Genetic Counselor

About the Role

Under the supervision of the Principal Investigator and the Clinic Director, and in collaboration with physicians, researchers, and study staff at the Fein Memory and Aging Center (MAC) and UCSF Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), the Genetic Counselor will provide clinical and research genetic counseling services to patients, research participants, and their families who are at risk for Alzheimer's disease and related adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders.

• Obtain and interpret personal and family medical histories
• Construct and analyze multigenerational pedigrees
• Assess genetic risk
• Facilitate informed decision-making regarding genetic testing
• Obtain informed consent
• Communicate genetic test results
• Provide supportive counseling to individuals and families as they adapt to the medical, emotional, and psychosocial implications of genetic information
• Coordinate care with physicians, laboratories, community resources, and external specialists
• Support both clinical and research initiatives, including participant recruitment, consent, education, and longitudinal follow-up for genetics-related studies
• Assist investigators with the interpretation and communication of genetic findings
• Contribute to research projects focused on the relationship between genetics, biomarkers, neuroimaging, and neurodegenerative disease risk and progression
• Work closely with the PET Program to support studies integrating genetic information with PET imaging and other biomarker measures
• Participate in educational activities involving trainees, students, faculty, and staff
• Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team that includes neurologists, neuropsychologists, geneticists, imaging scientists, nurses, and clinical research professionals

Requirements

• Master's Degree in Genetic Counseling from an ACGC-accredited genetic counseling training program or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC)
• California Genetic Counselor License or ability to obtain licensure within six months of hire
• Knowledge of human genetics, genomics, and genetic counseling principles
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals affected by cognitive, behavioral, and neurological disorders
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary academic medical center environment
• Prior experience working with PET imaging data
• Ability to obtain licensure in states where clinical or research participants are located, if required

Preferred Qualifications

• Clinical training experience in neurogenetics, neurology, neurodegenerative disease, or adult genetics
• Experience working with research participants or clinical research protocols
• Familiarity with neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, ALS, and atypical parkinsonian syndromes
• Experience with pedigree construction and genetic risk assessment
• Demonstrated interest in neurogenetics research or academic medicine
• Experience providing telehealth services

About the Department

The Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is one of the nation’s premier academic neurology departments and among the largest departments within the UCSF School of Medicine. With an annual operating budget exceeding $340 million, the department advances its three-part mission of delivering exceptional patient care, conducting groundbreaking research, and educating the next generation of clinicians and scientists.

The department is affiliated with the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences and provides neurologic care and conducts research across numerous sites in San Francisco, including Mission Bay, Parnassus, Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG), China Basin, the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC), and the Gladstone Institutes, as well as in the Greater Bay Area through UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland and satellite clinics in San Mateo, Marin County, and beyond.

The Department comprises 17 administrative divisions and delivers world-class care across 11 clinical subspecialties. It currently has nearly 75 active clinical trials and includes 302 faculty members, 120 non-faculty academic employees, 439 staff members, and 204 clinical and postdoctoral trainees. The UCSF Department of Neurology was ranked #1 in NIH funding among neurology departments nationwide for 2025, continuing a 13-year trend of holding or nearing this top position. UCSF Medical Center was named one of the nation’s leading hospitals in the 2025–2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals list, with Neurology and Neurosurgery programs ranked #1 in the San Francisco Metro Area and #2 in the nation.

About UCSF

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care. It is the only campus in the 10-campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences. UCSF brings together the world’s leading experts in nearly every area of health and is home to five Nobel laureates who have advanced the understanding of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging, and stem cells.

UCSF is committed to equity—both in how it delivers care and in its workforce. It seeks candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to its commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity, and excellence (PRIDE values).

Benefits

To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total compensation, please visit: UCSF Compensation and Benefits.