Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)

Occupational TherapistIncludes weekendsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$42/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation

  • Position: Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)
  • Location: 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ 07052
  • Schedule: Per Diem/PRN 8:30AM to 4:30pm weekday and weekend needs
  • Compensation: $42/hr

Our Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital is committed to providing exceptional and compassionate care to best address the medical, physical, emotional, and vocational challenges for individuals with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neurological disorders, orthopedic issues, amputation, and multiple traumas.

  • At our company, we support your career growth and personal well-being.
  • Start Strong: Extensive and thorough orientation program to ensure a smooth transition into our setting

Recharge & Refresh: Generous PTO and Paid Sick Time for full-time team members to maintain a healthy work-life balance

Your Health Matters: Comprehensive medical/RX, health, vision, employee assistance program (EAP), and dental plan offerings for full-time team members

Invest in Your Future: Company-matching 401(k) retirement plan, as well as life and disability protection for full-time team members

Your Impact Matters: Join a team of over 44,000 committed to providing exceptional patient care

Responsibilities

As a COTA you will be reporting directly to the Occupational Therapist, you will be treating patients with complex needs and challenging diagnoses.

  • Conducting individual patient therapy regimens under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist (OT).
  • Monitoring patient's response to treatment and modifying treatment during sessions as indicated in collaboration with an OT.
  • Completing appropriate documentation according to department policies and procedures.
  • Participating in departmental, hospital, and community continuing education seminars and in-services.

Minimum Qualifications

Current state licensure or eligibility for state licensure as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant required.

  • Certified BLS or completion in first 90 days of employment required or as required by state regulations.
  • Additional Data
  • Equal Opportunity Employer/including Disabled/Veterans

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Brain Injury TreatmentSpinal Cord Injury TreatmentNeurological Disorder CareOrthopedic CareAmputation CareTrauma CarePatient MonitoringClinical DocumentationBLS Certification

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In New Jersey, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$98k (208 salary observations; 476 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (6,812 salary observations; 26,149 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 Jersey is 108.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$87k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $80k in an average-cost state. 63.8% of New Jersey clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Occupational Therapy market look like in New Jersey?
MeasureThis jobMarket
New Jersey vs national$98k median in New Jersey$97k nationally (+1%)208 state / 6,812 national salary observations
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$80k in purchasing powerNew Jersey index 108.8 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapy listings in New Jersey157 active9,298 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Occupational Therapy pay trend+1.5% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 OTA Jobs

3 matches · ranked by pay
#1

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)Per Diem

Healthpro Heritage · Summit, New Jersey

$38-$42/hr
#2

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)

Healthpro Heritage · Wayne, New Jersey

$35-$40/hr
#3

Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant

$40 hourly
+ 1 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

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

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

  • On-site
  • Includes weekends
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - West (West Orange) logo

About Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation - West (West Orange)

Hospitals and Health Care
West Orange
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

401k with company match
Life and Disability Insurance
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Orientation program

Living in West Orange

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$675k
Typical market rent
$2,920/mo
State income tax
Up to 10.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026).

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