educational resource/mentor for individuals interested in medicine and the field of medical genetics. - Provide genetic counseling services that follow the code of ethics guidelines established by the NSGC/ABGC.

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s level Genetics Counselor degree

Job Based Competencies

Strong organizational skills, effective verbal and written communication, quality customer service skills, read/comprehend written instructions, follow verbal instructions, basic PC skills. Manage stress appropriately, make decisions under pressure, manage anger/fear/hostility/violence of others appropriately, handle multiple priorities, and work independently.

Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Requirements

The Special Physical Demands are considered Essential Job Functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; reach with hands. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.

Public Contact

Partners, physicians, patients/family, visitors, vendors

Pay Range

$60,320.00 - $96,512.00

Mercyhealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

  • Mercyhealth offers competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package including:
  • Medical, Dental, Vision
  • Life & Disability Insurance
  • FSA/HSA Options
  • Generous, accruing paid time off
  • Paid Parental and caregiver leave
  • Career advancement and educational opportunities
  • Tuition and certification reimbursement
  • Certification Reimbursement
  • Well-being Programs
  • Employee Discounts
  • On-Demand Pay
  • Financial Education
  • Annual recognition/awards events
  • Partner appreciation days
  • Family entertainment/attractions discount

Community Service/improvement Opportunities

Click here for more details regarding Mercyhealth Careers Benefit Information.

At Mercyhealth, we don’t simply hire people, we empower employee-partners who are passionate about making lives better. As an integrated health system, we deliver exceptional, coordinated across seven hospitals, 85 primary and specialty clinics, and a team of over 7,500 professionals serving northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.

Mercyhealth has been nationally recognized for our commitment to our people and culture, including:

#1 in the nation on AARP's Best Employers for Workers Over 50

  • One of Working Mother magazine's 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers
  • A Top 50 Company and Top 10 Nonprofit for Executive Women

Key Responsibilities

The genetic counselor provides comprehensive genetic counseling services to patients, including gathering family history and coordinating follow-up care. They also participate in community education, maintain patient data statistics, and serve as a resource for genetic disease inquiries.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Master's level Genetics Counselor degree. Strong organizational, communication, and customer service skills are required to manage patient care and work independently.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Medical record managementFamily history assessmentData maintenanceStatistical analysisPatient advocacyMentoringCommunication skillsDecision makingStress management

Genetic Counseling — Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Genetic Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 66% are remote, 32% have no call, 56% require no weekends.

In California, the Genetic Counseling weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$120k (16 salary observations; 20 listings), vs ~$103k nationally (71 salary observations; 153 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-02-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$78k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $71k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Genetic Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is down 6.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Genetic Counselor 1 at Mercyhealth Wisconsin and Illinois a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Genetic Counseling — ranked against 41 active Genetic Counseling listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Top Counselor Jobs

41 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution41 jobs · 28 employers

8
<$90k
11
$90k-105k
6
$105k-120k
14
$120k-135k
2
$135k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks33 jobs · 28 employers

401k / retirement match
97%
Sign-on bonus
39%
CME allowance
36% this job
Loan repayment
15% this job
PSLF eligible
9% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Behavioral Health Provider (ASW/LCSW or AMFT/LMFT) - Napa

OLE Health · Napa, California

$88k-$138k
#2

Licensed Clinical Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

Integrated Pain Management Medical Group · Walnut Creek, California

$115k-$135k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 39 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 5.1this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Genetic Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 41 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
  • On-site

Living in Riverside

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$602k≈ 10.0× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,444/mo≈ 49% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
106.4
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Mercyhealth Wisconsin and Illinois logo

About Mercyhealth Wisconsin and Illinois

Hospitals and Health Care
Rockford, Illinois
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, Vision
Life & Disability Insurance
FSA/HSA Options
Generous PTO
Paid Parental and Caregiver Leave
Tuition and Certification Reimbursement
Well-being Programs
Employee Discounts