Social Worker Jobs in South Dakota
Social Worker jobs in South Dakota concentrate in child welfare, behavioral health, and medical social work, with demand across public agencies, tribal services, and hospital systems at every level from entry-level caseworker to clinical supervisor. The largest hiring markets are Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Aberdeen, where employers such as Sanford Health, Monument Health, and the South Dakota Department of Social Services maintain consistent openings. School-based, substance use counseling, and family services roles are among the most in-demand specialties statewide. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find Social Worker JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 20+ Social Worker jobs
Location:
Worker Type:
RegularWork Shift:
Day Shift (United States of America)Pay Range:
The pay range for this position is listed below. Actual pay rate dependent upon experience.
$29.25 - $44.00Position Highlights
This position works with patients and their loved ones facing a cancer diagnosis. The role is in an outpatient clinic setting and does not do discharge planning.
Student Loan Repayment: This position may be eligible for Avera’s Student Loan Repayment Program, which helps you pay off your loans and save money. Each month an extra payment of $167 (up to $10,000) from Avera will help pay down your principal balance faster.
You Belong at Avera
Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.
A Brief Overview
Responsible to plan, organize and implement social work services for patients and families that are medically and socially complex and greater psychosocial acuity; assuring that the medically related emotional and social needs are addressed on an individual basis. The Social Worker will facilitate quality care/education for patients and their families. Is skilled in counseling individuals and groups. Responsible to assess needs and facilitate plans with patients/families requiring intensive discharge planning. Maintains a current knowledge base of community agencies and resources to facilitate appropriate referrals. The Social Worker provides services in a compassionate, culturally competent and tactful manner in order to help facilitate access to and provide continuity of care and patient advocacy. Works collaboratively with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
What you will do
- Interviews patient and family members to obtain information about home environment, family systems, health history, and patient’s personality traits.
- Evaluates data gathered in terms of the medical plan of treatment, available social service programs, financial counseling and plan a pertinent therapy program that will provide maximum benefits and safety for each patient.
- Assists patients and families to understand, accept, and follow medical recommendations with emphasis on assisting patient to be medically compliant with care plan.
- Performs a variety of services such as advising on social problems, arranging for discharge or post-operative care at home, assisting patients/families needing placement into assisted living or nursing homes, arranges for transportation to appointments and treatments, and works to alleviate anxiety and fears of patients and family members.
- Conducts supportive visits by interviewing patients and their family members to obtain information regarding their response to their diagnosis including evaluation of strengths, coping skills, supports, characteristics of family, health history and personality traits. Prepares and maintains patient documentation in EMR.
- Maintains department policies, procedures, objectives, and quality assurance program, safety, infection and environmental control.
- Assists with data collection, analysis and reporting as required by the hospital, administrative council, care teams, JCAHO, and other agencies.
- Conducts individual, marital, family and group therapies as necessary. Coordinate care conferences as needed. Serves as the social work representative in multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care.
- Utilizes research findings to improve outcomes and support, and provide quality of life for patients and their families. Works collaboratively with Case Management in providing coordinated services, which facilitates continuity of care for our patients.
- Works with emotional problems including but not limited to assisting patients, residents and families with anxieties and stress caused by illness, admission to hospital/nursing home, crisis situations, difficulties in coping with physical disabilities, fears related to helplessness and death, the need for nursing home/assisted living/specialized care, and providing educational materials.
Essential Qualifications
The individual must be able to work the hours specified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds. These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
- Master's in Social Work from an accredited program
- Social Worker - Licensing Board An active license in the state of practice Upon Hire
Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
- Qualified Mental Health Provider (QMHP) - Licensing Board active in the state of practice Upon Hire
- 1-3 years
Expectations and Standards
- Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
- Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
- Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
- Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.
Benefits You Need & Then Some
Avera is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to qualifying part-time and full-time employees. We support you with opportunities to help live balanced, healthy lives. Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future.
PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.
Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement
Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship
Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org.
Location:
Worker Type:
RegularWork Shift:
Day Shift (United States of America)Pay Range:
The pay range for this position is listed below. Actual pay rate dependent upon experience.
$29.25 - $44.00Position Highlights
This position works with patients and their loved ones facing a cancer diagnosis. The role is in an outpatient clinic setting and does not do discharge planning.
Student Loan Repayment: This position may be eligible for Avera’s Student Loan Repayment Program, which helps you pay off your loans and save money. Each month an extra payment of $167 (up to $10,000) from Avera will help pay down your principal balance faster.
You Belong at Avera
Be part of a multidisciplinary team built with compassion and the goal of Moving Health Forward for you and our patients. Work where you matter.
A Brief Overview
Responsible to plan, organize and implement social work services for patients and families that are medically and socially complex and greater psychosocial acuity; assuring that the medically related emotional and social needs are addressed on an individual basis. The Social Worker will facilitate quality care/education for patients and their families. Is skilled in counseling individuals and groups. Responsible to assess needs and facilitate plans with patients/families requiring intensive discharge planning. Maintains a current knowledge base of community agencies and resources to facilitate appropriate referrals. The Social Worker provides services in a compassionate, culturally competent and tactful manner in order to help facilitate access to and provide continuity of care and patient advocacy. Works collaboratively with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
What you will do
- Interviews patient and family members to obtain information about home environment, family systems, health history, and patient’s personality traits.
- Evaluates data gathered in terms of the medical plan of treatment, available social service programs, financial counseling and plan a pertinent therapy program that will provide maximum benefits and safety for each patient.
- Assists patients and families to understand, accept, and follow medical recommendations with emphasis on assisting patient to be medically compliant with care plan.
- Performs a variety of services such as advising on social problems, arranging for discharge or post-operative care at home, assisting patients/families needing placement into assisted living or nursing homes, arranges for transportation to appointments and treatments, and works to alleviate anxiety and fears of patients and family members.
- Conducts supportive visits by interviewing patients and their family members to obtain information regarding their response to their diagnosis including evaluation of strengths, coping skills, supports, characteristics of family, health history and personality traits. Prepares and maintains patient documentation in EMR.
- Maintains department policies, procedures, objectives, and quality assurance program, safety, infection and environmental control.
- Assists with data collection, analysis and reporting as required by the hospital, administrative council, care teams, JCAHO, and other agencies.
- Conducts individual, marital, family and group therapies as necessary. Coordinate care conferences as needed. Serves as the social work representative in multi-disciplinary team approach to patient care.
- Utilizes research findings to improve outcomes and support, and provide quality of life for patients and their families. Works collaboratively with Case Management in providing coordinated services, which facilitates continuity of care for our patients.
- Works with emotional problems including but not limited to assisting patients, residents and families with anxieties and stress caused by illness, admission to hospital/nursing home, crisis situations, difficulties in coping with physical disabilities, fears related to helplessness and death, the need for nursing home/assisted living/specialized care, and providing educational materials.
Essential Qualifications
The individual must be able to work the hours specified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job function satisfactorily including having visual acuity adequate to perform position duties and the ability to communicate effectively with others, hear, understand and distinguish speech and other sounds. These requirements and those listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform the essential job functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions, as long as the accommodations do not cause undue hardship to the employer.
Required Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
- Master's in Social Work from an accredited program
- Social Worker - Licensing Board An active license in the state of practice Upon Hire
Preferred Education, License/Certification, or Work Experience:
- Qualified Mental Health Provider (QMHP) - Licensing Board active in the state of practice Upon Hire
- 1-3 years
Expectations and Standards
- Commitment to the daily application of Avera’s mission, vision, core values, and social principles to serve patients, their families, and our community.
- Promote Avera’s values of compassion, hospitality, and stewardship.
- Uphold Avera’s standards of Communication, Attitude, Responsiveness, and Engagement (CARE) with enthusiasm and sincerity.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Work effectively in a team environment, coordinating work flow with other team members and ensuring a productive and efficient environment.
- Comply with safety principles, laws, regulations, and standards associated with, but not limited to, CMS, The Joint Commission, DHHS, and OSHA if applicable.
Benefits You Need & Then Some
Avera is proud to offer a wide range of benefits to qualifying part-time and full-time employees. We support you with opportunities to help live balanced, healthy lives. Benefits are designed to meet needs of today and into the future.
PTO available day 1 for eligible hires.
Up to 5% employer matching contribution for retirement
Career development guided by hands-on training and mentorship
Avera is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, or other categories protected by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-605-504-4444 or send an email to talent@avera.org.
See All 20 Social Worker Jobs in South Dakota
Find roles in South Dakota that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Social Worker JobsSocial Worker Jobs by City in South Dakota
Where South Dakota roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Social Worker Job Market in South Dakota
A snapshot from current South Dakota openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What South Dakota Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in social worker jobs across South Dakota.
- Active South Dakota social work license issued by the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners
- Bachelor's or master's degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program
- Experience working with children, families, or vulnerable adult populations in a professional setting
- Proficiency with case management documentation systems and client record platforms
- Valid South Dakota driver's license and ability to travel to client homes or community sites
- Cleared background check meeting South Dakota Department of Social Services standards
Social Worker Jobs in South Dakota: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a social worker in South Dakota?
To become a licensed social worker in South Dakota, you must apply through the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners and pass the appropriate ASWB examination for your credential level. The board offers four tiers: Social Work Associate, Licensed Social Worker, Licensed Certified Social Worker, and Licensed Certified Social Work Manager. A BSW from a CSWE-accredited program qualifies you for the associate or LSW level, while an MSW is required for clinical licensure.
Which companies hire social workers in South Dakota?
Companies currently hiring social workers in South Dakota include Avera Health, Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota, and Sanford Health, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. State agencies, tribal health programs, and regional hospital systems like Sanford Health and Monument Health are among the most consistent sources of openings across the state.
Which South Dakota cities have the most social worker jobs?
Sioux Falls, Aberdeen, and Martin have the most social worker openings in South Dakota. Sioux Falls leads as the state's largest city and home to Sanford Health's flagship campus, while Rapid City's concentration of Monument Health facilities and tribal service agencies in the western region drives demand there, and Aberdeen's role as a regional hub for state agency offices supports ongoing openings in that market.
Are there remote social worker jobs in South Dakota?
Yes, but they're rare. Social work is largely an in-person profession requiring direct client contact, home visits, and on-site coordination with agencies and courts. About 0% of social worker openings tied to South Dakota are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to be in care coordination, utilization review, or telehealth behavioral health counseling rather than direct casework.
How can I get hired as a social worker in South Dakota with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying for a Social Work Associate or Social Services Specialist position with the South Dakota Department of Social Services, which hires new graduates into structured caseload roles across its regional offices in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, and Pierre. Sanford Health's case management and patient navigator openings also serve as strong entry points for BSW graduates. Completing your South Dakota Social Work Associate registration before applying gives you a clear credential advantage over unlicensed candidates.
Where can I find and apply to social worker jobs in South Dakota?
You can find and apply to social worker jobs in South Dakota on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Search the listings, find roles that fit your experience and specialty, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 20 Social Worker Jobs in South Dakota
Find roles in South Dakota that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Social Worker Jobs