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University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

Para-Educator | Acute Care, Behavioral Health | Medical Center University

Behavioral Health 8.0 Work-LifeNo weekendsNo nightsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · Monday – FridayWeekdays only

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Para-Educator | Acute Care, Behavioral Health | Circle School

Make a lasting impact as a Para-educator! The Department of Rehabilitation Therapies at University of Iowa Health Care is looking to hire a Paraeducator. Support students ages 5–17 in a therapeutic, trauma-informed classroom as they navigate their journey to wellness.

You will collaborate with a dynamic team to deliver personalized instruction, foster positive coping skills, and create a safe, upbeat learning environment. If you are patient, flexible, and enthusiastic about helping kids thrive during challenging times, join us in helping students stay on track for a bright future! This position is located on our Medical Center University Campus.

About Iowa Health Care

University of Iowa Health Care—recognized as one of the best hospitals in the United States—is Iowa's only comprehensive academic medical center and a regional referral center. Each day more than 18,000 employees, students, and volunteers work together to provide safe, quality health care and excellent service for our patients. Simply stated, our mission is: Changing Medicine. Changing Lives. ®

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities | Para-Educator

  • Knowledge of behavioral strategies, disabilities, principles of child development and abuse reporting mandates.
  • Ability to learn forms of communication appropriate for the population served such as Braille, sign language, and other adaptive forms of communication.
  • Ability to be a positive role model for students.
  • Ability to lift, transfer and position students as needed using safe and effective techniques.
  • Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements | Para-Educator

  • State of Iowa Paraeducators certificate or 2 years equivalent post-secondary coursework in education, psychology, or related area of study is required.

Additional Details

Application Information

To be considered for an interview, applicants must upload both of the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission.

  • Resume
  • Cover Letter

Job openings are posted for a minimum of ten calendar days. This job may be removed from posting and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to five professional references will be requested at a later stage in the recruitment process. For additional questions, please contact Matt Hackler, HR Generalist at mhackler@uiowa.edu. This position is not eligible for university sponsorship for employment authorization.

Additional Information

  • Classification Title: Para-educator
  • Appointment Type: MERIT
  • Classification Time: This position is a 100%25 line at 40 hours per week.
  • Schedule: Monday through Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm.
  • Location: On site, this position is performed fully on the campus of UI Health Care’s University Medical Center at 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City 52242.

Compensation

  • Pay Level: 07.
  • Pay Plan: Merit Alpha Matrix | University Human Resources - The University of Iowa

Contact Information

  • Organization: Rehabilitation Therapies, Medical Center University Campus
  • Contact Name: Matthew Hackler
  • Contact Email: mhackler@uiowa.edu

Key Responsibilities

The Para-educator will support students ages 5–17 in a therapeutic, trauma-informed classroom environment. They will collaborate with a team to deliver personalized instruction and foster positive coping skills for students.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a State of Iowa Paraeducator certificate or possess two years of equivalent post-secondary coursework in education, psychology, or a related field. The role requires the ability to lift, transfer, and position students using safe techniques.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Adaptive communicationTrauma-informed careInstructional supportPatient careClassroom management

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Para-Educator | Acute Care, Behavioral Health | Medical Center University at University of Iowa a 8.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 5% of all Behavioral Health healthcare professional listings evaluated on our platform. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements, no night shifts.

Behavioral Health Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Iowa is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.8% of Iowa clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Work-life snapshot

8.0/ 10
Listing-based score
  • No weekends
  • No nights
  • On-site

Living in Iowa City

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$296k
Typical market rent
$1,270/mo
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.5
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026).

BEA 2024 · Iowa City, IA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.