How to hire a Neonatologist

How to hire a neonatologist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step neonatologist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a neonatologist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new neonatologist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Neonatologist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a neonatologist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A neonatologist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, neonatologists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents neonatologist salaries for various positions.

   Type Of Neonatologist	Description	Hourly Rate
   Neonatologist	Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests... Show More	$29-296
   Resident Physician	A Resident Physician participates in a program of graduate medical education and training in a specialized area of medicine. They work with other members of the healthcare team to provide direct medical care to patients.	$37-165
   Pulmonary Physician	A pulmonary physician specializes in diagnosing and treating respiratory and cardiopulmonary health issues. They provide consultations when it comes to health concerns, conduct various assessments and examinations to identify the patients' conditions, study medical histories, develop care and treatment plans, prescribe medication, and educate patients throughout the procedures... Show More	$51-215

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Level II
   • Ventilation
   • Patient Care
   • Picu
   • Pediatric Residents
   • Critical Care
   • Medical Services
   • Community Hospital
   • General Surgery
   • Surgical Procedures
   • General Pediatrics
   • Birth Defects
   • Medical Schools

   Responsibilities:

   • Obtain medical history and perform physical examinations of patients and initiate treatment, investigations and follow up treatment including counseling.
   • Assist with PICU patients as needed.
   • Conduct medical examinations, diagnose conditions, and perform treatments on respiratory and infectious disease patients.
   • Assist in major elective and emergency surgeries such as appendectomies, exploratory laparotomy, thyroid surgery, hysterectomy and cesarean operations.
   • Develop CPOE order sets for the NICU and assisting in pediatric pharmacological order sets.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your neonatologist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A neonatologist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, neonatologists' average salary in hawaii is 55% less than in north dakota.
   • Seniority. Entry-level neonatologists 90% less than senior-level neonatologists.
   • Certifications. A neonatologist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a neonatologist's salary.

   Average neonatologist salary

   $195,377yearly

   $93.93 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level neonatologist salary

   $61,000 yearly salary

   Updated March 26, 2025

   Average neonatologist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	North Dakota	$377,360	$181
   2	Minnesota	$317,425	$153
   3	Iowa	$294,940	$142
   4	Michigan	$292,665	$141
   5	Indiana	$288,159	$139
   6	Washington	$258,537	$124
   7	Illinois	$239,496	$115
   8	Ohio	$236,884	$114
   9	New York	$232,737	$112
   10	Pennsylvania	$226,264	$109
   11	Massachusetts	$222,700	$107
   12	Missouri	$214,230	$103
   13	Colorado	$207,900	$100
   14	Virginia	$203,308	$98
   15	California	$202,949	$98
   16	Delaware	$202,341	$97
   17	Kansas	$198,441	$95
   18	Georgia	$197,404	$95
   19	Tennessee	$187,593	$90
   20	Mississippi	$179,431	$86

   Average neonatologist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Trinity Health	$452,838	$217.71	39
   2	Billings Clinic	$417,652	$200.79
   3	Sanford Health	$413,371	$198.74	20
   4	Altru Health System	$412,371	$198.26	2
   5	Seattle Children's Healthcare System	$393,191	$189.03
   6	UnityPoint Health	$381,310	$183.32	24
   7	OSF HealthCare	$369,283	$177.54	41
   8	Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health	$352,166	$169.31
   9	Parkview Community Hospital Medical Center, Inc.	$343,007	$164.91
   10	The Iowa Clinic	$332,310	$159.76
   11	Spectrum Healthcare Resources	$326,132	$156.79	10
   12	Delta Health - The Medical Center	$325,292	$156.39
   13	Medical Imaging Associates Inc	$325,132	$156.31
   14	Benefis Health System	$323,659	$155.61	1
   15	Geisinger Medical Center	$321,619	$154.62	41
   16	University of Southern Indiana	$321,472	$154.55
   17	Florida Hospital Medical Group	$316,649	$152.24
   18	Kadlec Regional Medical Center	$313,876	$150.90
   19	Valley Children's	$312,729	$150.35
   20	Baylor Scott & White Health	$310,408	$149.23	90

4. Writing a Neonatologist Job Description

   A neonatologist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a neonatologist job description:

   Neonatologist job description example

   Currently seeking a 5th neonatologist to join our growing Neonatology practice. New fellowship grads ase welcome to apply. Elliot Health System has a dynamic and thriving established 34- bed level 3 NICU that cares for over 650 infants per year. Our group currently contains 4 neonatologists and 9 NNP/PAs. The group is hard-working and collegial. Clinical attributes of our unit include:

   1. ) Advanced respiratory care practices (Volume Targeted Ventilation, High Frequency Ventilation, Inhaled Nitric Oxide)

   2. ) Whole Body Hypothermia/Cooling on Transport

   3.) Regional Transport Team

   4.) NICU Follow Up Program

   5.) Robust quality improvement initiatives (current programs: Reducing chronic lung disease, growth optimization and feeding practices of ELBW, feeding readiness protocol, transport education, golden hour protocol)

   6.) Opportunities for development of QI/clinical research projects

   Subspecialties supporting the NICU include pediatric surgery and pediatric anesthesia, pediatric ophthalmology, pediatric cardiology, pediatric neurology, pediatric GI, pediatric nephrology and an active high-risk MFM service.

   We feature a desirable work schedule that is targeted for optimal work-life balance. Clinical service is 1:5 on a weekly basis with 7 days on service. Call is from home as our experienced NNP/PA cover in house 24/7.

   Our group has a history of academic productivity including presentations at local, regional and national conferences and recent clinical article publication.

   Competitive salary and benefits complement this clinically-focused position. Generous CME benefits and paid vacation time are also part of this attractive package.

   Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit participates in the Vermont Oxford Network as well as Team STEPPS to ensure best patient outcomes. In working collaboratively with our Neonatology team you will have the opportunity to create, implement and coordinate a plan of care for each high risk newborn. Throughout the care and education with the patient's parents and family the care of each newborn will be a highly rewarding experience.

   Nestled along the Merrimack River, Manchester is the largest entertainment, sports, arts and cultural destination in New Hampshire. Located in the heart of New England, Manchester is a thriving metropolitan community, located within an hour s drive of Boston, the seacoast, lakes region, and White Mountains of New Hampshire. Enjoy Four Season living, excellent school systems, and no state income or sales tax! Explore the rich heritage, breathtaking beauty, and see why Money magazine annually ranks the area as one of the nation s Best Places to Live.

   Elliot Health System, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) entity, is the largest provider of comprehensive healthcare services in Southern New Hampshire. The cornerstone of EHS is Elliot Hospital, a 296- bed acute care facility, recently credentialed as an ACS Level II Trauma Center. The mainstay of our organization is the Elliot Physician Network, which employs a collaborative and engaged team of primary care physicians and specialists. Our state of the art outpatient practices, located throughout the Southern New Hampshire area, bring the most comprehensive care to patients and families where they work and live. With a fully integrated Epic EMR, our clinicians enjoy the ability to provide continuity of care for our patients at every EHS location.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right neonatologist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with neonatologists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit neonatologists who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your neonatologist job on Zippia to find and attract quality neonatologist candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with neonatologist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new neonatologist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the neonatologist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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