Instructional Assistant

Hi! I’m Megan, and I lead our recruiting team for the Philadelphia area. We read every application ourselves, and we’re genuinely glad you’re considering us.

Right now, Bucks County students need experienced educators. If you’ve spent at least a year in a special education classroom, your experience is exactly what these classrooms need – and we’ve raised the pay for these roles to reflect it.

If that sounds like you, let your recruiter know when we reach out. Newer to the classroom? We’d still love to hear from you and help you find a role that fits.

Why experienced Personal Care Assistants (PCAs) are joining Zen:
- A full paid week before you start. Orientation is paid, and it all happens before you step into a classroom.
- Credentials included. You’ll get CPI crisis intervention and First Aid certification, plus specialized special education training, at no cost to you.
- Your students, all year. Stay long enough to watch them grow, and to know you were part of it.
- Paid every week. $23 - $25 an hour depending on your education, by direct deposit.
- Your evenings stay yours. Monday to Friday, 7:30 to 3:30/4:00pm. No nights, weekends or holidays.
- Someone in your corner. Zen Educate is your employer, and we hire all educators as W-2 employees, not 1099 contractors. That means questions about pay, schedules or time off come to us, not the district office. Your account manager checks in after your first day and stays with you all year. When a day is hard, you’ll have someone at Zen who picks up the phone.

What your days look like

You’ll be the steady adult in the room for students with autism, emotional support needs and multiple disabilities. On a typical day, you’ll:
- Work alongside the teacher and classroom staff
- Help students work toward the goals in their IEPs
- Keep the classroom calm, safe and ready for learning
- Support students one-on-one and in small groups
- Help a student through a crisis, using the training you’ll get before day one
- Try different approaches until you find what works for each student
- Support students with personal care, including feeding and toileting, with patience and dignity
- Celebrate their wins, big and small

Is this you?

These roles are built for people who’ve done this before:
- At least one year in a Special Education classroom. Our school partner requires this.
- Living within about 30 minutes of Bucks County schools
- Not working with Bucks IU this school year, either directly or through another agency
- A high school diploma or GED
- Professional proficiency in English
- US work authorization (we can’t sponsor visas or offer relocation help at this time)
- Comfortable on your feet all day, able to lift up to 20 lbs, and ready to kneel, bend or move quickly to help a student. We may ask about other physical requirements during your application.

Bonus if you have:
- An Educator License with Stipulations (ELS) with a Paraprofessional (PARA) endorsement from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
- Behavioral Technician or PCA experience
- CPI or CPR certification. If not, we’ll train you in CPI and First Aid before you start.

Salary
Pay: $23 - $25 per hour, paid weekly.

Schedule:

Minimum three days throughout Monday to Friday, within hours of 7:30 - 3:00/4:30 pm.

Where this can take you:
This is your foot in the door with a great school. Get to know the staff, build real relationships, and show them what you can do. As your experience grows and your work speaks for itself, your pay can grow with it.

Don’t have an associate degree or Para Pro? You can still qualify. We’ll pay for your PaTTAN training so you can earn your Highly Qualified (HQ) status in Pennsylvania.

Other Benefits
- Weekly pay by direct deposit, or by paper check if you prefer
- Ongoing professional development, including in-app training and paid certifications for your role where applicable
- Paid sick leave, in line with state and local law
- Medical, dental and vision insurance once you’re eligible, which includes working more than 1,560 hours in 12 months
- A 401(k) retirement plan (no employer match) once you’re eligible, which includes working more than 1,000 hours in 12 months, or more than 500 hours a year over 24 months

Know someone who’d love this? Our educators receive a bonus when someone they refer finishes signup on our platform - and the referred educator gets a bonus too!

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