Relationship-centered IDD careers
Join a team built around people, purpose, and real relationships.
At Empowered Services, we welcome Direct Support Professionals, ECP providers, administrative team members, customer care, and care coordination candidates who believe support works best when the relationship works.
Not ready to apply? Start with the DSP interest form and our team can help route you to the right next step.
Find your right door in 10 seconds.
Click the option that best describes you. Your recommended next step appears below.
Select an option to see your recommended next step.
Start with the DSP interest form.
Share your fit, county, availability, and strengths. If you’re already ready for a specific opening, jump straight to Careers.
Look for current staff roles.
Care coordination, customer care, administrative, and operations-minded candidates should review open roles or reach out if you’re a strong culture fit.
Explore the Empowered Choice Program.
ECP helps eligible Oregon IDD customers bring a trusted family member, friend, or supporter into a trained, paid, agency-backed care relationship.
Start with customer intake.
This page explains the team culture. If you’re seeking support, intake is the right starting point — or review IDD Services to understand what support can include.
Browse IDD Resources.
Explore the resources library for newsletters, community updates, activities, and guidance for families, DSPs, and caregivers.
Start with a real conversation.
The right next step usually starts with the right conversation, not a confusing application maze. Reach out and the team will help route you.
Two ways to serve. One shared commitment.
Whether you are providing hands-on support or strengthening the systems behind the scenes, every role helps families thrive.
DSP / Provider Team
Support individuals 1:1 in daily life, community activities, routines, independence, communication, and belonging.
- Person-centered daily support and life skills
- Community involvement, connection, and confidence
- Strong matching for customers and caregivers
Administrative, Customer Care & Care Coordination
Support families, customers, and DSPs behind the scenes through matching, follow-up, schedules, onboarding, resources, and quality support.
- Care coordinator monthly check-ins and family support
- Operational excellence, policies, procedures, and handbooks
- Statewide certified, with active local support currently coordinated in 11 Oregon counties
The right fit is designed, not guessed.
Seven signals. One human match.
Every role at Empowered Services starts with the same idea: support works better when the match is built around the person, the relationship, and the real rhythm of daily life.
A signature Empowered Services momentThe center is never the shift. The center is always the person being supported.
Person + Relationship + Rhythm
The strongest match is shaped around real life — not forced into a generic staffing model.
Support circle at the centerPersonality
We look for natural connection, emotional safety, and a support relationship that feels human — not transactional.
Routines
Daily rhythm matters. The best match respects habits, timing, transitions, and the comfort of predictable routines.
Communication
Support depends on words, visuals, ASL, devices, cues, or simply knowing when to be quiet and present.
Goals
The right provider supports not only the day, but the direction — independence, skills, confidence, and growth.
Language
Language fit can mean English, Spanish, ASL, or the broader comfort of how a person naturally understands and relates.
Location
County, neighborhood, drive time, and community familiarity all influence whether support feels sustainable and practical.
Support Style
Some people need hands-on coaching. Some need gentle presence. Some need both. The right style changes everything.
Beyond the daily shift, we walk through the system with families.
Direct support is the heart of the work, but families navigating Oregon’s IDD system need more than daily care. Empowered Services walks beside them through the meetings, transitions, and advocacy that shape long-term outcomes.
Incident reporting
Timely, accurate, mandatory-reporter-compliant documentation that protects customers, supports families, and keeps care teams aligned.
ISP coordination
Helping customers and families prepare for, attend, and follow through on Individual Support Plan meetings so goals translate into real action.
ONA support
Walking families through the Oregon Needs Assessment so the right level of support is requested, authorized, and delivered.
Children-to-adult services
Supporting families through the shift from children’s IDD services to adult IDD services, typically between ages 18 and 21.
Community advocacy
Standing beside customers and families in real-world settings — appointments, school, work, and community spaces where the right voice changes the outcome.
What the work can feel like.
Different roles, same heartbeat: people first, stronger families, better futures, endless possibilities.
DSP / Provider Team
- MorningStart with connectionCheck in, review routines, confirm goals, and help the day begin with confidence.
- MiddayBuild independenceSupport shopping, meals, appointments, hobbies, budgeting, movement, or community access.
- EveningCelebrate progressDocument wins, communicate needs, and help the person feel supported and seen.
Administrative / Care Coordination
- MorningCoordinate the support circleReview schedules, messages, customer needs, provider updates, and family questions.
- MiddayStrengthen the matchHelp customers, DSPs, and families feel informed, prepared, documented, and cared for.
- OngoingImprove the systemUse surveys, policies, processes, handbooks, training, and town halls to keep improving.
Competitive pay, benefits, training, and real support.
DSP compensation varies by role, authorization, schedule, training, experience, and assignment type. Current openings and onboarding materials provide final details.
Trusted family or friend caregivers in the Empowered Choice Program.
Pre-approved 20 hrs OT at $33/hr
Standard DSP starting rate.
Tenured DSPs with extended experience and demonstrated reliability.
Specialized assignments and complex authorizations.
Overtime: only the $22/hr ECP Provider rate includes pre-approved overtime — up to 20 hours per week at the $33/hr time-and-a-half rate. Standard $23, $24, and $25 rates do not include pre-approved overtime; any overtime at those rates requires advance approval and is not guaranteed.
Administrative & care coordination roles: different salary scales apply by role, scope, and experience and are not reflected in the DSP tier grid above. Specific compensation for staff and admin positions is shared during the formal application process for each posted role.
Pay, benefits, overtime, mileage reimbursement, bonus eligibility, tier placement, and schedule options vary by role, customer authorization, location, experience, training, and employment status. Review current openings and onboarding documents for final details.
Real careers. Real advancement. Real impact.
Empowered Services believes in retention, loyalty, and growing people who are called to this work.
The Empowered Choice Program
In ECP, trusted family members or friends of individuals with IDD may be able to become employees with more structure and support to care for their loved one.
- Agency structure and guidance
- Paid training and onboarding
- Payroll and compliance support
- Formal backing for trusted care relationships
The people behind the work.
A founder-led team where many leaders started in direct support themselves. Tap any card to meet the people behind every match and every day.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to live a fulfilling, empowered life.”
Read John’s storyBegan his career as a DSP. Brings lived family IDD experience to leadership, operations, and statewide growth.
Meet Dylan Leadership Team Operations & complianceBehind-the-scenes leaders holding scheduling, training, payroll, policy, and quality of care steady.
Meet the team Intake, Matching & Onboarding First voices & fit makersThe front door of the agency — intake and contracts, customer-DSP matching, plus hiring and onboarding. The team that routes families in, pairs them with the right provider, and brings new DSPs onto the team.
Meet the team Care Coordinators Statewide care circleMonthly check-ins, ISP support, ONA navigation, and the care circle that keeps every match strong over time. Many started as DSPs.
Meet the coordinatorsRead video transcript
Are you looking for a job that’s more than just a paycheck? At Empowered Services, we’re not just a team, we’re a family.
“I don’t just work here. I make a real difference every day.”
We’re seeking compassionate individuals ready to change lives. Join Empowered Services — not just to earn a living, but to make a living matter.
Empowered Services. Where every day is a chance to inspire, empower, and change.
Accessibility note: This transcript is provided for visitors who prefer or require text. For additional accessibility support, call 503-855-3581 or email info@empowered-services.org.
We do not just fill shifts. We build the right fit.
Great support depends on trust, rhythm, communication, reliability, and follow-through. That is why Empowered Services looks at the whole support circle: the person served, the family, the DSP or ECP provider, the care coordinator, and the administrative team that helps everything keep moving.
Meaningful work changes more than one life.
I have the unique position of being both a DSP provider and a parent of a customer at Empowered Services. Before working here, I struggled to hold jobs that aligned with our family’s needs. My family cannot deny the positive impact Empowered Services has granted us, especially seeing my child’s growth, development, and well-being.
The values become real in the way the support system works.
Here is how that commitment shows up in daily work: the person served, the team around them, the values in action, and the operational standard that keeps care consistent.
Every value becomes practical here: matching, routines, community, care coordination, ECP, resources, training, events, and follow-up all stay organized around the person we serve.
The support circle, translated into daily work.
Great IDD support happens when each part of the system knows its role, communicates with care, and keeps the person served at the center.
The six values that guide every decision.
Integrity
Clear communication, honest expectations, reliable documentation, and doing what we said we would do.
In a dayA DSP realizes she will run late once. She calls the family before the shift starts, reschedules the appointment they were heading to, and updates the documentation that same day.
Empathy
Listening with patience, adapting to communication style, and honoring what makes each person feel safe.
In a dayA DSP notices her customer is quieter than usual. She does not push. She offers a walk, plays the playlist she knows he likes, and asks gentle questions only when he is ready.
Synergy
Families, DSPs, ECP providers, coordinators, admin, and customer care working from the same playbook.
In a dayA morning text from the DSP, a midday update to the family, and an end-of-day note in the system mean everyone opens tomorrow knowing what mattered today.
Community
Belonging through events, local connection, shared resources, and matches that feel human.
In a dayA customer attends his first community art class. His DSP introduces him, helps him settle, then steps back so the room becomes his.
Advocacy
Standing beside customers, families, and providers so needs are heard and the right supports are pursued.
In a dayA family worries about a benefits change. The care coordinator calls ODDS, gets clarification in writing, and helps the family file the right form the same week.
Legacy
Planting seeds for independence, confidence, stronger families, and a future-ready Oregon support network.
In a dayA customer who once needed help opening mail now manages his own bills with weekly check-ins. The DSP did not do it for him. She taught him until she did not need to.
Operational Excellence & Wellness
The systems, training, and culture that keep care consistent.
These values live in the work itself — because when care starts with heart, everything changes.
A workplace built for belonging, growth, and follow-through.
The best candidates want more than a job posting. They want to know whether the culture is real.
Employee surveys
Your voice helps shape continuous improvement.
Wellness program
Monthly drawing for submitted self-care or wellness activity.
Birthdays & anniversaries
People are seen, remembered, and celebrated.
Owner appreciation
Christmas gift from the owner and team recognition.
Quarterly town halls
Transparent updates, feedback, and shared direction.
Events throughout the year
Easter Egg Hunt, Summer Picnic, Fall Pumpkin Patch, Christmas, library activities, and sponsored Lego and movie nights.
IDD resources
Newsletters, activities, and resources for DSPs and families.
Clear systems
Policies, processes, procedures, handbooks, schedules, and timesheets.
Why people stay
Clear systems, real support, strong matching, and a culture that values the people doing the work.
Support that lasts- Pay Competitive pay
- Benefits Eligible roles
- Training 24 hours paid
- Easy timesheet & schedule tools
- Strong customer-caregiver matching
- Care coordinator check-ins
- Clear policies & handbooks
- Retention & loyalty culture
- Happy, healthy work culture
- Statewide certified · 11 active Oregon counties
Frequently asked.
Is this page only for DSP jobs?
No. DSPs are central to the work, but Empowered Services also welcomes administrative, customer care, care coordination, and operations-minded candidates who are a strong fit for relationship-based IDD support.
Should I use Careers or the DSP interest form?
Use Careers if you are ready to apply for a specific opening. Use the DSP interest form if you want to share your fit, availability, county, and interest before or alongside a formal role.
Can family members become employees?
Through the Empowered Choice Program, eligible trusted family members or friends may be able to become employees with training, structure, payroll support, and formal agency backing. Eligibility, authorization, and onboarding requirements apply.
Do I need prior DSP experience?
Experience helps, but reliability, compassion, safety, communication, and willingness to learn matter. Paid training and onboarding are part of the process.
What counties do you serve?
Empowered Services is statewide certified in Oregon, with active local support currently coordinated in Washington, Multnomah, Clackamas, Yamhill, Polk, Marion, Benton, Linn, Lane, Clatsop, and Columbia counties while preserving local connection, relationship-based matching, and care coordinator support.
Do I need a driver’s license or reliable transportation?
Many DSP roles include community access, appointments, or errands with the person served, so a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation are commonly required. Some assignments do not require driving. The specific requirement is confirmed during follow-up based on the customer’s needs and the assignment.
What does the background check involve?
Oregon DSP positions require a state background check through the Background Check Unit before starting work. Empowered Services walks new hires through fingerprinting, documentation, and the standard onboarding requirements. Specific details are reviewed during the formal application process.
Are weekends, evenings, or overnights required?
It depends on the customer’s authorization and routine. Some assignments are weekday daytime only; others include evenings, weekends, or overnight support. Schedule fit is one of the factors reviewed during DSP interest and matching.
What happens after I reach out?
The team reviews your pathway, follows up by phone or email, and helps route you toward the right next step: application, DSP interest form, Empowered Choice Program pathway, or conversation.
The Connected Care Ecosystem.
You aren’t joining a single page or a single role. Empowered Services is a connected ecosystem — candidates, families, and community working together. Here is the map.
For candidates like you
Where to take your next step into the team.
DSP Interest Warm first step — share county, availability, fit, and readiness. Careers Live hiring hub for formal applications and current openings. ECP Trusted family or friend caregiver pathway with full agency support.For the families we serve
The work itself — who we support and how.
IDD Services Daily support, community involvement, routines, and care coordination. Customer Intake For families and customers ready to request support or check fit.For the whole community
The wider Empowered Services context.
Home Agency story, support philosophy, match method, and starting point. IDD Resources Newsletters, events, community updates, and helpful guidance. Contact Human routing for questions, partners, families, DSPs, and team members.Privacy note: for sensitive service questions, start with intake or contact the team by phone. Avoid sending highly sensitive medical, financial, or personal details through general email.
Clear next steps. No guessing.
Different people enter the ecosystem from different places. This page routes each person to the right next step.
Ready to apply?
Use Careers for current open roles and formal application routing.
Interested in DSP work?
Use the DSP interest form to share county, availability, experience, and fit.
Already have a trusted caregiver?
Explore ECP and learn how family or friends may become employees when eligible.
Not sure where you fit?
Reach out. Empowered Services is always looking for great-fit people.
Ready to make a difference?
Empowered Services is always looking for great-fit people to become part of the family — people who care deeply, follow through, and believe the right relationship changes everything.