Work at NIAD

The Personal Care Support Specialist helps make NIAD's 23rd Street Studio a place where artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) can take part fully in their creative practice. Working as part of NIAD's Studio and Care teams, this position provides individualized, person-centered support with mobility, eating, toileting, communication, daily routines, and whatever else comes up over the course of the program day.

The work is grounded in respect for each artist's autonomy, preferences, dignity, and individual ways of communicating. NIAD's studio is a collaborative and highly social creative environment, and this position works closely with Studio Facilitators, the Care Team, and Community Programs staff — and with artists' families and caregivers — so that artists can engage safely and meaningfully in their practices. We are looking for someone who is attentive, patient, and communicative, who is comfortable providing hands-on personal support, and who wants to contribute to a culture that treats access and care as integral to artists' creative and professional lives.

Like all NIAD staff, the Personal Care Support Specialist shares responsibility for running programs safely and in accordance with the requirements of the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) and California Community Care Licensing (CCL), and for upholding NIAD's commitments to confidentiality, accessibility, and person-centered practice.

Click here to view the full job description and application information (PDF)

The Personal Care Support – Lift, Mobility, and Transfer Specialist supports the physical well-being, access, and participation of artists at NIAD's 23rd Street Studio. Working as part of NIAD's Care Team, this position provides individualized, person-centered support with mobility, transfers and repositioning, eating, toileting, communication, daily routines, and other needs.

What distinguishes this role from the rest of the Care Team is that it serves as NIAD's trained resource for safe lifts and transfers. The Specialist is expected to be fluent with mechanical and assistive equipment — Hoyer and mobile lifts, slings, gait belts, transfer boards — to assess what level of assistance and equipment is required for a safe transfer. This role is the lead resource for complex transfer decisions, equipment, competency, and peer training, while still participating in general care.

All of it is grounded in respect for each artist's autonomy, dignity, communication style, and consent. A transfer is something done with an artist, explained beforehand and paced to them, not something performed on them. We are looking for someone careful and unhurried, comfortable with hands-on physical support, and interested in a culture that treats access and care as integral to artists' creative and professional lives.

Like all NIAD staff, the Specialist shares responsibility for running programs safely and in accordance with the requirements of the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) and California Community Care Licensing (CCL), and for upholding NIAD's commitments to confidentiality, accessibility, and person-centered practice.

Click here to view the full job description and application information (PDF)

The Individual Studio Support Specialist provides individualized studio support to artists who benefit from additional assistance to participate in NIAD's studio program. Some artists need more consistent, individual attention than a shared studio can otherwise offer — a familiar person nearby, a quieter option when the room gets loud, someone who knows their preferences and can read how the day is going. This position is part of a coordinated studio support team and uses a person-centered lens to learn how the artist communicates comfort, interest, preferences, distress, and requests for support.

This is a relationship role before it is anything else. Over time you come to know one artist well: what they like to work on, how they communicate, what a good day looks like, what tends to make a day harder, and what helps them settle when it does. You use what you learn to offer support, choices, and environmental adjustments that help the artist direct and participate in their day.

The point of the work is participation, not supervision. Alongside Studio Facilitators, you help the artist engage with materials and their own creative practice, and you help the wider studio stay a comfortable, welcoming environment for everyone in it.

Like all NIAD staff, the Individual Studio Support Specialist shares responsibility for running programs safely and in accordance with the requirements of the Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) and California Community Care Licensing (CCL), and for upholding NIAD's commitments to confidentiality, accessibility, and person-centered practice.

Click here to view the full job description and application information (PDF)

The Substitute Facilitator supports art practice with a group of NIAD studio artists with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) in the absence of their regular facilitator. Substitute Facilitators work with NIAD studio artists in both the Virtual Studio and the in-person 23rd Street Studios.

The Studios’ safety and joy rely on collaboration and communication. Substitute Facilitators should be ready to communicate daily logistics, triumphs, concerns and queries. Knowledge of Spanish language is a plus. In our Virtual Studio, access to a personal computer, Zoom, and reliable internet is expected.

Click here to view the full job description and application information (PDF)

NIAD is seeking artists to share their practice, unique skills or preferred methods and materials in the form of a workshop during our studio hours, Monday through Friday, 10:00am-2:00pm.

Workshops typically exist as a 3-6 day engagement. 

We offer a stipend of $150/day

Please provide a proposal outlining your workshop idea.

For consideration, proposals must include:

1. Why you are interested in engaging with NIAD’s community. 
2. Material needs, including budget.
3. Project timeline.
4. Proposed dates.

Proposals may include: 

• Link to personal website or images of relevant work and related projects.
• Access needs, accommodations.
• Workshops that are bilingual or include ASL or nonverbal communication.
• Resume and/or references.

ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS

If you require any accommodations in order to most effectively participate in the application process, please contact NIAD’s Head Facilitator Liam Golden, liam.golden@niadart.org and Studio Director Shantanice Swain, shantanice.swain@niadart.org.

TO APPLY

Send proposals to NIAD’s 23rd Street Director, Liam Golden, liam.golden@niadart.org and Studio Manager, Shantanice Swain, shantanice.swain@niadart.org.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.