Child Development Specialist

Positive Development • Santa Barbara, CA

7d • $20 - $30 • Hybrid

About The Position

Positive Development works one-on-one with autistic children, helping them build communication, social, and daily living skills through play-based, relationship-focused interactions. This role involves actively coaching, connecting, and helping children grow, offering experience relevant to careers in psychology, social work, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, education, counseling, and health fields. The work is rewarding but requires patience, emotional maturity, and commitment, with support provided by experienced clinicians and supervisors. Candidates should be passionate about working with children and teens, curious about human development, patient, empathetic, enthusiastic, reliable, and comfortable working directly with families in a home-based setting.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• At least 1 year of volunteer or working experience with children.
• Valid driver's license.
• Reliable transportation (30-40 min drive radius).
• Ability to complete physical tasks, including playing on the floor/ground for up to two-three hours per session, lifting/carrying up to 40 lbs, and sitting, kneeling, crouching, or moving quickly to ensure child safety.
• Strong communication skills and professionalism with families and teammates.

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual in Spanish.

Responsibilities

• Work one-on-one with children in their homes and/or center-based settings.
• Build communication, social, and daily living skills through play, conversation, and shared activities.
• Create meaningful connections that help children think, create, and engage with the world.
• Follow a relationship-based intervention model designed to achieve strong outcomes with fewer session hours.
• Track progress by documenting session notes and goal outcomes.
• Collaborate closely with clinicians and supervisors to build clinical skills and confidence.
• Learn how evidence-based developmental care works in real life.

Benefits

• $1000 Referral Bonus
• Monthly Technology Stipend
• Paid drive time (Admin rate) + mileage reimbursement (IRS rate) between clients only
• Paid training
• Opportunities for role progression, pay increases, and performance bonuses
• Exposure to a cutting-edge model of autism care with measurable outcomes
• Strong performers may request letters of recommendation for graduate or professional programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level