La Jolla / UTC, San Diego | Independent Contractor (1099) | $45–$65/hour | Up to 10 Hours/Week
We are seeking an experienced, highly reliable social worker and current NASW member to provide in-home advocacy and oversight for an autistic adult living independently in the La Jolla/UTC area.
This is not a caregiving or housekeeping position. The role is focused on protecting the individual’s autonomy, monitoring whether identified needs are being met, supporting informed decision-making, and helping ensure that the professionals and fiduciaries involved in the individual’s life are carrying out their responsibilities.
Responsibilities
- Visit the autistic adult regularly in their home and develop a consistent, trusted working relationship.
- Assess whether daily living, personal support, safety, accessibility, healthcare, and community-living needs are being adequately addressed.
- Support the individual in supported decision-making, including understanding options and communicating preferences regarding healthcare, services, daily living, and other important choices.
- Help prepare for healthcare appointments and assist the individual in understanding recommendations, asking questions, and communicating informed choices.
- Monitor implementation of agreed-upon supports and identify gaps or unresolved needs.
- Observe and document concerns regarding whether the trustee and other responsible parties appear to be carrying out assigned responsibilities and fiduciary obligations, and promptly bring concerns to the appropriate person or professional.
- Communicate professionally with healthcare providers, advocates, service providers, fiduciaries, and other members of the individual’s support team when authorized.
- Maintain concise, objective documentation of visits, identified needs, follow-up items, and significant concerns.
- Center the autistic adult’s preferences, autonomy, dignity, communication style, and right to make decisions with appropriate support.
Required Qualifications
- Current NASW membership
- Social work education and relevant professional experience
- Experience working with autistic or other developmental-disability adults
- Strong understanding of supported decision-making, informed consent, disability rights, and person-centered practice
- Ability to distinguish advocacy and social-work responsibilities from legal, medical, fiduciary, and caregiving functions
- Excellent observational, documentation, communication, and follow-through skills
- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation
- Able to work as a 1099 independent contractor and provide a completed W-9
- Able to pass appropriate background/reference checks
Strict Local Requirement
Local availability is mandatory. There are no exceptions to the proximity requirement.
The individual lives in University City/UTC (92122). The contractor must live close enough to reliably reach the home within approximately 10 minutes by car.
Preferred locations are:
- 92122: University City / UTC
- 92037: Nearby portions of La Jolla, including areas around UCSD and La Jolla Village
- 92121: Only locations demonstrably within the required drive time
Applicants from another ZIP code will be considered only when their actual residence is reliably within approximately a 10-minute drive of 92122.
Remote-only applicants and applicants requiring a longer commute will not be considered.
Compensation & Schedule
- $45–$65 per hour, based on qualifications and relevant experience
- Up to 10 hours per week
- Part-time, independent-contractor engagement
- Contractor will provide a completed W-9 and invoice for authorized services
We are particularly interested in a social worker who values autistic autonomy and understands that supported decision-making means helping a person understand, communicate, and implement their own choices rather than substituting someone else’s judgment for theirs.