UnitedHealth Group logo
UnitedHealth Group
Syracuse, New York

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

Social WorkerFull-Time

Listed compensation

$69K - $104K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 3mo ago

Job Description

Psychiatry Services of New York, part of the Optum family of businesses, is seeking a Licensed Clinical Social Worker to join our team in Syracuse, NY. As a member of the Optum Behavioral Care team, you’ll be an integral part of our vision to make healthcare better for everyone.

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, you will treat a wide variety of mental health conditions that reflect the needs of our diverse patient population. We offer a variety of solutions that meet the unique needs of our workforce and the patients they serve. From clinical operations such as credentialing to business operations such as contracting, we provide organizational support that allows our providers to focus on what matters – providing care.

Primary Responsibilities

Screen and assess patients for common mental health and substance abuse disorders

Provide treatment for mental health conditions using various approaches including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, and other evidence-based methods

Systematically track treatment response and monitor patients for changes in clinical symptoms and treatment side effects or complications

Maintain accurate and up-to-date electronic medical records and clinical documentation, ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements

Participate in our patient growth strategy by providing a profile for online directories and other marketing efforts

We are committed to your well-being and growth, offering a comprehensive package of perks and benefits with varying eligibility based on role, including:

  • Competitive hourly pay & uncapped productivity incentives
  • Flexible work models & paid time off when you need it

Health and well-being benefits like health insurance, 401k matching, and other family support and wellness resources

Professional development with continuing education (CE) reimbursement and dedicated learning time to advance your career

You’ll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in psychology, social work, or a related counseling field
  • Must have a clear, active and unrestricted license (LCSW) in the state of New York

Preferred Qualifications

  • 2+ years professional social work / clinical experience post master’s degree
  • Experience providing direct psychotherapy services to individuals and families
  • Experience working with computers for professional communication and medical documentation - Excel, Outlook, Athena RMS (or other EHRs)
  • Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively with equal effectiveness

Explore opportunities at Optum Behavioral Care. We’re revolutionizing behavioral health care delivery for individuals, clinicians and the entire health care system. Together, we are bringing high-end medical service, compassionate care and industry leading solutions to our most vulnerable patient populations.

Our holistic approach addresses the physical, mental and social needs of our patients wherever they may be - helping patients access and navigate care anytime and anywhere. We’re connecting care to create a seamless health journey for patients across care settings.

Join our team, it’s your chance to improve the lives of millions while Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Pay Range: $69,100 - $103,800 annual total cash target pay

Annual total cash compensation for this role assumes full time employment and generally follows the range above, includes earnings from hourly pay (25/hr) and incentive pay and is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets and may increase over time based on productivity and performance in the role.

We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable. In addition to your pay, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements).

No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you’ll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives."

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone–of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income–deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life.

Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes.

We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes — an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

OptumCare is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

OptumCare is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

Key Responsibilities

Screen and assess patients for mental health and substance abuse disorders using evidence-based treatment methods. Maintain accurate electronic medical records and participate in patient growth strategies through online directories.

Requirements

Requires a Master's degree in psychology, social work, or a related field and an active, unrestricted LCSW license in New York. Preferred candidates have 2+ years of post-master's clinical experience and proficiency with EHR systems like Athena RMS.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Patient AssessmentMental Health TreatmentSubstance Abuse TreatmentCase ManagementInterpersonal Communication

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) at UnitedHealth Group a 7.9 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) — ranked against 2,010 active Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) listings on WeekdayDoc.

Social Worker Career Context

UnitedHealth Group holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 75/100, 1,402 active listings.

Of the 32 active Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) listings this role was benchmarked against, 56% are remote, 28% have no call, 59% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$86k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $80k in an average-cost state. 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) Jobs

25 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution23 jobs · 16 employers

9
<$105k
2
$105k-125k
7
$125k-145k
5
$145k-165k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks17 jobs · 16 employers

401k / retirement match
82% this job
Sign-on bonus
47%
CME allowance
41% this job
Loan repayment
6%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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$45-$75/hr
#2

LCSW Bilingual Outpatient Clinician - TelehealthContract

Northeast Family Services · Manhattan, New York

$45-$75/hr
#3

LCSW Clinician

$65-$73.16/hr
#4

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$58.21-$70.76/hr
+ 23 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 7.9
Better work-life than 90% of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 2,010 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Syracuse

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$219k≈ 3.2× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,541/mo≈ 27% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
18 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
95.7
State income tax
Up to 10.9%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Syracuse, NY metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

UnitedHealth Group logo

About UnitedHealth Group

Hospitals and Health Care
Eden Prairie , Minnesota
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Competitive hourly pay
Uncapped productivity incentives
Flexible work models
Paid time off
Health insurance
401k matching
Family support resources
Wellness resources