Alcohol and Drug Counselor Jobs

Alcohol and Drug Counselor jobs are open across behavioral health, community health centers, hospital systems, and residential treatment facilities, from entry-level counselor to clinical supervisor and program director, with specializations in adolescent treatment, co-occurring disorders, and medication-assisted recovery. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.

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Overview

Open roles144+
Top statePennsylvania
Top employerPennsylvania Counseling Services
Top cityPhiladelphia, PA
Work type85% On-site
Top industryEducation

Showing 5 of 144+ Alcohol and Drug Counselor jobs

Los Alamos National Laboratory
Forensic Drug and Alcohol Technician 3
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Los Alamos National Laboratory
Added 1d ago
Forensic Drug and Alcohol Technician 3
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos, New Mexico
Communications
Content & Communications
Corporate Training
$61k - $94k/yr
On-Site
High school diploma or GED
10,000+

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CFG Health
Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor
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CFG Health
Added 1d ago
Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor
CFG Health
Newark, New Jersey
Healthcare Administration
Mental & Behavioral Health
Social Work & Counseling
Bachelor's degree in counseling
501-1,000

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Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Pre-Licensed Drug & Alcohol Outpatient Therapist
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Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Added 1d ago
Pre-Licensed Drug & Alcohol Outpatient Therapist
Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Allied Health
Healthcare Administration
Mental & Behavioral Health
Social Work & Counseling
$36k - $64k/yr
Master's degree in social work
501-1,000

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Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Pre-Licensed Drug & Alcohol Outpatient Therapist
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Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Added 1d ago
Pre-Licensed Drug & Alcohol Outpatient Therapist
Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Columbia, Pennsylvania
Allied Health
Healthcare Administration
Mental & Behavioral Health
Social Work & Counseling
$36k - $64k/yr
Master's degree in social work
501-1,000

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Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Pre-Licensed Drug & Alcohol Outpatient Therapist
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Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Added 1d ago
Pre-Licensed Drug & Alcohol Outpatient Therapist
Pennsylvania Counseling Services
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Allied Health
Healthcare Administration
Mental & Behavioral Health
Social Work & Counseling
$36k - $64k/yr
Master's degree in social work
501-1,000

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Alcohol and Drug Counselor Jobs by Experience Level

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Alcohol and Drug Counselor Job Market

Who's Hiring

  • Pennsylvania Counseling Services
    Pennsylvania Counseling Services19
  • Merakey
    Merakey5
  • Safety Center
    Safety Center5
  • Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems
    Holcomb Behavioral Health Systems5
  • Potomac Community Services
    Potomac Community Services4

Top Industries Hiring

  • Education
  • Consulting & Professional Services

What Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in alcohol and drug counselor jobs.

  • State licensure or certification such as CADC, LADC, LCDC, or equivalent credential
  • Bachelor's or master's degree in counseling, social work, psychology, or a related field
  • Experience conducting individual and group counseling sessions using evidence-based modalities
  • Familiarity with 12-step facilitation, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy
  • Ability to complete clinical documentation and maintain accurate case records in an EHR system
  • Experience working with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder populations

Tips for Your Alcohol and Drug Counselor Job Search

List your credentials front and center

Employers scan for licensure first. Put your CADC, LADC, LPC, or state-specific credential in your resume header and repeat it in your summary. Buried credentials cost you callbacks, especially when an ATS filters by certification keyword before a human ever reads your application.

Tailor your resume to the setting

A residential treatment facility and an outpatient community clinic want very different things. Highlight inpatient group facilitation for the former and case management and community referrals for the latter. One generic resume sent everywhere performs far worse than two targeted versions.

Apply early to roles that fit

Migrate Mate lists alcohol and drug counselor openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.

Filter openings by supervision requirements

If you're still accumulating supervised clinical hours toward full licensure, prioritize postings that explicitly mention clinical supervision or intern-to-hire tracks. Applying to roles that require full independent licensure before you have it wastes everyone's time and delays your search.

Prepare specific case examples for interviews

Behavioral interview questions in this field drill into your crisis intervention approach and your experience with specific populations. Before each interview, outline two or three concrete situations where you de-escalated a client, coordinated with a treatment team, or navigated a dual-diagnosis case.

Negotiate your continuing education benefit

Licensure renewal and CEU requirements are ongoing costs in this profession. During offer negotiations, ask specifically about annual CEU reimbursement, supervision hours toward licensure advancement, and paid time off for training days. These benefits vary widely and are almost always negotiable.

Alcohol and Drug Counselor Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies are hiring the most alcohol and drug counselors?

The most active employers for alcohol and drug counselors right now are Pennsylvania Counseling Services, Merakey, and Safety Center, and the most openings are in Pennsylvania, California, and Minnesota, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Demand tends to be highest at large behavioral health networks and integrated hospital systems.

How many alcohol and drug counselor jobs are remote?

About 15% of alcohol and drug counselor openings are fully remote or hybrid as of July 2026, which is lower than many counseling fields because direct client care often requires in-person contact. Telehealth roles are most available for individual outpatient sessions, case management coordination, and crisis line work rather than residential or intensive outpatient programs.

How do you become an alcohol and drug counselor?

You start by earning a degree in counseling, social work, or a related behavioral health field, then complete supervised clinical hours that your state board specifies for licensure. After that, you pass a certification exam such as the NCAC or CADC, submit your application to your state's licensing authority, and maintain your credential through continuing education each renewal cycle.

How do you get hired as an alcohol and drug counselor with little or no experience?

Target postings that explicitly offer clinical supervision toward licensure, since many treatment facilities actively seek pre-licensed counselors they can train. Volunteer or internship experience at a detox unit, sober living home, or community recovery center counts as direct exposure. Emphasize any peer support work, crisis hotline shifts, or case aide roles in your application to show firsthand knowledge of the population.

What does the alcohol and drug counselor interview process look like?

Most hiring processes include a phone screen with HR, followed by a panel interview with a clinical supervisor and often a senior counselor on the team. Expect scenario-based questions about handling a client in active crisis, managing ethical dilemmas, and your approach to motivational interviewing. Some employers add a short written case conceptualization exercise or ask you to review a mock client file before the final round.

Where can I find and apply to alcohol and drug counselor jobs?

You can find and apply to alcohol and drug counselor jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your licensure level, preferred setting, and location, then apply directly to each one that fits your background.

See All 144+ Alcohol and Drug Counselor Jobs

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