Student Counselor (Bilingual, Korean/English)

About the Role

SIE Central is seeking a warm, proactive, and fully bilingual Student Counselor to support the social, emotional, and developmental well-being of our K–10 student body. This role is central to our school culture: the counselor is a consistent, trusted presence in students’ daily lives, a bridge between families and the school on sensitive matters, and a partner to teachers and administration on whole-school SEL and leadership initiatives. Because this role requires close, nuanced communication with both English- and Korean-speaking families, full professional bilingual fluency is required.

Primary Responsibilities

Student Wellness & Support

• Conduct individual student check-ins and counseling sessions as needed to discuss stressors and well-being both at home and at school
• Be present in the 1F lobby each morning to greet and guide arriving students
• Observe students during recess and other out-of-class times, and discuss observations with Homeroom Teachers on a regular basis
• Conduct small-group sessions for classes on relevant social-emotional topics, planned in coordination with Homeroom Teachers

Family Communication & Engagement

• Communicate directly with parents — in both Korean and English, in person and electronically — regarding social, emotional, behavioral, or developmental concerns affecting their child
• Maintain and follow clear, documented processes for scheduling and conducting counseling sessions
• Conduct parent seminars on child development topics and strategies families can use to support their children
• Serve as the bilingual point of introduction for the counseling program with new and prospective families

Program & Curriculum Development

• Plan and execute school-wide events and programs that respond to needs identified through counseling work
• Collaborate as the SEL Coordinator to help develop, assign, and integrate SEL materials into school curricula
• Meet regularly with academic administration and the leadership team to develop strategies for whole-school initiatives

Collaboration & School Operations

• Work closely with the administration office in support of their day-to-day duties
• Assist with the planning and execution of field trips and other school-wide events, coordinating closely with the events team and staying current on the internal calendar
• Provide bilingual translation support for school gatherings, events, and parent-teacher meetings
• Partner with Homeroom Teachers to assign Student Ambassadors who support incoming new students

Ideal Candidate

We’re looking for someone who:

• Is a native speaker of  Korean and has professional working proficiency in English who can communicate warmly and professionally across a diverse family community
• Genuinely enjoys building relationships with students and creating a safe, trusted presence in daily school life
• Is comfortable leading both one-on-one conversations and small-group sessions
• Is organized and proactive, able to balance an ongoing caseload of check-ins alongside larger program and event planning
• Collaborates naturally across academic, administrative, and admissions teams

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Counseling, Psychology, School Counseling, Social Work, Education, or a related field; relevant counseling certification or licensure is a plus
• Prior experience providing counseling or student support services in a school setting preferred
• Full professional bilingual fluency in Korean and English, spoken and written, required
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with students, families, and staff
• Familiarity with social-emotional learning (SEL) frameworks and child/adolescent development is a plus

Eligibility to Work in Korea

Applicants must currently hold one of the following:

• F-class residency visa
• Korean citizenship

How to Apply

Please reply to this posting or send your resume (in English and Korean) and a cover letter to hiring@siecentral.org, addressed to the SIE Central Hiring Team. Applications should highlight your counseling experience and describe why you are a strong fit for this role. Qualified candidates will be invited to a preliminary Zoom interview.