The part time (10 hours per week) Peer Support Specialist (PSS) will assist with the coordination of harm reduction and naloxone trainings provided to service industry businesses (restaurants, bars, motels, etc.) in the Salt Lake region. The PSS should have personal experience and/or a strong understanding of substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery. The PSS will assist with on-site training, curriculum updates, outreach, and educational training sessions under the supervision of the program director. In addition, the PSS will assist with the coordination of harm reduction training events and program evaluation.

ACA Variable Position US Work Authorization is Required

• Provide outreach to service industry businesses in the Salt Lake region to improve understanding of harm reduction and naloxone and enroll in training program.
• Assist with administration of harm reduction and naloxone training for employees at service industry businesses.
• Develop and review harm reduction media (flyers, posters, etc.) to be distributed to community partners.
• Create social media posts related to harm reduction and substance use prevention.
• Assist with collection of survey data for program evaluation purposes.
• Collaborate with other USU Extension employees on harm reduction and substance use prevention projects.
• Assist with train-the-trainer program held for USU Extension faculty and staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

• One year of professional experience working in substance use prevention, treatment, or recovery.
• Strong understanding of harm reduction and substance use prevention principles.
• Experience conducting outreach and education on substance use prevention including naloxone administration.
• Comfortable with public speaking and recruitment phone calls.
• Skills in media development, social media promotion and other forms of online marketing
• Experience working with patients and families impacted by substance use disorders.
• Basic understanding of program evaluation and research.
• Work remotely in the Salt Lake Valley with the ability for occasional travel, as needed.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in any field and two years of experience working in substance use prevention.  
• Personal experience with substance use disorder and harm reduction
• Knowledge of and involvement in prevention, treatment, and recovery for substance use disorders.
• Experience providing training and outreach to organizations related to substance use.  

Additional Qualifications:

• Exceptional listener and communicator who effectively conveys information verbally and in writing.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and juggle multiple projects.
• Ability to adapt to changing conditions or work assignments.
• Excellent interpersonal abilities.
• Cultural sensitivity and an ability to build rapport with a diverse workforce in multicultural settings.
• Team player who excels at building trusting relationships with customers and co-workers.
• Productive worker with solid work ethic who exerts effort in successfully completing tasks.
• Dependable, responsible contributor committed to excellence and success.
• Self-starter who takes initiative with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to learn new skills or techniques.

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
2. Contact Information for Professional References
3. Cover Letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

The Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services is home to eight departments and is committed to providing the best learning opportunities and educational research in the state of Utah. Our programs are strengthened by an on-campus elementary laboratory school and five stand-alone centers, including the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence. The college offers clinical services to the community across the human lifespan and provide students with real-world service and research opportunities.

This position is funded by Utah State University Extension which provides research-based programs and resources with the goal of improving the lives of individuals, families, and communities throughout Utah. This program will be under the Health Extension: Advocacy, Research, and Teaching Initiative, which is focused on partnering with health departments, research experts, community coalitions, and other key stakeholders to address substance misuse through increasing access and utilization of prevention, treatment, and recovery services across the state.

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant and space-grant university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion. USU serves approximately 27,500 students throughout the state at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for over 25 years, and USU Extension provides outreach and service to all counties in Utah.  

As a land-grant university, USU engages communities and empowers people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. As an R1 research institution, USU provides a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price. Washington Monthly has consistently ranked USU in the top 10 among public universities for contribution to social mobility, research, and public service.  

Utah State is committed to cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where different perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Learn more about USU. 

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at (435) 797-0122 or hr@usu.edu. 

About the Region

U.S. News and World Report ranked Utah first for its strong economy, fiscal stability, education, and health care. Outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities abound throughout the state, including five national parks, 43 state parks and recreation areas, and 15 alpine ski resorts. The home of USU’s main campus, Logan, is a city of 54,000-plus people in a picturesque mountain valley 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. The Logan metro area claimed the top spot in the Milken Institute’s 2022 ranking for best-performing small cities in the nation. 

*updated 7/2023

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Cody Carmichael, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov