Beth Israel Lahey Health logo
Beth Israel Lahey Health
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Social Worker - Oncology

Social WorkerIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$75k-$101k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 55m ago · Verified live

Job Description

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job; you’re making a difference in people’s lives. Be part of the future of cancer care.

Our cancer collaboration with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to elevate adult cancer care across our region. Together with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we are building something bold: a model that expands access, accelerates discovery, and brings world class, compassionate care to more patients and families.

Oncology Inpatient Social Worker

Patients receive thorough, effective clinical social work services that ensure psychosocial support, continuity of care, and address the unique needs of each patient and family. As a core member of the care team, the social worker effectively collaborates with a variety of disciplines in promoting optimal biopsychosocial care of the patient and families.

Job Description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES (including but not limited to):

Complete timely biopsychosocial assessments of patients and families, identifying strengths, risk factors, cultural considerations, support systems, and barriers to care.

Screen for and assess risk of harm to self or others, abuse, neglect, exploitation, intimate partner violence, and substance use, using standardized tools where established.

Provide crisis intervention, supportive counseling, and evidence-based brief therapeutic interventions; within the scope of the LCSW license, formulate clinical diagnoses and provide psychotherapy as the assigned setting requires.

Develop and document an individualized psychosocial plan of care with measurable goals, in collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary team.

Lead or contribute to discharge and transition planning from admission or first contact, coordinating with nursing, case management, physicians, and post-acute providers, and escalating barriers to safe, timely discharge.

Connect patients and families to hospital and community resources, including housing, transportation, financial assistance, behavioral health services, home care, insurance, and benefits.

Facilitate family meetings and goals-of-care discussions, and support advance care planning, health care proxy, and guardianship processes.

Fulfill Massachusetts mandated reporting obligations (DCF, Elder Protective Services, DPPC) and assist with legal processes such as Section 12 and court involvement per hospital policy.

Document assessments, interventions, and plans in the electronic health record accurately and within required timeframes, maintaining confidentiality in accordance with HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2.

Participate in rounds, huddles, and quality-improvement activities; provide consultation and education to staff on psychosocial issues, trauma-informed care, crisis response, and community resources.

  • Perform all other related assigned duties

Qualifications

  • Current, Massachusetts Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) license is required and must be maintained throughout employment.

A minimum of one year of post-master’s clinical social work experience is required, preferably in a hospital, health system, or behavioral health setting; experience in the assigned practice setting is preferred.

Knowledge of Massachusetts health, behavioral health, protective services, benefits, and post-acute care systems is required.

Proficiency with the electronic health record and Microsoft 365 is preferred;

Other Requirements

Consistently promote a culture of Wellbeing, Empathy, Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, and Equity as outlined in the organization's WE CARE values.

Demonstrated commitment and actions to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.

Work occurs in inpatient, outpatient, and, as the setting requires, community or virtual environments, with some exposure to infectious diseases and potentially agitated or aggressive behavior; adherence to safety procedures is required.

  • Regular exposure to emotionally intense situations, including trauma, grief, crisis, and end-of-life care.
  • Schedule may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call rotation as required by the assigned setting.

Pay Range

$74,880.00 USD - $100,776.00 USD

The pay range listed for this position is the annual base salary range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Key Responsibilities

The social worker provides clinical psychosocial support, conducts biopsychosocial assessments, and develops individualized plans of care for oncology patients. They also facilitate discharge planning and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure continuity of care.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Biopsychosocial assessmentInterdisciplinary collaborationElectronic health recordsPatient advocacyOncology support

Oncology — Social Worker Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$88k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $83k in an average-cost state. 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Oncology listings this role was benchmarked against, 46% are remote, 28% have no call, 74% require no weekends.

What does the Oncology market look like in Massachusetts?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$75k–$101kOncology median $79k (middle half $71k–$87k)12 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$83k in purchasing powerMassachusetts index 105.8 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Work settingon-sitepeers: 46% remote · 28% no call · 74% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Oncology pay trend+17.3% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Social Worker Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

40 jobs · 23 employers
11
<$85k
8
$85k-100k
6
$100k-115k
11
$115k-130k
4
$130k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

37 jobs · 23 employers
401k / retirement match
84%
Sign-on bonus
43%
CME allowance
24%
Loan repayment
5%
PSLF eligible
5%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)

LifeStance Health · Vancouver, Washington

$123k-$141k
#2

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)

LifeStance Health · West Linn, Oregon

$123k-$141k
#3

Licensed Mental Health Therapist (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
#4

Licensed Mental Health Clinician (LMFT, LCSW, LPCC)

$117k-$134k
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Oncology (Social Work) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 55 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Cambridge

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.37M≈ 18.4× annual pay
Typical market rent
$3,438/mo≈ 55% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.3
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.