About Job

Working Title

Peer Support Specialist

Posting Number

NFE02830P

Department

Addiction Counseling & Prevention

Physical Location of Position (City)

Sioux Falls

Posting Text

The Department of Addiction Counseling and Prevention at the University of South Dakota is hiring a Peer Support Specialist. This position will be responsible for providing a variety of services to participants involved in the Minnehaha Drug and DUI Courts. To provide these services, a variety of activities are required:

Connecting participants to court related and non-court related resources
Support participants navigating resources and finding/utilizing transportation
Ensure participant’s understand requirements of Drug/DUI Court
Collect and report data as required
Attend court hearings, team meetings, and case reviews as needed
Participate in community outreach efforts
Work with the courts, legal professionals, probation/parole officers, and other key stakeholders

Required Qualifications:

Associate’s or technical school degree in a helping profession (social work, psychology, nursing, criminal justice, etc.)
Certified, or willing to become certified, as a Peer Support Specialist, Addiction Counselor, or Prevention Specialist

Preferred Qualifications:

Personal and/or work experience in the Treatment Courts
Familiarity with recovery processes, substance use disorder treatment, harm reduction, and criminal justice system protocols, particularly treatment courts
Basic computer skills for case documentation and reporting. Familiarity with case management software is an advantage
Strong interpersonal, listening, and verbal communication skills; ability to build rapport and trust with participants
Prior work experience where confidentiality and discretion were important
Ability to work independently

The Peer Support Specialist is a grant funded position. The anticipated end date of the grant is 9/30/2029.

Posting Date

08/21/2025

Closing Date

Open Until Filled

Yes

First Consideration Date

09/04/2025

Advertised Salary

Duration of the Term

Other

If Other, describe duration

Grant is funded for 5 years.

Appointment Percent

100

Work Hours

This will be non-faculty exempt. The Peer Support Specialist will have a malleable schedule that changes depending on the current needs of treatment court participants. It’s projected to be a 40-hour per week position with flexing available to work different lengths of time or different number of days depending on the week. For example, one week may be 8-430p Mon-Fri and the next week could be 9-7p Mon/Tue, 8-4 Wed/Thu, and 8-Noon on Friday.

Typical Hours Worked Per Week

Appointment Type

Regular

Faculty Status

Scope of Search

External (includes Internal)

If internal, define scope of search

This position requires

Travel, Overnight stays, Valid Drivers License

If other, please indicate

Travel required and overnight stays optional. It would be for conferences with a maximum of 5 overnights per year, though the person could opt to not attend overnight conferences with no consequence. per calendar year.

Department Description and Cultural Expectations

USD Addiction Counseling and Prevention is one of ten programs within the USD School of Health Sciences, offering a Baccalaureate of Science and Master of Art Degrees in Vermillion and Online. The School of Health Sciences and the USD Sanford School of Medicine Comprise the Division of Health Affairs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

USD is committed to fostering a dynamic and welcoming working and learning environment for all. USD provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to ideological, political, or sectarian opinions or perspectives; or race, color, creed, religion, sex, ancestry, disability, national origin or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. USD is committed to the principles of free expression and encourages the timely and rational discussion of topics in an environment that is intellectually and ideologically diverse.