OPT Clinical Social Worker Jobs
Clinical Social Worker jobs are open to F-1 OPT students with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, as most licensed positions require graduate-level training. STEM OPT extensions do not apply here, so your standard 12-month OPT window is what employers work within. State licensure requirements vary and can affect your timeline.
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Get Access To All JobsINTRODUCTION
Are you an internal caregiver, student, or contingent worker/agency worker at UMass Memorial Health? CLICK HERE to apply through your Workday account.
Exemption Status:
Exempt
Hiring Range:
$62,004.80 - $111,633.60 (based on a full time schedule of 40 hours per week). Please note that the final offer will vary based on scheduled hours. Compensation for part-time or reduced schedules will be prorated based on scheduled weekly hours, experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.
Schedule Details:
Monday through Friday
Scheduled Hours:
8-4:30p
Shift:
1 - Day Shift, 8 Hours (United States of America)
Hours:
40
Cost Center:
10030 - 4400 Social Services
This position may have a signing bonus available; a member of the Recruitment Team will confirm eligibility during the interview process.
EVERYONE IS A CAREGIVER
At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence, and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community, and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.
Responsibilities
- Provides assessment of patients/families and their adaptation to patient’s illness.
- Provides counseling as needed and ensures maximum patient participation in plans for discharge and recovery.
- Identifies system or discharge problems and develops discharge plans and presents options to patients.
- Assessment of all potential cases of abuse: child, elderly, disabled, and/or domestic violence.
I. Major Responsibilities:
-
Provides clinical service to patients and their families through individual, family, or group work, such as biopsychosocial assessment, crises intervention, treatment planning, and counseling relative to medical conditions.
-
Identifies clinical resources and makes referrals when necessary.
-
Collaborates with physicians, care coordinators, discharge planners, and other health care professionals to identify barriers to discharge or treatment and help resolve these issues with patients, families, or external sources.
-
Advocates for patients and families as they negotiate the health care system so that effective care, treatment, and planning may occur.
-
Documents all information obtained in evaluation, assessment, consultation, referral, and disposition to comply with regulatory requirements, as well as ensuring best possible patient outcome.
-
Utilizes the language of the current DSM-IV-TR to establish comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and subsequent planning and treatment.
Standard Staffing Level Responsibilities:
-
Complies with established departmental policies, procedures, and objectives.
-
Attends a variety of meetings, conferences, seminars as required or directed.
-
Demonstrates use of Quality Improvement in daily operations.
-
Complies with all health and safety regulations and requirements.
-
Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility, and acceptance toward all employees, patients, and visitors.
-
Maintains regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
-
Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.
All responsibilities are essential job functions.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS
License/Certification/Education:
Required:
-
Master’s Degree in Social Work.
-
Current Massachusetts Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensure.
Experience/Skills:
Required:
-
Demonstrated ability in psychosocial assessment, knowledge of community resources, crisis intervention skills, ability in discharge planning, and ability to work with a multidisciplinary team.
-
Data compilation and analysis skills.
-
Excellent written and communication skills.
-
Basic computer skills.
Preferred:
- One to three years of Social Work experience.
Unless certification, licensure, or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.
Department-specific competencies and their measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments. The competencies will be maintained and attached to the departmental job description. Responsible managers will review competencies with position incumbents.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Position requires work indoors most often in an office environment. However, work may also include monitoring patients’ movements and activities resulting in the need for rapid physical response to unsafe patient movements. This includes standing, walking, running, reaching, bending, lifting, and stooping.
Position in Ambulatory Oncology
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
We’re striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health – for our patients, our community, and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player, and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.
As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status, or other status protected by law.
If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.
INTRODUCTION
Are you an internal caregiver, student, or contingent worker/agency worker at UMass Memorial Health? CLICK HERE to apply through your Workday account.
Exemption Status:
Exempt
Hiring Range:
$62,004.80 - $111,633.60 (based on a full time schedule of 40 hours per week). Please note that the final offer will vary based on scheduled hours. Compensation for part-time or reduced schedules will be prorated based on scheduled weekly hours, experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.
Schedule Details:
Monday through Friday
Scheduled Hours:
8-4:30p
Shift:
1 - Day Shift, 8 Hours (United States of America)
Hours:
40
Cost Center:
10030 - 4400 Social Services
This position may have a signing bonus available; a member of the Recruitment Team will confirm eligibility during the interview process.
EVERYONE IS A CAREGIVER
At UMass Memorial Health, everyone is a caregiver – regardless of their title or responsibilities. Exceptional patient care, academic excellence, and leading-edge research make UMass Memorial the premier health system of Central Massachusetts, and a place where we can help you build the career you deserve. We are more than 20,000 employees, working together as one health system in a relentless pursuit of healing for our patients, community, and each other. And everyone, in their own unique way, plays an important part, every day.
Responsibilities
- Provides assessment of patients/families and their adaptation to patient’s illness.
- Provides counseling as needed and ensures maximum patient participation in plans for discharge and recovery.
- Identifies system or discharge problems and develops discharge plans and presents options to patients.
- Assessment of all potential cases of abuse: child, elderly, disabled, and/or domestic violence.
I. Major Responsibilities:
-
Provides clinical service to patients and their families through individual, family, or group work, such as biopsychosocial assessment, crises intervention, treatment planning, and counseling relative to medical conditions.
-
Identifies clinical resources and makes referrals when necessary.
-
Collaborates with physicians, care coordinators, discharge planners, and other health care professionals to identify barriers to discharge or treatment and help resolve these issues with patients, families, or external sources.
-
Advocates for patients and families as they negotiate the health care system so that effective care, treatment, and planning may occur.
-
Documents all information obtained in evaluation, assessment, consultation, referral, and disposition to comply with regulatory requirements, as well as ensuring best possible patient outcome.
-
Utilizes the language of the current DSM-IV-TR to establish comprehensive diagnostic evaluations and subsequent planning and treatment.
Standard Staffing Level Responsibilities:
-
Complies with established departmental policies, procedures, and objectives.
-
Attends a variety of meetings, conferences, seminars as required or directed.
-
Demonstrates use of Quality Improvement in daily operations.
-
Complies with all health and safety regulations and requirements.
-
Respects diverse views and approaches, demonstrates Standards of Respect, and contributes to creating and maintaining an environment of professionalism, tolerance, civility, and acceptance toward all employees, patients, and visitors.
-
Maintains regular, reliable, and predictable attendance.
-
Performs other similar and related duties as required or directed.
All responsibilities are essential job functions.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS
License/Certification/Education:
Required:
-
Master’s Degree in Social Work.
-
Current Massachusetts Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) licensure.
Experience/Skills:
Required:
-
Demonstrated ability in psychosocial assessment, knowledge of community resources, crisis intervention skills, ability in discharge planning, and ability to work with a multidisciplinary team.
-
Data compilation and analysis skills.
-
Excellent written and communication skills.
-
Basic computer skills.
Preferred:
- One to three years of Social Work experience.
Unless certification, licensure, or registration is required, an equivalent combination of education and experience which provides proficiency in the areas of responsibility listed in this description may be substituted for the above requirements.
Department-specific competencies and their measurements will be developed and maintained in the individual departments. The competencies will be maintained and attached to the departmental job description. Responsible managers will review competencies with position incumbents.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Position requires work indoors most often in an office environment. However, work may also include monitoring patients’ movements and activities resulting in the need for rapid physical response to unsafe patient movements. This includes standing, walking, running, reaching, bending, lifting, and stooping.
Position in Ambulatory Oncology
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
We’re striving to make respect a part of everything we do at UMass Memorial Health – for our patients, our community, and each other. Our six Standards of Respect are: Acknowledge, Listen, Communicate, Be Responsive, Be a Team Player, and Be Kind. If you share these Standards of Respect, we hope you will join our team and help us make respect our standard for everyone, every day.
As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, UMass Memorial Health recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, protected veteran status, or other status protected by law.
If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at talentacquisition@umassmemorial.org. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.
See all 325+ OPT Clinical Social Worker Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Clinical Social Worker Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Clinical Social Worker
Know your licensure status before applying
Most Clinical Social Worker roles require an LCSW or LMSW license, which varies by state. Clarify your current licensure eligibility upfront so employers understand where you stand and can plan your supervision requirements accordingly.
Target employers familiar with OPT supervision models
Hospitals, community mental health centers, and nonprofit agencies frequently hire MSW graduates under clinical supervision. These settings are more accustomed to supporting early-career clinicians, making them more receptive to OPT work authorization arrangements.
Address your OPT timeline in your cover letter
Proactively mention your OPT authorization period and your plan for H-1B visa sponsorship or licensure progression. Employers are more likely to invest in supervision if they understand your long-term commitment to staying in the role.
Prioritize roles that offer H-1B or O-1 sponsorship
Large healthcare systems and federally funded agencies are more likely to sponsor work visas after OPT ends. Look for job postings that explicitly mention visa sponsorship, and ask about it directly during initial recruiter conversations.
Highlight field placements as clinical experience
MSW field practicums are directly relevant clinical experience. Frame your supervised hours, client populations, and therapeutic modalities clearly on your resume so employers see you as practice-ready from day one, not just a new graduate.
Understand how OPT timing interacts with licensure supervision
Many states require one to three years of supervised post-degree hours before full licensure. Map your required supervision hours against your OPT window so you and your employer can plan realistically for what licensure stage you will reach.
Clinical Social Worker OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Clinical Social Worker on F-1 OPT?
Yes, F-1 OPT authorizes you to work in roles directly related to your MSW degree, and Clinical Social Worker positions qualify. Your work must align with your field of study, which is straightforward for MSW graduates entering clinical, case management, or therapy roles. You have 12 months of OPT authorization, and Social Work is not a STEM-designated field, so a STEM extension is not available.
Does a Clinical Social Worker role qualify as a STEM OPT job?
No. Social Work is not included on the STEM Designated Degree Program List, so MSW graduates are not eligible for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. You have a single 12-month OPT period. If you want to remain in the U.S. after OPT ends, you will need an employer to sponsor an H-1B or another visa, so it is worth prioritizing employers who have sponsored visas before.
How do state licensure requirements affect my OPT job search?
Each state sets its own requirements for LMSW and LCSW licensure, including supervised hours, exams, and timelines. Some states allow you to begin accumulating supervised hours under a provisional or associate license before you are fully licensed. When applying, confirm whether the role accepts candidates at your current licensure stage and whether the employer provides qualified supervisors, as this directly affects how you progress within your OPT window.
What types of employers are most likely to hire OPT students for Clinical Social Worker roles?
Hospitals, federally qualified health centers, VA medical centers, nonprofit community mental health agencies, and school districts regularly hire MSW graduates at the pre-licensure stage. These employers are accustomed to the supervision model that early-career clinical social workers require. You can browse Clinical Social Worker positions filtered for OPT-friendly employers on Migrate Mate, which focuses specifically on international students and work authorization.
What happens to my clinical position if my H-1B petition is not selected in the lottery?
If you are not selected in the H-1B lottery, your OPT authorization ends on its expiration date and you would need to stop working. Some employers may explore alternatives like the O-1A for workers with extraordinary ability, though this is uncommon in social work. Planning early, filing in the first available lottery cycle, and having an honest conversation with your employer about contingency plans gives you the best chance of maintaining continuity.