JoyRx Music Specialist, Part-Time

Joy Rx Music Specialist (Part Time 20-25 hours per week)

Portland, OR

Children’s Cancer Association was founded in 1995 by the Ellis family after their five-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died of cancer. Their goal was to create something extraordinary: an organization with a new vision for what pediatric cancer support services look like. Today, the Joy Rx Mentorship, Nature, and Music programs reach thousands of hospitalized children of all ages and diagnoses. Our programs reach children where they are — and make their tough days a little brighter.

Simply put — joy helps sick kids feel better.

You are a multi-talented musician capable of engaging children and teens, along with their family members and hospital staff, through tailored musical experiences, which may include: performing song requests, music instruction, facilitating concerts and group activities, instrument check-out, and music exploration.

You are passionate seriously ill children, teens ,and their families and are comfortable working in hospital and clinic settings within the scope of practice of arts in health. You can play a wide variety of genres and have a current knowledge of popular music for kids and teens.

You are adaptable and can “read a room” to match the music interaction with the situation. You are a strong communicator able to interact with kids, hospital staff, , volunteers, and other CCA team members.

This role delivers interactive music experiences for hospitalized children and teens in local partner healthcare sites by combining musical performance, child engagement, and collaboration to bring moments of joy, creativity, and connection to families facing serious illness.

The Joy Rx Music Specialist position reports to the Program Manager.

• Encourage kids and teens to engage with the music experience that feels right to them in a one-to-one interaction, e.g. playing, singing, exploring, learning, and connecting with others through recreational music, informal song writing, impromptu lessons, and music technology
• Provide basic recreational music lessons and suggest instruments for check-out
• Facilitate structured and improvised musical group experiences, such as live concerts and musical activities to multiple patients at one time
• Participate in for occasional hospital concerts and at other CCA-hosted events

• Collaborate with pediatric healthcare professionals to customize Joy Rx Music experience for kids, teens, and families
• Maintain instruments and equipment stored at the hospital in the Joy Rx Music cart, including sanitizing all items per hospital infection control guidelines, tuning and stringing instruments, as well as basic repair and upkeep of music cart and supplies
• Assist with music volunteer interviews, set up, tracking, and appreciation
• Support Joy Rx Music scheduling, reporting, and performance tracking
• Collect anecdotes and media for families to help share their Joy Rx Music experience through photo, video, or narrative via CCA’s social media channels and events
• Support guest tours highlighting Joy Rx Music services in the hospital setting and public relations activities
• Provide appropriate program administrative and data support as needed
• Other duties as assigned

• A musician and vocalist who is proficient playing string and/or other instruments (guitar, ukulele, and keyboard are primarily used in this role) in a wide variety of different genres
• Familiarity with music-based technology applications (e.g. iPads and web/app-based music programs)
• Ability to work in an environment with children, teens, and family members who are under stress, in pain, or undergoing…