Infant Lead Teacher

Job Description Infant 6 weeks to 12 months

Status : Full time 

Reports: Director 

Benefits : Able to participate after 90 days 

A lead teacher for infants 6 weeks to 12months is responsible for primary caregiving, safety, and early learning in that age‑specific classroom, while also guiding the assistant staff. 

The Lead Infant Teacher (6 weeks–12months) provides responsive, relationship‑based care and designs a nurturing, developmentally appropriate environment that supports the physical, social‑emotional, and cognitive development of very young infants. This role leads classroom staff, partners closely with families, and upholds all licensing, health, and safety requirements for non‑mobile and early‑mobile infants.

Essential responsibilities

• Provide constant, active supervision and maintain required ratios; ensure safe sleep, safe handling, and secure routines for infants 6 weeks–12months. 

• Perform all caregiving routines (diapering, feeding, burping, soothing, crib transitions) using best practice hygiene, responsive caregiving, and individual schedules provided by the school and families. 

• Plan and implement simple, developmentally appropriate experiences for this age band: tummy time, floor play, visual tracking, cause‑and‑effect toys, songs, talking, reading, and early sensory exploration following the  approved curriculum by the Director. 

• Observe and document each infant’s cues, temperament, and milestones (feeding, sleep, motor, early communication) and share information with director and families through our system on Tadpoles as required.

• Maintain a clean, organized, and calming environment, including sanitizing toys, equipment, and surfaces on an appropriate schedule, and preparing materials for daily routines. Housekeeping responsibilities are shared by the teaching team. 

• Build strong relationships with families through daily verbal communication and written/app reports about feeding, diapering, sleep, and emerging skills. Able to administer medication. 

• Lead and mentor assistant teachers and floaters assigned to the room, modeling best practices for infant care, assigning duties, and ensuring consistency with program policies. 

• Follow center policies, state licensing standards, safe sleep guidelines, and program curriculum or framework for infants, keeping professional development file up to date. 

Qualifications

• Meets state requirements for a lead infant teacher (e.g., age, education/credentials, and experience with infants in licensed care). 

• Demonstrated experience caring for infants under 12 months, with strong understanding of infant cues, attachment, and early brain development with a minimum of 2 years in similar program. 

• Current infant/child CPR and First Aid and any state‑required health/safety trainings, including safe sleep. 

• Ability to communicate effectively with families and coworkers, maintain confidentiality, and collaborate as part of a professional team. 

Physical and schedule requirements

• Ability to sit on the floor, kneel, bend, lift and carry up to approximately 35–40 pounds, and move infants safely in and out of cribs and equipment. 

• Ability to work assigned full‑time schedule within center operating hours and attend occasional staff meetings or family events as required. 
• Flexibility to assume other duties as assigned and required for smooth operations of the school