Public Safety Psychologist

Public Safety Psychologist

Salary

$82,968.83 - $107,859.49 Annually

Location

Austin, TX

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

27-10939

Department

Sheriff

Opening Date

10/27/2026

Closing Date

11/17/2026 11:59 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Summary

The Travis County Sheriff's Office Public Safety Psychologist provides psychological expertise to support the recruitment, selection, wellness, and readiness of employees within a corrections and law enforcement agency. The position combines pre-employment psychological assessment with organizational support, supervisor support, employee wellness, training, and crisis response.

Approximately 60% of the position is dedicated to conducting pre-employment psychological evaluations. The remaining responsibilities focus on supporting the organizations broader staff wellness and behavioral health efforts, with particular emphasis on consultation, prevention, early intervention, education, and connection to appropriate external resources.

The psychologist works closely with the Wellness and Peer Support Program and serves as a psychological subject-matter expert to supervisors, leaders, and other designated agency partners. The position provides limited short-term crisis and therapeutic support when appropriate but is not intended to function as the primary ongoing mental health provider for employees.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

This is a job classification within the Social Services job family. This classification serves as the primary Psychologist for a corrections and law enforcement agency. This classification may require a flexible work schedule in order to meet the needs of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities

Pre-Employment Psychological Assessment:

• Conduct pre-employment psychological testing and evaluations of applicants for corrections, law enforcement, telecommunications (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) licensed positions) as well as civilian positions.

• Assess psychological suitability for employment in positions involving corrections, law enforcement, telecommunications, public safety, and other high-stress environments.

• Administer, score, interpret, and integrate appropriate psychological assessment instruments and structured interviews.

• Prepare objective, thorough, and legally defensible psychological evaluation reports.

• Communicate evaluation findings and recommendations to authorized agency personnel and/or TCOLE, consistent with applicable laws, ethical standards, and agency policy.

• Maintain appropriate documentation and records related to psychological evaluations.

Training and Education

• Develop and deliver practical training for supervisors, leaders, and employees on relevant psychological and behavioral health topics.

• Provide education regarding stress, trauma exposure, mental health, suicide prevention, crisis response, sleep, burnout, and other issues relevant to the wellness of public safety personnel.

• Provide training that increases supervisors confidence and competence in recognizing and appropriately responding to employee distress.

• Serve as a subject-matter expert for agency wellness and behavioral health education in alignment with the agency's trauma informed initiatives and its Wellness and Peer Support Program.

Supervisor and Leadership Consultation

• Serve as a psychological resource to supervisors and managers regarding employee behavioral, emotional, and workplace concerns. Provide practical guidance and training on recognizing signs of distress, initiating supportive conversations, responding to crises, and connecting employees with appropriate resources.
• Provide consultation to supervisors regarding appropriate responses to employees experiencing stress, distress, trauma, or other behavioral health concerns.
• Assist supervisors in identifying situations that may benefit from wellness resources, Peer Support referrals, Employee Assistance Programs, therapeutic services, or other external resources or support.
• Consult with leadership regarding organizational factors that may affect employee psychological health, engagement and well-being.

Staff Wellness and Organizational Support

• Work collaboratively with the Peer Support Program to help develop, implement, and evaluate employee wellness initiatives.
• Provide psychological expertise related to mental health, trauma, stress, critical incidents, suicide prevention, and other behavioral health topics.
• Assist in identifying emerging employee wellness needs and developing appropriate prevention and early-intervention strategies.
• Contribute to wellness communications, educational materials, presentations, and employee outreach.
• In collaboration with the Trauma Informed Program Administrator, participate in multidisciplinary wellness planning and initiatives involving Peer Support, Chaplaincy, Human Resources, occupational health, and other agency partners.
• Assist in identifying and developing relationships with external behavioral health providers who understand law enforcement and corrections culture.

Crisis Support and Referral

• Provide brief, crisis-oriented psychological support in collaboration with Peer Support to employees following critical incidents, traumatic events, or other significant personal or workplace stressors.
• Provide initial assessment, stabilization, supportive intervention, and resource navigation when appropriate.
• Determine when an employees needs exceed the scope of agency-based support and facilitate connection to appropriate external behavioral health services.
• Emphasize timely referral and continuity of care rather than ongoing treatment within the agency.
• Maintain relationships with qualified external mental health providers and specialized resources familiar with corrections, law enforcement and telecommunications populations.
• As appropriate and consistent with confidentiality requirements, coordinate with Peer Support and other internal resources to promote continuity of support.
• Participate in critical incident response and post-incident support as needed in collaboration with the Critical Incident Stress Management Team.

Scope of Clinical Services

• The psychologist provides consultation, education, brief supportive intervention, crisis response, and referral services within the agency. The position is not intended to serve as the primary ongoing therapist for agency employees.

• When an employee requires ongoing psychotherapy, specialized treatment, psychiatric services, or other care beyond the scope of brief agency-based support, the psychologist will facilitate referral to an appropriate external provider or resource.

• Provides court testimony as an expert witness, if necessary, to include Civil Service Commission testimony.

• Serves on various committees, as required.

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience:

Ph.D. degree in Psychology AND two (2) years of experience in assessment and counseling.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

Licensed to practice as a Psychologist in the State of Texas issued by the Texas State Medical Board of Psychology.

Valid Texas Drivers License.

Applicants are required to attach a resume with the online application.

Preferred:

Three (3) years or more experience in treatment of trauma using an evidence-based method.

EMDRIA Certification in EMDR (being an EMDRIA Certified Therapist, or an EMDRIA Approved Consultant in EMDR). Experience in treatment of law enforcement personnel.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Psychological assessment and selection practices applicable to corrections, telecommunications, and law enforcement career fields.
• Understanding of the unique occupational stressors and culture of correctional, telecommunications, and law enforcement environments.
• Trauma, critical incident response, suicide prevention, stress, burnout, and behavioral health.
• Community behavioral health resources and referral networks.
• Psychology, psychometry, psychopathy and physiological principles.
• Diagnostic criteria.
• Psychological evaluation methods.
• Policies, procedures, rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of and adherence to HIPAA and other federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in:

• Using psychological evaluation and assessment techniques and apply mediation procedures.
• Interpreting diagnostic evaluations and analyzing behavior.
• Preparing and maintaining accurate records, files and reports.
• Supervising and training employees.
• Interacting effectively with all levels of management, employees and outside contacts.
• Exercising independent judgment under minimal supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong consultation, training, and relationship-building skills.

Ability to:

• Plan and direct psychological activities and research.
• Organize workloads.
• Provide psychological counseling.
• Provide practical consultation to supervisors and leaders.
• Work collaboratively across organizational departments and multidisciplinary teams.
• Plan, assign and/or supervise the work of others.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with County employees and officials, representatives of outside agencies, and the general public.
• Translate psychological concepts into practical, accessible information for public safety personnel.
• Establish trust and maintain appropriate professional boundaries within a corrections and law enforcement environment.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 35-100 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, crouching, kneeling, pushing, pulling, reaching, twisting, balancing, repetitive motion, client/customer contact, squatting, and occasional indoor/outdoor activities to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

Work Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 - 5:00 PM

Location: Austin, Texas

Department: Sheriff

Criminal, Credit, Driving, Education, Employment Checks Required.

Drug and Alcohol Test Required.

For updates or questions on this position, contact sheriff.personnel@traviscountytx.gov.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Benefits

Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.

FY2027 Travis County Benefit Guide

In this valuable Travis County Benefits Guide you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.

Credit Union

Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.

Direct Deposit

Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.

Employee Assistance Program

Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.

Employee Organizations

Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.

Employee Health & Wellness Clinic

Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.

Holidays

An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.

Insurance

Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County's current policy is to pay 100% of the employee's health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.

The following benefits are employee paid:

• Dental
• Vision
• Supplemental Life, AD&D
• Dependent Life
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• Long Term Care

New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.

Longevity

Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.

On the regular payday on or after the employees fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.

Parking

A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.

Personal Holidays

Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:

January - March

3 personal holidays

April - June

2 personal holidays

July - September

1 personal holiday

October - December

None

New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.

Retirement

Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.

Sick Leave

Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.

Parental Leave

Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.

Tuition Refund

Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.

Vacation

Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:

0 to 5 years

4.0 hours per pay period

6 to 10 years

4.5 hours per pay period

11 to 15 years

5.0 hours per pay period

16 to 20 years

5.5 hours per pay period

21 plus years

6.0 hours per pay period

Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.

Workers Compensation

The county provides all employees workers compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.

01

Do you have EMDRIA Certification in EMDR or are you an EMDRIA Approved Consultant?

• Yes, I am an EMDRIA Certified Therapist
• Yes, I am an EMDRIA Approved Consultant
• No, I am not certified through EMDRIA

02

How many years of experience do you have as an EMDRIA Certified Therapist/ Approved Consultant?

• None
• 1-4 years
• 5-9 years
• 10 or more years

03

How many years of experience do you have treating law enforcement personnel?

• None
• 1-4 years
• 5-9 years
• 10 years or more

04

A detailed resume is required for the application to be considered. Have you submitted your resume with the online application?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer Travis County

Address 700 Lavaca Street

Austin, Texas, 78701

Website https://www.traviscountytx.gov/human-resources/jobs