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Master’s-Level Adaptive Skills Trainer – Professional

Pay: $45–$50 per hour
Organization: ASTLA – Adaptive Skills Training for Life & Autonomy
Position Type: Part-time with the potential for additional hours as the program grows
Work Setting: Community-based, including colleges, universities, consumers’ homes, and other community locations

Position Summary

ASTLA is seeking a compassionate, dependable, and highly skilled Master’s-Level Adaptive Skills Trainer – Professional to support individuals with autism and related developmental disabilities.

This position is ideal for a professional who is comfortable providing services in community settings, including traveling to college campuses and helping consumers navigate the college experience. The Adaptive Skills Trainer–Professional will help consumers strengthen the practical, social, organizational, communication, and self-advocacy skills needed to participate more independently in college and community life.

The successful candidate must be comfortable working directly with individuals with autism and related disorders and collaborating with families, caregivers, educational professionals, and members of the consumer’s support team.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide individualized adaptive skills training to children, transition-age youth, and adults with autism and related developmental disabilities.
• Support college students in navigating campus environments, routines, expectations, and available resources.
• Assist consumers with locating classrooms, understanding schedules, managing assignments, using campus transportation, and accessing student-support services.
• Teach organization, time management, planning, problem-solving, and task-completion skills.
• Support appropriate communication with instructors, advisors, disability-services personnel, and other campus professionals.
• Strengthen consumers’ self-advocacy, decision-making, social interaction, and independent-living skills.
• Help consumers understand and appropriately respond to academic and social expectations.
• Conduct or assist with adaptive-skills assessments and the development of individualized training goals.
• Develop, implement, and monitor individualized adaptive skills training plans.
• Provide modeling, coaching, and professional guidance to Adaptive Skills Training Specialists when assigned.
• Collaborate with consumers, families, caregivers, case managers, Regional Center representatives, and other members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Collect data and document each service visit accurately and promptly in AxisCare.
• Prepare progress updates and recommend adjustments to goals and teaching strategies.
• Maintain professional boundaries and protect consumer confidentiality.
• Follow ASTLA policies, person-centered practices, HCBS requirements, applicable Title 17 requirements, and mandated-reporting obligations.
• Participate in orientation, training, supervision, case consultation, and team meetings.
• Travel to colleges, universities, consumers’ homes, and other community-based service locations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in psychology, counseling, social work, education, special education, rehabilitation counseling, behavior analysis, human development, or another related human-services field.
• At least one year of paid professional experience designing or implementing individualized adaptive skills, behavioral, educational, functional-living, or closely related service plans.
• Demonstrated experience working with individuals with autism, intellectual disabilities, or related developmental disabilities.
• Ability and willingness to provide services on college campuses and in other community settings.
• Strong written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to write clear, accurate, and timely service documentation.
• Ability to work independently while remaining responsive to clinical and administrative supervision.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
• Reliable transportation and the ability to travel between assigned service locations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years of experience supporting individuals with autism or developmental disabilities.
• Experience working with transition-age youth or college students.
• Knowledge of college disability-support programs, academic accommodations, and campus resources.
• Experience with adaptive-behavior assessments, person-centered planning, or skills-training plans.
• Experience providing staff supervision, coaching, case management, or clinical oversight.
• BCBA, LMFT, LCSW, LPCC, LEP, PPS credential, or another relevant professional credential is preferred but not required unless specified for a particular assignment.
• Familiarity with Regional Center services, Service Code 605, HCBS requirements, Title 17, and electronic visit documentation.

Employment Requirements

Successful candidates must be able to satisfy all applicable pre-employment and ongoing requirements, which may include:

• Criminal background screening and Live Scan clearance.
• Verification of education, credentials, and employment history.
• Motor vehicle record review when driving is required.
• Valid driver’s license, current automobile insurance, and reliable transportation.
• Current CPR and First Aid certification or willingness to obtain certification.
• Mandated-reporter and confidentiality training.
• Completion of ASTLA’s required orientation and ongoing training.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is patient, encouraging, observant, and committed to helping individuals become more independent. This person understands that navigating college can involve more than academics and is prepared to help consumers build confidence, communicate their needs, manage responsibilities, solve problems, and participate successfully in campus life.

Equal Employment Opportunity

ASTLA is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, organizational needs, and applicable legal requirements. ASTLA does not discriminate on the basis of any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

How to Apply

Please submit your résumé and a brief statement describing your experience supporting individuals with autism or related developmental disabilities. Applicants should also describe any experience working with transition-age youth, college students, adaptive-skills programs, or community-based services.