KEY ESSENTIALS TO BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT CORP
Social Pod Leader
HS Diploma • Direct ABA Delivery (CA) • Pod Support (GA)
Role
Social Pod Leader - HS Diploma
Compensation
$21 - $23/hr (CA)
Employment Type
Part-time positions available
Reports To
Program Supervisor (with BCaBA/BCBA clinical oversight)
Location
CA clinics (direct ABA delivery scope) • Sensory Spot locations for camps and open play
Service Setting
Clinic-based with home and community session options
Credential
High school diploma required • RBT certification supported but not required in CA (required for full scope in GA)
The RBT pathway:
Earning your RBT certification is a real step up - not just a credential on your resume. In CA, it moves you into the RBT pay band and expands your formal clinical scope. In GA, it's what qualifies you to deliver insurance-funded ABA services independently. Either way, KEBM supports the pathway - we cover the 40-hour training and supervision hours, and your pay moves when you pass.
The Hook
Looking for a Social Pod Leader who wants to do real clinical work - and build toward an RBT certification that actually pays off when you earn it.
About Us
We're a five-clinic ABA therapy company with four locations across Southern California and one in Georgia, founded in 2016 by a BCBA with 25+ years in the field. Our team of 68+ professionals delivers evidence-based therapy through our proprietary S.O.C.I.A.L. P.O.D.S. methodology - and our Sensory Spot locations prove that therapy can actually feel like play.
We serve every client who walks through our doors - insurance-funded, private pay, open play, and camp families alike. We're women-founded, minority-owned, and we don't sacrifice clinical quality for profit. If you want to work somewhere that's serious about outcomes and serious about its people, you're in the right place.
How S.O.C.I.A.L. P.O.D.S. Work
S.O.C.I.A.L. P.O.D.S. is our proprietary group ABA therapy methodology - a pod-based model where social skills, behavior intervention, and individualized goals are delivered inside a structured group dynamic.
- Each pod has 3 to 6 clients with varied diagnoses - autism, ADHD, ADD, Down syndrome, developmental delays - grouped by age, skill level, and goal alignment.
- The typical facilitator-to-client ratio is 1:3; it can extend to 1:4 or 1:5 for lower-behavior clients based on Clinic Manager and clinical team decisions.
- On-site supervision is always available - solo pod work may occur when clinically appropriate, but a supervisor, BCBA, or Clinic Manager is always reachable on-site if a situation escalates.
- We use a push-in / pull-out model: group work inside the pod, 1:1 intensive instruction pulled out when a client needs dedicated skill-building.
- BCBAs and Program Supervisors move between pods providing real-time coaching and clinical oversight.
Who We Serve
KEBM serves every client who walks through our doors - no tiers, no priority treatment. That means insurance-funded ABA clients, private pay therapy clients, open play participants at our Sensory Spot locations, camp participants across all seasons, and consultation clients in adult residential and group home settings (Program Supervisor Master's level only).
A camp kid gets the same quality of care as an insurance client. An open play family gets the same respect as a full-time ABA family. If that feels natural to you, you're going to fit here. If the idea of treating any of those clients as less-than bothers you, this isn't the place.
The Role - What You'll Actually Do
The Social Pod Leader is KEBM's entry-level direct clinical role. Here's the part nobody tells you in ABA job postings: California and Georgia regulate this role differently, and that changes your day-to-day scope. Read this section carefully so you know what you're signing up for.
CA vs. GA scope - read this carefully
- In our California clinics - you deliver ABA services at the same scope as an RBT. California does not require BACB RBT certification for insurance-billed ABA services, so you'll run pods, implement treatment plans, collect clinical data, and deliver behavior protocols directly. RBT certification is optional for scope - but it unlocks a higher pay band when you earn it (see Compensation below).
- In our McDonough, GA clinic - you support RBT-led insurance sessions (you don't deliver ABA services independently - Georgia regulations require RBT certification for insurance billing), AND you lead non-ABA programming (camp, open play, enrichment) solo within program design. RBT certification is strongly encouraged because it expands your scope to full ABA delivery.
In this role, you'll:
- CA clinics: Deliver direct ABA services - run pod sessions, implement BCBA-authored treatment plans, collect clinical data, execute behavior protocols. RBT-equivalent scope without requiring the certification to start.
- GA clinics: Support RBT-led ABA sessions - material handling, setups, prompt and reinforcer delivery under the RBT's direction during insurance sessions. No independent ABA delivery.
- Both states: Lead non-ABA programming - spring/winter/summer camps, open play at Sensory Spot locations, enrichment classes. You run these solo within program design; on-site supervision is always available.
- Staff ratios assigned by Clinic Manager and clinical team - typically 1:3 in the pod, up to 1:4 or 1:5 for lower-behavior clients. You never set ratios yourself.
- Collect accurate session data - CA clinical documentation is RBT-equivalent; GA support documentation under RBT direction. Either way, 24-hour turnaround.
- Never work as the sole clinical authority for a client - pod supervisor, BCBA, and Clinic Manager are always accessible when something exceeds your scope or training.
- Grow into the RBT certification (if it's your path) - KEBM covers the 40-hour training curriculum and the supervision hours you need to sit for the exam. In CA, it's a pay bump; in GA, it's scope expansion.
In your first 90 days, success looks like:
Running sessions with confidence across your assigned pod (CA: direct ABA delivery; GA: non-ABA programming and RBT-paired pod support), holding clean data every shift, and - if you want the RBT pathway - actively working through the training curriculum with KEBM's support.
Who You Are
You might be perfect for this if:
- You want direct clinical work, not a glorified support role - the CA version of this role gives you real ABA scope from day one. The GA version gives you real clinical exposure on the path to RBT. Both are real.
- You see RBT certification as a career move - and you want an employer that will pay for the training, cover the supervision hours, AND adjust your pay when you pass. That's what the KEBM pipeline does.
- You stay calm when things get dynamic - group work with neurodiverse kids has its moments. The staff who thrive here regulate themselves first, then regulate the room.
- You believe open play and camp kids deserve the same energy - as full-time ABA clients. If that feels obvious to you, you'll fit here.
Bonus points if you have:
- Prior experience working with children, especially neurodiverse children
- Any ABA exposure - coursework, previous role, shadowing
- RBT certification already in progress
- Bilingual (Spanish)
What You Get
Compensation
$21 - $23/hr (CA) • $18 - $20/hr (GA)
We publish pay ranges on every posting. We don't bait with the top of the band and pay the bottom. Where you land depends on credential level, experience, and market - and we'll tell you exactly why during the offer conversation.
The RBT pathway:
Earning your RBT certification is a real step up - not just a credential on your resume. In CA, it moves you into the RBT pay band and expands your formal clinical scope. In GA, it's what qualifies you to deliver insurance-funded ABA services independently. Either way, KEBM supports the pathway - we cover the 40-hour training and supervision hours, and your pay moves when you pass.
Benefits - Part-Time
Paid sick time (per state law) • CEU reimbursement for certification maintenance • Supervision hours for BCaBA/BCBA pathway candidates at no cost • Professional liability coverage • Ongoing S.O.C.I.A.L. P.O.D.S. methodology training • Priority access to full-time roles as they open
Growth
At KEBM, your next role isn't hypothetical. We built a 14-step clinical pipeline from Social Skills Assistant through Chief Clinical Director, and every seat has a real compensation band, a real scope of responsibility, and a real path to get there.
Where this role sits in the pipeline: Social Skills Assistant (SSA) → Social Pod Leader (you're here) → RBT → Lead RBT → Program Supervisor Trainee → Program Supervisor → BCaBA → BCBA. Each step is real. Each step pays more. Each step is supported by KEBM-covered training and credentialing.
Your direct next step: In CA, your next step is RBT certification (which moves you into the RBT band and opens the Lead RBT → Program Supervisor Trainee pathway). In GA, RBT certification is your path to full-scope insurance-funded ABA delivery. Typical timeline: 6-12 months with strong performance and committed pathway work. KEBM covers the 40-hour RBT training and supervision hours.
Ask about it in the interview - we'll show you the map.
Culture
We run on the S.O.C.I.A.L. P.O.D.S. framework, which means structured collaboration - not chaos. Our leadership team (COO Lynda, Chief Clinical Director Maritza, Clinical Director Jazmin) actually leads, so you're not reporting into a black hole. Our CEO is a BCBA who built this from the ground up starting at $8.50/hour as a paraeducator in 1999 - she gets what your day looks like.
Physical Requirements
This role is physically active. You'll spend most of your day standing, walking, sitting on the floor, transitioning between activities, and occasionally responding to challenging behaviors.
- Frequent (4-8 hours): sitting, standing, walking, simple grasping, reaching, bending, twisting, kneeling, squatting
- Occasional (1-3 hours): keyboarding, fine manipulation, stairs, lifting or carrying 1-50 lbs
- Crisis readiness: responding appropriately to elopement, aggression, and self-injury - with full training and supervisory backup
What You'll Actually Encounter - The Honest Section
Most ABA job posts sanitize this part and then lose hires at day 30. We'd rather tell you now.
- Aggression - hitting, kicking, biting, scratching, throwing objects. Training and crisis protocols are in place; you'll never be expected to manage it alone.
- Elopement - clients running or leaving the session space. The clinic is designed to be safe; ratios are set to make elopement manageable.
- Self-injury - head-hitting, scratching, and similar behaviors. Protocols exist for every scenario.
- Non-compliance and task refusal - some sessions will test your creativity and persistence.
- Vocal stereotypy and scripting - understanding their function is part of the clinical picture.
- Sensory-seeking and sensory-avoidant behaviors - reading sensory cues and adjusting the environment in real time.
Why we tell you this upfront:
Because we respect your decision-making. This work isn't for everyone - and that's okay. But for the right person, there's nothing more rewarding than helping a child build the skills that change the trajectory of their life. And you won't be doing it alone - every pod has clinical support available on-site, with direct supervision, crisis protocols, and a team that has your back.
The KEBM G-W-C Test
Three questions. Take 60 seconds with them before you apply. If you can answer all three with an honest "yes," send your resume. If any one is a no, that's information too.
1. Do you GET IT?
Do you understand what this role actually is - the real work, the hard days, the kids and families we serve? Not the idealized version. The actual job.
2. Do you WANT IT?
Not the paycheck. Not the title. The work itself. Do you want to do this specific job, with these specific clients, inside the S.O.C.I.A.L. P.O.D.S. model?
3. Do you have the CAPACITY?
Time, skill, emotional bandwidth, physical readiness. The capacity question is not whether you're smart or capable - it's whether your current life has room for this role to be done well.
How to Apply
Apply at the link in this posting, or send your resume and a short note about why this role caught your eye to info@keyessentialsbm.com. Questions before you apply? Call us at (909) 755-5220 - a real person will answer.
We review every application and respond to every candidate. You're not shouting into the void.
Key Essentials to Behavior Management Corp is an equal opportunity employer. We are women-founded, minority-owned, and committed to hiring without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.
