Become a surveyor
CARF surveyors are the cornerstone of the peer-review survey process. Surveyors are professionals in their fields with primary employment at CARF-accredited organizations. Successful surveyor candidates are actively involved in the accreditation process and implementation of CARF standards at their organization.
To maintain its strong cadre of highly qualified professionals responsible for conducting the survey component of the accreditation process, CARF is looking for individuals with the following expertise/experience:
- Administrative: Leadership expertise/experience with administrative, managerial, or other oversight responsibility over matters such as strategic planning, financial management, corporate responsibility, and/or overall organizational performance.
- Program/Service: Clinical expertise/experience that directly provides services to persons served, or a position that provides oversight over operations regarding the day-to-day provision of services.
- Finance (CCRC only): Must have a minimum of five years' finance experience in a CCRC setting. Senior-level leadership is preferred. Requires expertise/experience with day-to-day management of financial planning, investments, accounts receivable/payable, and budget development and tracking. Must have knowledge and expertise in capital needs assessments; long-term financial planning; financial ratios; and familiarity with CARF’s annual financial reporting process, including Ratio Pro.
Benefits of becoming a surveyor
Surveyors accrue a number of significant and substantial benefits for themselves, their organizations, and their professional fields.
Benefits for the surveyor and the surveyor’s organization:
- An opportunity to network and learn from other professionals while contributing to organizations’ business and service delivery practices, performance, and quality of services.
- Development and broadening of leadership skills through surveyor training programs and survey experiences.
- In-house expert on current accreditation standards and processes to assist the organization with its performance improvement and accreditation activities.
- Knowledge sharing of national and international trends and best practices.
- Free access to a multitude of continuing education webinars and complimentary registration for surveyors to most CARF trainings.
Benefits for the field:
- Peer review based on field-responsive standards that ensure quality services.
- The exchange of ideas and practices.
Surveyor qualifications
Candidates for surveyor positions must:
- Be currently employed in a CARF-accredited organization or employed by a governmental entity that works to improve the quality of human services.
- Have at least five years of current experience in the field. The experience must be in the program or service area for which the individual is applying to survey or in an administrative or managerial position.
- Have knowledge of, and experience with, CARF standards.
- Be available to conduct at least three surveys per calendar year (January 1–December 31), including two surveys within the first six months following initial training.
- Not be employed by, or perform any services for, a competing accrediting body.
Candidates for surveyor positions should also:
- Have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well as a team member.
- Have strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Have good time-management skills.
- Have a consultative, rather than inspective, approach to the survey process.
- Have computer skills and access to a laptop for use on surveys.
- Be able and willing to travel to domestic and international survey locations and stay over Saturday night, as needed.
Surveyor commitment
Taking time away from your primary employment to participate in surveyor training, conduct surveys, and participate in continuing education activities requires a commitment from both you and your organization. Prior to completing an application to become a surveyor, it is recommended that you discuss your intentions with your supervisor. The
Become a Surveyor brochure is a good resource to guide you in your discussion.
To begin the surveyor
application process, please go to the Career portal.
If you have any questions, please contact Heike Lohr, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, at
hlohr@carf.org or (888) 281-6531, ext. 7177.
CARF is an Equal Opportunity Employer
CARF is committed to providing equal opportunity in all of its employment practices, including selection, hiring, promotion, transfer, compensation, and terms and conditions of employment to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, disability, ancestry, marital status, familial status, genetic testing, or any other status protected by applicable law. CARF promotes the full realization of this policy through its employment practices. For additional information, refer to
Applicant Notices.
CARF provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you would like to request an accommodation, please contact Heike Lohr, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist, at hlohr@carf.org or (888) 281-6531 ext. 7177.