Assistant Teacher, Children's Center

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; Chattanooga (TN); On-site; USD 17,900 - 25,494; Full time

Job summary

A public research university seeks an Assistant Teacher to provide a high-quality early childhood program. The role involves supervising activities, maintaining a safe classroom environment, and ensuring children's physical and emotional development. Ideal candidates will have an Associate’s degree in education or a related field, with prior experience preferred. Work is fully on-site at the university's Chattanooga campus, offering a salary of $15.75/hour, and requires CPR and First Aid certifications.

Qualifications

• One year of experience or equivalent combination of education and training.
• CPR and First Aid certifications are required.

Responsibilities

• Organize and supervise activities according to curriculum.
• Maintain orderly classroom environment.
• Provide first aid when necessary.
• Interact with parents during drop-off and pick-up.
• Participate in team meetings and ongoing training.

Skills

Strong oral and written communication skills

Ability to administer medication

Ability to distinguish individual facial features

Ability to evacuate children swiftly

Ability to distinguish children's voices

Ability to climb playground equipment

Education

Associate’s degree in child development or early childhood education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Job description

Job Description

Assistant teachers provide a high-quality early childhood program which ensures a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of young children while responding to the needs of families. This position serves as a role model and mentor to students during field experience at the Children's Center and follows the curriculum we have in place and aids with helping the student workers and observers understand early childhood while using our hands‑on curriculum.

Responsibilities

• Organizing and supervising activities according to teachers’ direction and curriculum plan.
• Maintaining orderly classroom environment.
• Dispensing medication and providing first aid when necessary.
• Interacting with parents when children arrive and leave; assisting Lead teacher to communicate center philosophy to parents.
• Participating in team meetings and staff planning sessions.
• Participating in ongoing training opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills in early childhood education.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Read medication instructions and have the skills to administer medication.
• Ability to distinguish individual facial features at arm's length and across the room.
• Ability to evacuate all children and adults from the building in less than one minute.
• Ability to distinguish children's voices when out of visual range.
• Ability to climb playground equipment to remove a child from the setting.

Review of applications will begin on March 3, 2026, and continue until positions are filled.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree or equivalent in child development, early childhood education, or related field.
• One (1) year of experience or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• CPR and First Aid certifications required.

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in child development, early childhood education, or related field.
• Three (3) years of experience.

Work Location

• University of Tennessee – Chattanooga, TN Campus.
• This is a fully on‑site position.

Compensation and Benefits

• UT Market Range: MR02.
• Anticipated hiring salary: $15.75.
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure.
• Find more information on UT Benefits.

About Us

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is in the heart of one of Tennessee’s largest and most dynamic cities. As a national model for metropolitan universities, UTC collaborates with its many regional partners to offer an experiential learning environment with outstanding teaching scholars in 128 undergraduate degree programs and 55 graduate programs—at both the master's and doctoral levels. UTC and Chattanooga—nationally recognized for its downtown redevelopment and wealth of outdoor recreation—are inextricably linked, and the University is central to the workforce and economic development efforts of the region and the state.

Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Business; Engineering and Computer Science; Health, Education and Professional Studies; and the Honors College are home to an array of award‑winning programs from Nursing to Computer Science, Entrepreneurship to Veteran Student Support. Innovation is a strategic focus, and UTC research and development in smart city technology is an industry leader. UTC is the first and only university in the country with access to a managed, commercial quantum computing network, and we are introducing an artificial intelligence initiative involving entities across campus and engaging partners throughout the region.

From our deep ties to the city of Chattanooga to our national reputation for innovation and hands‑on learning, UTC stands out as a university where students thrive, faculty inspire, and partnerships create real impact.