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Child Serve
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Outpatient Occupational Therapist or COTA (PRN - Flexible Hours)

Physical TherapistIncludes callNo weekendsPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 2mo ago

Job Description

ChildServe’s talented, multi-disciplinary team of therapists specializes in pediatric rehab and works together to create plans specific to each child’s need. In the role of our PRN Occupational Therapist, you will use play, therapeutic activities, and special techniques to develop motor sensory, visual, attention and decision-making skills so children can be successful in their world. This position is at our Cedar Rapids location.

Schedule: As needed Monday - Friday between the hours of 7:30am - 6pm

What You’ll Do

Compliance & Professional Standards: Maintains timely, accurate documentation; follows ChildServe policies, AOTA ethics, and regulatory requirements; maintains licensure and required continuing education.

Patient & Family Collaboration: Communicates effectively with families and interdisciplinary teams to develop, adjust, and explain individualized therapy plans and progress.

Clinical Care Delivery: Completes assessments, develops and follows individualized plans of care, provides interventions, and recommends appropriate referrals, equipment, and follow-up.

Team Support & Development: Supervises assistants and students, contributes to staff training, and meets required clinical competencies and education expectations.

What You'll Need

  • A degree from an AOTA approved occupational therapy program.
  • Experience with pediatrics preferred.
  • Experience with autism and motor impairment preferred.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in reading, writing, and speaking the English language.

Ability to lift up to 35 lbs, be mobile within the assigned work area, and frequently bend, lift, reach, and stand.

Not sure if you hit 100% of the position expectations? Let's talk! Reach out to our Talent Acquisition team by emailing Careers@childserve.org.

Make a Difference Every Day at ChildServe

ChildServe partners with families to help children with special healthcare needs live a great life.

ChildServe is a leading pediatric healthcare provider with Iowa’s only children's specialty hospital, offering a variety of services and programs to meet each child’s unique needs.

ChildServe’s four key specialty areas include: complex medical care, pediatric rehabilitation, autism and behavioral health, and community-based services. With a coordinated approach to care delivery, services are interwoven and streamlined, so families can address their child’s needs in one location.

Established in 1928, ChildServe proudly provides more than 30 pediatric specialty services to nearly 6,000 children in Iowa each year.

ChildServe is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email careers@childserve.org. ChildServe is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Key Responsibilities

The occupational therapist will develop and implement individualized therapy plans using play and therapeutic techniques to improve children's motor, sensory, and decision-making skills. They are also responsible for maintaining accurate documentation, collaborating with families and interdisciplinary teams, and supervising assistants and students.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a degree from an AOTA-approved occupational therapy program and possess the ability to perform physical tasks such as lifting up to 35 lbs. Experience with pediatrics, autism, and motor impairment is preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient assessmentIndividualized care planningMotor skills developmentSensory integrationVisual skills trainingAutism supportInterdisciplinary collaborationClinical supervisionPatient advocacyRegulatory compliance

Occupational Therapy — Physical Therapist Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Iowa is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.8% of Iowa clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Outpatient Occupational Therapist or COTA (PRN - Flexible Hours) at Child Serve a 6.1 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the Above average in Occupational Therapy Assistant — ranked against 1,043 active Occupational Therapy Assistant listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Top contract/1099 OTA Jobs

1 matches · ranked by pay
#1

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)Per Diem

Healthpro Heritage · Glen Cove, New York

$38-$40/hr

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 6.1
Better work-life than 60% of Occupational Therapy Assistant listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,043 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
  • Includes call

Living in Cedar Rapids

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$214k
Typical market rent
$1,291/mo
Residents’ average commute
19 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
89.0
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Cedar Rapids, IA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

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About Child Serve

Hospitals and Health Care
Johnston, IA
501-1,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Flexible schedule
PRN (as needed)