Independent Living Specialist

WE'RE HIRING!

Join Independent Living Resources (ILR) as an Independent Living Specialist focused on assistive technology and home modification assessments, where you’ll help individuals create safer, more accessible living environments that support independence. In this role, you’ll evaluate homes, vehicles, employment sites, and daily living needs to recommend practical, customized solutions that empower people with disabilities to live on their own terms. Guided by the Independent Living Philosophy, you’ll collaborate with consumers as the experts in their own lives, ensuring their choices and goals drive every assessment. Your work will combine strong problem-solving skills, hands-on evaluation, and detailed reporting to design meaningful environmental changes. If you’re passionate about accessibility, innovation, and making a direct impact in people’s homes and communities, this is an opportunity to turn your expertise into life-changing results. Bring your lived experience or professional background and help transform everyday environments into spaces of independence and possibility.  ILR will provide extensive training for this position.

INDEPENDENT LIVING SPECIALIST - FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

About us: 

Independent Living Resources (ILR) is a consumer controlled, community based nonprofit Independent Living Center. ILR works with individuals with disabilities of all types across the lifespan. At least 51% of ILR’s staff and Board of Directors are required to be individuals who are living with a disability, providing a unique base of lived experience and expertise in providing support.

About the role: 

The role of an Independent Living Specialist (ILS) is to provide our five core services using the Independent Living Philosophy as the basis for all interactions with consumers and the community. IL Philosophy states that people with disabilities are the experts in their own lives and we respect the choices and voices of consumers.

Essential Functions of the Job: 

• Understand and demonstrate IL Philosophy in daily work activities
• Provide Information and Referral Services
  • Learn and provide information on disability and community resources to callers and walk-in consumers
•  Provide Advocacy Services
  • Support and educate consumers in advocating for their rights and choices
  • Participate in Systems Advocacy in areas that are important to people with disabilities
• Provide Peer Support Services
  • ILR is a cross-disability organization that values lived experience with a disability
  • Employees with disabilities may provide peer support services to consumers as applicable
• Provide Skills Training Services
  • Work with consumers to develop skills to maintain and enhance their lives in the home and community
• Provide Transitional Services
  • Identify specific populations of individuals with disabilities for Institutional Transition and Youth Transition services
• Provide follow up with consumers and other service providers as needed to ensure that they receive high quality services
  • Use professional judgement in all areas
  • Ability to self-manage own schedule and caseload requirements as appropriate per consumer
• Participate in larger agency efforts and continue professional development
  • Participate in staff meetings, workgroups, and committees
  • Identify and participate in trainings to advance knowledge and skills
  • Identify areas of interest, specialty, and passion to act as an agency resource
• Ability to travel to our 13-county service area through agency, personal, or arranged transportation
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

REQUIRED:

• High School Diploma, GED, or HSED required
• Two years of experience working with people with disabilities or firsthand experience with a disability required
• Ability to communicate effectively required
• An insured vehicle and valid driver’s license available for daily use or ability to arrange own transportation required
  • ILR has vehicles available for employee use as well
• Knowledge of and ability to use computer and Microsoft Office required
• Experience developing and accomplishing goals required
• Experience developing and implementing skills training required
• Knowledge of disability rights and IL Philosophy required

PREFERRED:

• Knowledge of the service system, benefits, entitlements, and supports utilized by people with disabilities preferred
• Experience facilitating teams and/or support groups preferred
• Experience in delivering presentations preferred
• Working knowledge of community resources available preferred
• Knowledge of Assistive Technology (AT) preferred
• Knowledge of accessible and affordable housing preferred
• Knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other civil rights laws preferred
  

Additional Essential Functions as Related to Specialized ILS Duties:

Assistive Technology (AT) & Home Modification Assessor:

• Must have good problem-solving skills
• Must have good essay-style report writing skills
• Must be able to physically access inaccessible spaces/homes/vehicles to provide evaluations

This hiring process will be driven through BambooHR emails and occasional phone calls.  Please be sure to respond as soon as possible.

If you have a special need/accommodation to aid your participation in our hiring process, please contact Sara at ILR at 608-787-1111 to make appropriate arrangements.