Live-in technology specialist - Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
The job. Seeking a young ambitious individual to help research and develop a proof of concept for communication and computer access software for disabled people who use eye gaze. The vision is to dramatically change the way eye gazers access computers using AI (voice, avatar, word /phrase prediction and more), TTS, advanced text expansion and other software. This is not a software company (or any company), just a disabled guy trying to test the waters. As such you will be working independently with my guidance. I envision using Fiverr or other freelancers for specialized support.
The job includes housing and all housing expenses (except food) and requires relocation to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, a destination island with beaches and lots of activities. You will be living in my home with me and my caregivers.
About me. I have ALS which affects my body but not my mind. I still like to stay active with my mind, like working with eye gaze and adaptive technology. If you are not familiar with ALS or items discussed below, I encourage you to read about it online. I rely on a feeding tube for nutrition, a ventilator with tracheostomy to breathe, a hoyer lift to transfer, and a computer to communicate using eye gaze technology (I am nonverbal). I obviously require 24/7 caregiver support.
Prior to my diagnosis of ALS, I worked and lived in NYC for a global consulting firm (in finance and accounting, not IT). I loved biking around the city, traveling around the world, and hanging out with friends. I was 38 when I was diagnosed and am 46 now.
Living situation. I live alone with my two live-in caregivers, who are males in their 20s. You will have your own bedroom in a 4 bedroom house. Two caregivers occupy two of the three bedrooms upstairs. I am in the master bedroom downstairs. It is a spacious home with a large kitchen, a mini gym in the garage, electric bikes, and more. The house is in a private community with a pool, private beach and other amenities.
The vibe. The environment is unique because we work and live together (which we love, but it is not for everyone). We have a lot of fun working together and each of us are working towards our own goals (school, careers, projects etc.). The house is generally quiet day and night as people are usually in their rooms when they are not on shift. We enjoy having background music on during the day and occasionally have friends over for drinks in the evening. Additionally, there are two external caregivers, a personal assistant and a house manager who live nearby.
Job requirements
-Strong fundamental software programming skills
-Strong understanding of API between applications and AI platforms
-Quickly research and trial different software solutions
-Basic understanding of GUIs and inline editing
-Basic understanding of data science (data extraction, scrubbing, etc)
-Creative and independent problem solving skills, self starter
-Willingness to help with home automation (I have a Raspberry Pi running Home Assistant) and other technology projects around the house
Schedule and compensation
-Very flexible schedule. Expect to work 50 hours a week on average. You will have plenty of time to work on personal endeavors such as remote schooling or working.
-Monthly compensation of $2,500 to $3,000 plus housing in a nice house!
-I will also pay for your relocation costs / flight.
Optional job responsibilities (not necessary, no experience needed)
-Administrative tasks - helping manage my calendar, doctors appointments, and other activities. Help me with projects around the home including tracking supplies, organization, adaptive technology, chair adjustments and miscellaneous tasks
-Caregiving - taking care of me including, toileting, transferring, eating with feeding tube, bathing, dressing, ventilating with a tracheostomy and miscellaneous caregiving tasks.
About you. Given that we will be living together, it is important to me that you are fun to live with. I try to stay positive and like to laugh, I also have a serious side to me depending on what I am doing.
Please share some information about yourself, such as
-what you like to do in your free time,
-do you have family and friends in the US,
-are you married, dating or single and do you have children,
-what interests you about this job,
-are you a self starter and comfortable working without detailed instructions
-are you clean organized and a quick learner
-confirm if you are confident that you will be comfortable doing this type of work
-what questions or concerns do you have about me or the job
The process. Please respond to this ad with answers to the above questions, provide a resume and any other information that you may have. I will be in touch with qualified candidates via email. If we both agree that you are a potential fit, we will schedule video calls with you and the other live-in caregivers so you can meet all of us and we can show you the house. It is imperative that you are 100% comfortable with the job and environment so please think of any diligence you need to do. I expect that we will have multiple qualified people so please be patient with us.
