1. Position at a glance Position title Individual Studio Support Specialist Department / program 23rd Street Studio Reports to 23rd Street Studio Director Supervises None Location On-site at 551 23rd Street, Richmond, CA 94804, with occasional field trips and community events off-site Employment type Regular Schedule 28.75 hours per week — five days a week, Monday-Friday, 8:45 AM-3:00 PM, with a 30-minute unpaid meal break and paid rest breaks; NIAD pays the regular hourly rate for attendance at the monthly (or bi-monthly on some occasions) all-staff meeting, when needed. Classification Non-exempt (hourly) under California and federal wage-and-hour law Pay range $24.50-$26.00 per hour, depending on experience Posting dates Posted 9/16/2026. Applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Position open until filled.

Anticipated start:

ASAP. 2. About NIAD Art Center NIAD Art Center (Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development) is a progressive art studio and gallery in Richmond, California that supports adult artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities in building sustained professional practices and engaging with the wider contemporary art world. Founded in 1982 by artist and educator Florence Ludins-Katz and psychologist Dr. Elias Katz, NIAD is the second-oldest progressive art studio in the United States and the only art center in Contra Costa County serving adults with disabilities. Our mission is to promote creative expression, independence, dignity, and community integration for and with people with disabilities. Each week nearly 80 artists work at NIAD's 23rd Street Studio and Virtual Studio, supported by studio facilitators who assist rather than teach. Artists exhibit and sell their work locally, nationally, and internationally, and are represented in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, SFMOMA, and the Oakland Museum of California. NIAD delivers its mission through three interlinked programs — the 23rd Street and Virtual Studios, Community Programs, and Exhibitions & Partnerships — supported by our Administration, Development, Facilities, and Communications teams. NIAD is a City of Richmond Anchor Arts Organization, a licensed adult day program, and a vendor of the Regional Center of the East Bay. Our workplace NIAD is a warm, collaborative, artist-centered workplace. Most of our staff are practicing artists, and all of us share responsibility for a studio culture built on patience, trust, accessibility, and joy. We center disability in how we work — from the pace of the studio day to how we communicate — and we understand access and care as integral to artists' creative and professional lives. Staff are supported through regular team meetings, peer learning, an annual staff development day with our sister studios Creative Growth and Creativity Explored, and the shared work of our staff committees. 3. Position summary 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. 4. Essential functions and responsibilities The groups below are listed in general order of priority; the balance among them shifts with the artist's needs and the rhythm of the studio on a given day. Individualized studio support Work alongside one artist throughout the program day so that they can take part in the communal studio. Build a genuine working relationship with the artist and their support team — learn their preferences, interests, routines, communication style, and learn what matters to the artist, what a good day means to them, and what supports help make that possible. Calibrate your presence to what the artist needs at a given moment: close by when that helps, further back when it does not. Provide only the level of support the artist wants or needs, with the goal of maximizing choice, autonomy, self-direction, and meaningful participation. Stay attuned to how the day is going, learn and respond to how the artist communicates changing access needs, discomfort, sensory needs, or a desire for a break or change of activity, a quieter space, a walk, a preferred material. Support the artist through hard moments calmly and without hurry, and support the artist in deciding what they would like to do next. Adjust the immediate environment where it helps — seating, noise, light, position in the room, what is within reach, how much is going on nearby. Support the artist's participation in field trips, community outings, and studio events. Creative participation Support the artist to engage with materials and their own creative practice, in whatever media interests them. Work alongside Studio Facilitators to support the artist in pursuing any creative, personal, and professional goals they have identified. Set up, adapt, and put away materials so that the artist can work in ways that preserve the artist's authorship, choices, preferred level of assistance, and ways of working. Notice and share what draws the artist in — subjects, materials, times of day, ways of working — so that the studio team can build on it. Documentation, communication, and coordination Record daily notes in NIAD's artist documentation system (Artist Tabs), covering participation, support provided, and anything the team should know. Document what helps and what does not — including what was happening before a difficult moment and what helped afterward — factually and without judgment, so that the team can build shared understanding of the artist's communication, preferences, access needs, and supports that the artist indicates are useful. Communicate changes in the artist's needs, routines, or participation to the Studio Director, Community Programs, and the Service Coordination team so that services stay coordinated. Serve as primary coordinator with Community Programs department, reporting back to Studio Director on: Working closely with the Community Programs Director on ASP Reports, NIAD's ISP Review, and Annual IPP updates. Attending Artist's Regional Center Annual IPP meeting alongside Community Programs Director and full Interdisciplinary Team. Contribute observations and information, alongside the artist and others they choose to involve, to an evolving person-centered support approach; adapt support as the artist's preferences, communication, goals, and access needs change. Maintain warm, reliable communication with the artist's family, caregivers, and care team. Complete incident documentation accurately and promptly when required, following NIAD's reporting procedures. Personal care and daily living support Provide personal care support as the artist needs it during the program day — which may include eating, toileting, mobility, and other activities of daily living — in the way the artist prefers and consents to. Support the artist with prompting and reminders about the day's schedule and activities. Help the artist gather belongings and prepare for the end of the day and for transportation home. Studio environment, safety, and team support Follow NIAD's health and safety practices and protocols as set out in the Employee Handbook, including the Workplace Violence Prevention Plan and Injury and Illness Prevention Program. Follow NIAD's procedures for supporting an artist in distress, including when and how to call for support from colleagues, and NIAD's policies on what staff may and may not do. Help keep the artist's working area and the wider studio clean, organized, and accessible. Meet regularly with the Care Team and studio staff to share updates, exchange feedback, review goals, and contribute to NIAD's shared learning and training model. Support peer-to-peer learning across the staff — colleagues who cover your breaks or step in on your days off need to know what works for this artist. Shared responsibilities of all NIAD staff Treat artists as professional artists and colleagues: honor each person's autonomy, preferences, communication style, and consent. Maintain confidentiality of artist, family, staff, and organizational information in accordance with NIAD policy and applicable law. Participate in staff meetings, required trainings, and NIAD's shared learning model. Engage with artists, families, colleagues, volunteers, and the public in a friendly, professional manner, in the studio and in the community. Perform other reasonably related duties as assigned. 5. What you bringRequired Experience supporting adults with developmental disabilities, paid or lived, with a genuine interest in understanding one person's individual needs and preferences deeply. Patience and steadiness, including in moments that are difficult or unpredictable, and the ability to stay calm and unhurried when someone is having a hard time. Excellent observation — the ability to notice small changes in how someone is doing and respond before a situation builds. Strong verbal and non-verbal communication, including deep listening and the flexibility to adapt to a wide range of communication styles. Ability to keep accurate, factual daily notes, and comfort with — or willingness to learn — basic applications such as Google Workspace. Reliability. This role depends on consistent presence and a familiar face; the artist you support will rely on you being there. Respect for each artist's dignity, privacy, and right to make their own choices, including choices you might not make yourself. Commitment to NIAD's mission and to a person-centered, disability-justice-informed approach to the work. Preferred Experience providing sustained one-to-one support to one person over time. Familiarity with person-centered planning, trauma-informed practice, sensory supports, or augmentative and alternative communication. Lived experience of disability, or experience as a family member or care partner. Familiarity with resources for people with developmental disabilities in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties. Spanish, ASL, or another language spoken by NIAD artists and families. Interest in art and in working in a creative environment. You do not need a clinical or therapeutic credential for this role. What matters most is attentiveness, patience, consistency, and genuine interest in the person you will be working alongside. Research shows that people from historically excluded groups often apply only when they meet every listed qualification. If you are excited about this role and believe you can contribute, we encourage you to apply even if your experience does not match every item above. 6. Training and compliance requirements Criminal record clearance. Because NIAD is licensed by the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division, this position requires fingerprint-based criminal record clearance through the California Department of Justice and FBI (Health and Safety Code § 1522), completed after a conditional offer of employment. NIAD will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act and licensing requirements. Health screening. Documentation of a negative tuberculosis test or risk assessment dated within the past two years, provided after a conditional offer. Certifications. Current CPR, First Aid, and AED certification, obtained within [30 days] of hire and maintained thereafter; NIAD provides or reimburses this training. Mandated reporter. This position is a mandated reporter of suspected abuse or neglect of dependent adults under California Welfare and Institutions Code § 15630 and will complete mandated reporter training within 30 days] of hire. Supporting an artist in distress. Complete NIAD-provided or approved training in person-centered support and in safe, non-restrictive ways of responding when an artist is distressed, before working independently in this role, with refresher training at least annually. Individualized support approach. Complete orientation to the specific artist's support approach with the Studio Director and Community Programs before working independently, and take part in reviews of that approach as it changes. Required NIAD trainings. Confidentiality; person-centered practice; emergency procedures and assisted evacuation; Workplace Violence Prevention Plan; harassment prevention (within 6 months of hire and every 2 years thereafter); incident reporting. Work authorization. Proof of eligibility to work in the United States (Form I-9) within three business days of the start date. 7. Physical requirements and work environment The requirements below describe the physical demands and environment of the essential functions of this position. NIAD provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions. Stand, walk, sit, and move about a concrete-floored open studio throughout the program day, staying with one artist as they move between areas. Move quickly across the studio or outdoors when needed to stay with the artist. Sustain close attention over a full program day — this role asks for consistent presence and alertness rather than heavy physical exertion. Lift and move art materials, supplies, and equipment up to 25 pounds. Bend, reach, kneel, and position yourself at a range of work surfaces to support the artist's work. Provide personal care support in bathroom and changing areas, with regular use of gloves and other personal protective equipment. Communicate in person and in writing with the artist, families, and colleagues, including with artists who communicate non-verbally. Work in a busy, social, sometimes noisy studio shared with up to 80 artists and staff, with exposure to art materials such as paints, clays, glazes, and fibers. Occasionally encounter situations in which an artist is distressed, which can be emotionally demanding; NIAD provides training, team support, and debriefs. Travel occasionally within the Bay Area for field trips and community events; NIAD arranges transportation for group outings. 8. Compensation and benefits

Pay:

$24.50-$26.00 per hour, depending on directly relevant experience and skills and NIAD's internal equity across similar positions. This is an hourly, non-exempt position and is eligible for overtime as required by law.

Schedule and breaks:

Five days a week, Monday-Friday, 8:45 AM-3:00 PM. You will receive a 30-minute unpaid meal break and paid rest breaks in accordance with California law. NIAD pays the regular hourly rate for attendance at the monthly (or bi-monthly on some occasions) all-staff meeting, 3:00-4:00 PM. Reachable on email, phone, and Slack during scheduled hours.

Benefits:

NIAD pays 65% of the base-plan medical and dental premium for regular employees scheduled 21-29 hours per week, and 100% for employees scheduled 30-40 hours per week. Employees may elect vision coverage at their own cost; premiums for dependents are borne entirely by the employee, and employees cover the difference in cost for any higher-tier plan they choose. All staff accrue paid sick leave as required by California law, and regular employees accrue paid vacation and receive [x] paid holidays per year. Benefits are subject to eligibility and the terms of the applicable plans and NIAD policies, which may change. 9. Equal opportunity, accessibility, and fair chance NIAD Art Center is an equal opportunity employer. We make employment decisions without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability (mental and physical), sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision-making, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We actively encourage applications from people with disabilities, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, immigrants, and others whose communities are under-represented in the arts and in the workforce. NIAD is committed to an accessible hiring process. If you need an accommodation to apply or interview — including materials in an alternate format, extra time, a sign-language interpreter, or applying by phone or video instead of in writing — contact Ingrid Alonso-Rodriguez at admin@niadart.org or 510-620-0290. Requesting an accommodation will not affect your application. NIAD will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in a manner consistent with the California Fair Chance Act and applicable licensing requirements. 10. How to apply Send a résumé and a brief cover letter (one page is plenty) telling us why this role and NIAD interest you to info@niadart.org with the subject line "Individual Studio Support Specialist - Your name." We accept applications in written, audio, or video form. We review applications on a rolling basis.

Our process is typically:

a screening call (20-30 minutes), an interview with the hiring team, a paid working session in the studio for finalists, and reference checks. Because this role depends so much on fit between two people, the working session matters more here than in most of our hiring. We aim to let every applicant know the outcome. Please email rather than call with questions, so that we can respond to everyone consistently; we will reply within three business days. If email is not accessible to you, call 510-620-0290 and ask for the hiring contact.

Pay:

$24.50 - $26.00 per hour Expected hours: 28.5 per week

Benefits:

Dental insurance Flexible spending account Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location:

In person