Substance Use Disorder Counselor (Full Time)
Listed compensation
$50k-$62k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
As a Substance Use Disorder Counselor for Aurora Behavioral Healthcare San Diego, you will provide quality direct and indirect patient care to individuals with substance use or other diagnosed issues.
*Pay Range: $24/hr. to $30/hr.
Responsibilities
- Assesses patients' stage and extent of substance use and comorbid mental health issues
- Develops and implements a plan of treatment, in conjunction with members of multi-disciplinary team
- Conducts didactic and other appropriate patient groups for both substance use and duel diagnosed issues
- Communicates with referral sources and other appropriate parties regarding patients' progress
- Coordinates and implements patients' discharge
- Attends and participates in department and other program or clinical and administrative meetings
- Supports maintenance and development of clinical program or services
- Provides backup services to Needs Assessment and Referral Department
- Participates in activities, which enhance professional growth and development
Skills
- Providing individual and group therapy
- Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and time management skills
- Ability to provide treatment planning and related documentation and record-keeping
Skills in public speaking; thorough awareness for, and compliance with, standards of ethical care and confidentiality;
Ability to maintain therapeutic relationship with patients who are various stages of emotional stability and recovery; self-control in volatile or hostile situations, such as when verbally or physically threatened or aggressively confronted
High School Diploma or Equivalent
- BLS (Basic Life Support ) Certification for Healthcare Providers following the American Heart Association guidelines
- CADC, SUDCC Certification OR Current RADT, SUDRC
- Experience working with adults and adolescents with substance use and co-occurring disorders
- 401K Retirement Plan
- Health Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Pet Insurance
- Healthcare Spending Account & Dependent Care Spending Account
- Life Insurance (Supplemental Life, Term, and Universal plans are also available.)
- PTO Plan
- Holiday Premium Pay
- PTO Cash Out option
- Sick Pay
- Short and Long-Term Disability (with additional buy-in opportunities)
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program
- ID Theft Protection
- Employee Appreciation Events
- Employee Discount Opportunities
Requirements
Candidates must hold a high school diploma or equivalent and possess a valid CADC, SUDCC, RADT, or SUDRC certification. Additionally, applicants are required to have Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and experience working with adults and adolescents with co-occurring disorders.
Qualifications
- Education
- Professional certificate or licensure
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Addiction Medicine — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 52% are remote, 36% have no call, 70% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$56k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $51k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $50k–$62k | Substance Use / Addiction Counselor median $65k (middle half $53k–$73k)19 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$51k in purchasing power | California index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Substance Use / Addiction Counselor listings in California | 1,071 active | 13,727 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 52% remote · 36% no call · 70% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | California Counselor listings: 11% state a sign-on bonus (median $3k) · 9% offer loan repayment1,071 active listings, Oct 2026 |
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