Novinway

now hiring care specialists

Put your skills to work for families.

Provide childcare for neurodivergent children and teens, with paid training, preparation for each child and a team you can turn to throughout care. We also welcome interest in future Navigation work.

Explore opportunities

Washington DC · Maryland · Northern VirginiaDC · Maryland · Northern VA

Become a Care Specialist.

Care Specialist roles are open now. We also welcome expressions of interest in future Navigation work.

Care Specialist

Specialized childcare for neurodivergent children and teens

Care Specialist is our title for an employed caregiver. Get to know a child’s interests, routines and ways of communicating, then spend time together through play, conversation and everyday activities. While you do, a parent can finish work, spend time with another child or keep a plan of their own.

Pay
$21–$25 an hour
Employment
Part-time, variable-hour W-2. Hours are not guaranteed.
Where
Family homes and community settings in Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia
Training
Paid, in-person training before your first Care assignment
Responsibilities and requirements

What you’ll do

  • Provide attentive supervision and companionship during agreed care hours.
  • Follow the child’s interests through play, recreation, conversation or shared activities.
  • Notice how the child communicates and respond with patience and respect.
  • Support familiar routines, transitions, sensory preferences and ordinary meals or snacks.
  • Use calm communication, choices, modeling, redirection and de-escalation within your training.
  • Share factual care, scheduling and safety information with the family and Novinway.
  • Pause and ask for help if a task or safety issue goes beyond what you have been trained and assigned to do.

Who should apply

Students, recent graduates and working professionals from any field are welcome. Experience with children matters more than a particular major. Psychology, special education, adapted physical education, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, behavior support and related backgrounds can be helpful, but they are not required.

This role can fit around classes or another job. We match Care Specialists with a small number of families based on availability, geography, comfort and fit. Hours vary and are not guaranteed.

What we require

  • Genuine interest in working with neurodivergent children and teens.
  • Reliability, warmth, patience and honest communication.
  • Respect for each child’s age, privacy, communication and sensory needs, and how they show willingness or discomfort.
  • Three professional or academic references and successful completion of required background and employment checks.
  • No smoking or vaping during visits, transportation, or other paid work, and respect each family’s smoke-free home and vehicle rules.
  • Reliable transportation to assigned families. A car is helpful but not required; public transit, including Metro, can be reliable transportation.
  • First Aid and CPR certification before independent work. We will help you complete it if needed.

How Novinway prepares you

  • Paid, in-person training designed by a BCBA.
  • Child-specific preparation covering communication, interests, routines, preferences, safety and family instructions.
  • A Novinway supervisor joins in person when care begins, for as many visits as needed, and can return later.
  • Ongoing guidance throughout care, including coaching and help with safety, scheduling and role questions.

Ready to apply? Complete the online application. No separate email or cover letter needed.

Apply to be a Care Specialist

Navigator · Expression of interest

Guidance, research and practical support for families

Navigators provide practical guidance and carry out work families choose to hand over. That might mean comparing programs after a diagnosis, preparing applications or following through on applications, records and appointments over several months.

Employment
Part-time, variable-hour W-2
Where
Remote-first work supporting families in Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia
Training
Paid role-specific preparation
About the work and experience we value

What you’ll do

  • Help families understand where to begin after a diagnosis, during a transition, or when a new problem comes up.
  • Research providers, programs, schools and practical supports. Compare options against the child’s needs, the family’s schedule and their budget.
  • Explain options, eligibility requirements and next steps in plain language, using current sources.
  • Read IEPs, evaluations and other records to identify what is missing or unclear. Help families prepare questions for meetings.
  • Prepare applications and reimbursement packets for family review, organize records, handle scheduling and follow up on outstanding requests.
  • Carry research, applications, records and follow-up through the project, keeping families informed about progress, decisions and deadlines.

What we look for

  • Strong organization and follow-through.
  • Clear writing and careful handling of sources and records.
  • Comfort with forms, calendars, meetings and multi-step tasks.
  • Sound judgment about what is known, what still needs confirmation and when to ask for help.
  • Respect for family decisions and the limits of the role.
  • Professional or lived familiarity with education, disability, healthcare, community or benefit systems can be helpful.

Interested in Navigation? Tell us about your experience helping families work through decisions and carry projects forward.

Express interest in Navigation

Prepared for your role. Part of a team.

You should know what’s expected before you begin, and have someone to turn to when a question comes up.

Care Specialists receive paid, in-person training and preparation for each child. Navigators receive role-specific preparation for research, records and family-directed work.

A shared team channel and regular check-ins help us coordinate, solve problems and improve the work. Your feedback on instructions, workload and safety matters.

A Care Specialist sitting with children in a playroom
Settling in with the children before play begins.
A Care Specialist steadying a boy on a platform swing
A steady hand on the platform swing.
Jeff Moeller introducing a guest safety instructor at Care Specialist training
Jeff Moeller introducing our guest safety instructor.

From application to your first assignment.

  1. Apply and talk with us

    Share your background, interests and availability. We talk through the role and schedule and answer your questions.

  2. Complete screening

    Background, reference and employment checks before independent work. We verify three references directly.

  3. Train, then prepare

    Paid training for your role, then preparation for your first family or project with support from the team.

Equal opportunity and accommodations.

Novinway provides equal employment opportunity and reasonable accommodation. If you need an accommodation during the hiring process, email hello@novinway.com. Accommodation requests do not affect hiring decisions.

Apply to become a Care Specialist.

Tell us about your experience, interests and availability in the online application.

Apply to be a Care Specialist