Licensed Clinician, Sona AI (LPC or LCSW)

Pelago is the leading specialty substance use care provider, built on the belief that effective treatment means matching care intensity to what each member actually needs rather than defaulting to the most expensive intervention. Our programs guide members through every stage of the substance use spectrum, from unhealthy habits to active use disorders, delivering personalized treatment for tobacco, alcohol, opioid, cannabis, and stimulant use based on individual health, habits, genetics, and goals.

With Sona, our voice-first AI Mental Health Specialist, Pelago now applies that same clinically-driven model to mental health, pairing deep clinical expertise with technology to expand access without compromising care quality. We believe technology should make clinical care more precise and more human, not replace the judgment behind it.

Pelago has scaled to helping hundreds of employers and health plans and has already helped more than 750,000 members better manage their substance use. If you're passionate about AI and making an impact on the health of others, join us and make it happen!

About Pelago

Pelago is a nationwide specialty substance use care provider delivering proven, validated clinical and financial outcomes across the full spectrum of substance use — from risky use through crisis-level addiction. We're building the behavioral health system that works for everyone, powered by an exceptional care team and AI-native infrastructure.

About the Role

Pelago is building AI-native clinical tools to extend evidence-based behavioral health care. This clinician serves as the licensed clinical authority ensuring the quality, safety, and effectiveness of AI-assisted care delivery.

This is not a traditional caseload role. You'll work at the intersection of clinical practice and technology, collaborating closely with product, engineering, data, and care delivery teams. You'll report to clinical leadership.

What You'll Do

• Review AI-generated clinical interactions, flag quality issues, and provide feedback to support continuous improvement
• Monitor clinical safety indicators, including escalation accuracy, risk detection, and member outcomes
• Report on clinical quality trends and anomalies to cross-functional stakeholders
• Serve as the clinical voice in product development — translating clinical standards and evidence-based practice into product requirements
• Develop and maintain clinical guidelines and quality frameworks for AI-assisted care delivery
• Identify performance gaps and collaborate with the team to address them
• Support clinical escalation review processes and ensure appropriate care handoffs
• Stay current on clinical literature, regulatory guidance, and emerging best practices in AI-assisted behavioral health

What We're Looking For

• Active LPC or LCSW licensure in good standing (required)
• Multistate licensure a plus; LPC compact licensure is a significant advantage
• 3+ years of direct clinical experience in behavioral health; substance use disorder experience strongly valued
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to build structure in a fast-moving environment
• Strong written communication; able to translate clinical nuance for non-clinical audiences
• Genuine intellectual curiosity about AI and its role in care delivery
• Experience with annotation, quality review, or clinical supervision is a plus
• Familiarity with CBT, Motivational Interviewing, and/or brief interventions preferred

Bonus Points

• Experience in digital health, telehealth, or AI-adjacent clinical roles
• Familiarity with outcome monitoring or clinical quality improvement programs
• Background in substance use disorder or mental health care
• Interest in shaping how AI-assisted clinical programs are built and scaled

Why Pelago

• A genuinely novel role at the intersection of AI and clinical care
• Your clinical judgment directly shapes how AI-assisted care is delivered at scale
• Mission-driven work: substance use and mental health care for the people who need it most
• Remote-first, flexible schedule
• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Opportunity for growth as the Clinical AI function expands

The provided range reflects our US target salary range for this full-time position, which is part of our broader total compensation package, including incentive bonus program, stock options, comprehensive benefits, and incentive pay applicable to eligible roles. Individual pay within the range will vary based on a variety of factors like role-related experience and education, internal pay equity, and other relevant business factors. At Pelago, we are committed to an equitable and fair pay philosophy and review total compensation for our employees at least twice a year.