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Birch Family Services
Brooklyn, New York

Occupational Therapist OTR/L - Brooklyn School-Based (37694)

Occupational TherapistFull-Time

Listed compensation

$73k-$80k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 6mo ago

Job Description

Job DetailsLevel: ExperiencedJob Location: East Flatbush Early Childhood Center - Brooklyn, NY 11203Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: Masters DegreeSalary Range: $73,205.81 - $80,083.68 SalaryJob Shift: DayJob Category: EducationBirch Family Services is a leading provider of education, employment, and community support services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities and their families in New York City.

Every year, the organization supports more than 2,000 people across 31 locations in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx.

From preschool to graduation, employment, housing, and beyond; Birch Family Services provides fully integrated programs and services to support individuals in achieving their goals across their lifetime. Registered occupational therapists in educational systems are considered to be related service personnel.

The Occupational therapist is responsible for implementing a student's IEP goals, which are designed to enhance the student's learning potential, to assist the student m acquiring those functional performance skills needed to participate in and benefit from the educational environment as well as help the student function independently.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Observation and Monitoring Make observations during preliminary screening of new students, and refer to evaluation if/when necessary Based on clinical observations write a full description of the child's performance and behavior referencing his/her sensory processing, perceptual skills and/or deficits in addition to the student's fine and gross motor coordination as they impact on the student's ability to participate and benefit from the educational environment.

Make suggestions for approaches and activities that might enhance the student's ability to participate in educational settings.

Professional Training Take part in developing staff development and parent workshop opportunities around the development of gross motor, fine motor, and perceptual skills, and related underlying sensory and motor functions, leading to successful participation in the educational environment and more independent functioning.

Demonstrate approaches and activities to be implemented by educational staff that will improve children's abilities to participate in the classroom Help the staff identify children's specific sensory and motor skill levels. Supervise student interns as assigned.

Individual and group related service provision and documentation. Develop a series of developmentally-graded activities based on evaluation, designed to improve sensory processing, fine and gross motor skills, and perceptual skills. Carry out medical prescriptions for occupational therapy.

Maintain mandated documentation of treatment and progress (e. g., individual treatment session and quarterly progress notes, Related Service Attendance, etc.).

Submit quarterly and annual reports that address the student’s progress towards meeting IEP goals Make suggestions for IEP goals and participate as required in IEP conferences.

Explain findings and program aims to parents, and recommend activities, physical positioning and/or adaptations that might facilitate increased independence in the home. Maintain OT equipment and supplies, and recommend ordering them as required by IEP mandates or needed clinically.

Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings reporting relevant information. Attend departmental meetings, supervision and school meetings, as well as any additional meetings, activities or functions of the school as designated by supervisory staff.

Comply with regulatory requirements and school policy and procedures in all areas, and maintain appropriate learning environment, including clean and organized work and common areas.

Maintain appropriate and effective interpersonal relationships with team and department members, parents, other staff, supervisors, administrators, and outside agencies.

Qualifications

Education The Occupational Therapist must have completed an master's or doctoral program and all field-work requirements. All OT programs are accredited by the ACOTE (Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education).

Experience Minimum of six months of supervised experience; prefer 1-3 years of related work experience. Certificates & Licenses Must be certified by the NBCOT following successful completion of the national certification exam. The OT must have a current New York State license in Occupational Therapy.

EEO Statement Birch Family Services provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.

In addition to federal law requirements, Birch Family Services complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Birch Family Services expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

Improper interference with the ability of Birch Family Services’ employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

Key Responsibilities

The Occupational Therapist is responsible for implementing student Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals to enhance learning potential and functional performance skills necessary for educational participation. Essential functions include conducting observations, developing graded activities to improve sensory and motor skills, maintaining mandated documentation, and participating in IEP conferences.

Requirements

Candidates must have completed an accredited master's or doctoral program in Occupational Therapy, including all fieldwork requirements. A minimum of six months of supervised experience is required, though 1-3 years of related work experience is preferred, along with NBCOT certification and a current New York State license.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

IEP ImplementationFine Motor SkillsClinical ObservationMedical Prescription ImplementationInterdisciplinary TeamworkRegulatory ComplianceProgram PlanningParent Education

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In New York, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$94k (400 salary observations; 865 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (6,588 salary observations; 25,229 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for New York is 107.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$77k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $71k in an average-cost state. 64.6% of New York clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 40 active Occupational Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 5% are remote, 48% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Occupational Therapist Jobs

22 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution22 jobs · 17 employers

9
<$105k
7
$105k-120k
2
$120k-135k
3
$135k-150k
1
$160k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks21 jobs · 17 employers

401k / retirement match
95%
Sign-on bonus
52%
CME allowance
48%
Loan repayment
24%
PSLF eligible
19%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Occupational Therapist (Home Health)

21st Century Home Health Services · Galt, California

$130k-$160k
#2

Occupational Therapist

Sentara Health · Norfolk, Virginia

$96k-$141k
#3

Occupational Therapist Matawan NJ

$140k
#4

Occupational Therapist Marlboro NJ

$140k
+ 20 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Occupational Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 9,285 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in New York

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$876k≈ 12.0× annual pay
Typical market rent
$4,154/mo≈ 68% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
40 min
State income tax
Up to 10.9%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.