How to hire a behavior interventionist

How to hire a behavior interventionist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step behavior interventionist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a behavior interventionist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new behavior interventionist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a behavior interventionist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a behavior interventionist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A behavior interventionist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, behavior interventionists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of behavior interventionists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Behavior Interventionist	Description	Hourly rate
   Behavior Interventionist	Substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors advise people who suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, or other behavioral problems. They provide treatment and support to help the client recover from addiction or modify problem behaviors.	$13-24
   Child Care Counselor	Child care counselors monitor the progress of children who have behavioral, physical, and mental issues in between counseling appointments. These counselors create daily schedules for children that include field trips, play dates, and learning plans to ensure that children get the most out of their days... Show more	$13-22
   Mental Health Worker	A mental health worker is a professional who provides basic care and therapy to patients who are inflicted with mental disabilities or developmental disabilities. Mental health workers assist patients with their daily activities, monitor their conditions, and administer therapeutic care... Show more	$13-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Applied Behavior Analysis
   • Autism
   • Behavior Analysis
   • Developmental Disabilities
   • ABA
   • Autism Spectrum Disorder
   • CPR
   • BCBA
   • Social Work
   • Help Support
   • Parent Education
   • Data Collection
   • Instructional Materials
   • Mental Health

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage and target behaviors using the ESDM, ABA, PRT and SCERTS model.
   • Complete all require documentations including collecting data, graphing, IEP, and quarterly notes.
   • Focus on improving behavior and communication in children with autism and developmental disabilities by providing in home behavioral services.
   • Implement behavior programs design as directed for children with autism spectrum disorders, and children with other developmental disabilities.
   • Report infractions to the district as information to better understand the needs of at-risk kids.
   • Implement behavioral therapy programs design specifically for a client's needs under the supervision of a BCBA.

   More behavior interventionist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your behavior interventionist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A behavior interventionist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, behavior interventionists' average salary in north carolina is 40% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level behavior interventionists earn 43% less than senior-level behavior interventionists.
   • Certifications. A behavior interventionist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a behavior interventionist's salary.

   Average behavior interventionist salary

   $38,908yearly

   $18.71 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level behavior interventionist salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average behavior interventionist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$43,892	$21
   2	California	$43,128	$21
   3	Arizona	$42,446	$20
   4	Oregon	$41,808	$20
   5	Illinois	$40,114	$19
   6	Massachusetts	$39,424	$19
   7	New Mexico	$39,386	$19
   8	Texas	$38,431	$18
   9	Colorado	$36,955	$18
   10	Tennessee	$36,450	$18
   11	South Carolina	$34,930	$17
   12	Louisiana	$34,235	$16

   Average behavior interventionist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Crescent City Schools	$52,588	$25.28	6
   2	Spartanburg School District Three	$52,034	$25.02	2
   3	Community Academy Public Charter School	$48,604	$23.37	1
   4	South Burlington High School	$47,803	$22.98
   5	Chicago Public Schools	$47,758	$22.96	11
   6	KIPP Austin Public Schools	$47,557	$22.86	22
   7	Maxim Healthcare Group	$46,890	$22.54	127
   8	Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center	$46,703	$22.45	20
   9	Rocketship Education	$45,986	$22.11	9
   10	Rocky Mountain Prep	$44,216	$21.26	2
   11	Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health	$43,729	$21.02
   12	UP Education Network	$43,409	$20.87	4
   13	Oregon Health & Science University	$42,869	$20.61	5
   14	Duke University Health System	$42,124	$20.25	9
   15	Robbinsdale Area Schools	$41,659	$20.03	3
   16	Cortica	$41,616	$20.01	71
   17	NBN CORP	$41,616	$20.01
   18	Waterloo School District	$41,592	$20.00	1
   19	Universal Health Services	$41,558	$19.98	238
   20	Centria Healthcare	$41,402	$19.90

4. Writing a behavior interventionist job description

   A behavior interventionist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a behavior interventionist job description:

   Behavior interventionist job description example

   We are a behavioral health company that wants to maximize the potential of all our employees . We pay our part-time ABA Therapists a competitive wage of $17.00 - $22.00/hour . Our ABA therapy team also enjoys great benefits . We also make it easy to apply with our initial quick mobile-optimized application . If we have your attention, please continue reading!

   ABOUT AUTISM SPECTRUM INTERVENTIONS (ASI)

   ASI is founded on the principle that all individuals with special needs deserve quality care and the chance to lead fuller lives. Through our premier behavioral health intervention plans, we strive to give every child the opportunity to reach their full potential. Our goal is to make our ABA therapy services fun and engaging for the clients, so they are motivated and excited whenever a session is ready to begin.

   To help achieve our goals, we hire people who are kind, caring, and compassionate towards children and those with special needs. We provide our staff with high-quality, comprehensive training so they feel confident and capable when working with clients. At ASI, we truly believe that better staff, better interventions, and better care lead to the best treatment options.

   ARE YOU A GOOD FIT?

   Ask yourself: Do you love working with children? Are you a strong communicator? Can you remain cool and collected during stressful situations? Are you motivated by playing a direct role in a client's growth and success? Do you want a part-time position that offers you more freedom with your day? If so, please consider applying for this entry-level behavioral health position today!

   YOUR LIFE AS AN ENTRY-LEVEL ABA THERAPIST

   Available to work Monday-Friday: 8:00 AM-3:30 PM or 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM.

   As an entry-level ABA Therapist, you play a direct role in helping children with autism develop their skills and reach their full potential. You collaborate with the client's parents and other personnel to develop individualized behavior intervention plans that best suit the client's needs. While implementing these plans, you diligently collect and record data concerning their target behaviors. You regularly meet with supervisors and attend team meetings to discuss the client's progress and update their goals accordingly.

   Whether you are working in the home, at school, or in the community, you approach every ABA therapy session with patience and a positive attitude. You are always prepared to safely intervene with a client's undesirable behaviors, such as mouthing items, running away from the session, and engaging in self-harming actions. Creatively, you create new stimuli for the program, whether to make the session more engaging or to offer a new type of reinforcer for the client. You are a caring person who feels fulfilled by helping children with autism reach their targets and increase their skills!

   WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

   • 18+ years of age
   • High school diploma or equivalent
   • Valid driver's license and reliable transportation
   • Ability to pass minimum competency training
   • Ability to pass a livescan fingerprint check upon hire
   • Heart for working with children with special needs

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find behavior interventionists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your behavior interventionist job on Zippia to find and recruit behavior interventionist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with behavior interventionist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new behavior interventionist

   Once you've decided on a perfect behavior interventionist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new behavior interventionist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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