Looking for a career where every day is different and the work truly matters? As a Direct Support Professional (DSP), you’ll build meaningful relationships, help people achieve greater independence, and experience the satisfaction of making a lasting difference in your community. Whether you’re beginning your career, changing professions, or looking for more purpose in your work, becoming a Direct Support Professional offers the opportunity to grow while helping others do the same.

What Does a Direct Support Professional Do?

A Direct Support Professional empowers adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live as independently and fully as possible. More than traditional caregiving, Direct Support Professionals teach life skills, encourage personal growth, advocate for individual choice, and help people participate in the communities where they live, work, and thrive.

No two days are the same. One day you may be helping someone learn a new recipe, build budgeting skills, or prepare for work. The next, you could be celebrating a personal milestone, attending a community event, or supporting someone as they try something new for the very first time. Every day brings new experiences and opportunities to make a meaningful impact.

Making the Most of Our Community

Community involvement is an important part of life at Black Hills Works. Direct Support Professionals help participants experience everything our community has to offer, from grocery shopping and medical appointments to enjoying coffee with friends, attending Rapid City Rush games, visiting Main Street Square, taking in Summer Nights concerts, or cheering on athletes at Special Olympics events.

These experiences build confidence, foster independence, and create lasting memories. As a Direct Support Professional, you aren’t simply accompanying someone on an outing, you are helping create opportunities for connection, inclusion, and personal growth.

A Career That Grows with You

A career as a Direct Support Professional offers meaningful work with opportunities to learn, grow, and develop valuable skills that can lead to advancement within the human services field. If you’re passionate about helping others but don’t have previous experience, Black Hills Works provides the training and support you need to build a successful career.

Every day, Black Hills Works supports nearly 600 adults in pursuing their goals, strengthening their independence, and living lives filled with purpose. As a Direct Support Professional, you become an important part of that mission while developing relationships that often last a lifetime.

More Than a Job—A Career That Changes Lives

Being a Direct Support Professional is about far more than providing support. It’s about celebrating achievements, overcoming challenges together, and helping people live the lives they choose. Along the way, you’ll discover that the impact isn’t one-sided—the people you support often change your life just as much as you change theirs.

If you’re ready for a career filled with purpose, connection, and new experiences, Black Hills Works is ready to invest in you.

Explore our current Direct Support Professional openings today and discover how you can build a career that makes a difference every single day.

Hear From One of Our Direct Support Professionals

“We really help do the things we take for granted. It makes you feel like your job matters to somebody.”

Watch our 20-second employee testimonial to hear firsthand why becoming a Direct Support Professional at Black Hills Works is more than just a job—it’s a career with purpose.