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Sutter Health
Elk Grove, California

Occupational Therapist Clinical Specialist, Outpatient, Certified Hand Therapist

Occupational Therapist 8.0 Work-LifeNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$135K–$188K

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Weekend work is also flagged as required; confirm which days and how often.

Ask the employer about call expectations and time off.

Posted 2mo ago

Job Description

We are so glad you are interested in joining Sutter Health!

Organization

SMF-Sutter Med Foundation- Central

Position Overview

Independently provides occupational therapy services to assigned specialty patient populations, e. g. hand & upper extremity disorders. Majority of patient caseload consists of patient population related to specialty certification.

Using advanced clinical practice knowledge, responsible for assessing, planning, organizing, and participating in rehabilitative programs that help build or restore vocational, homemaking, and daily living skills, as well as general independence, to persons with disabilities or developmental delays.

Demonstrates expert level competencies and skills and possesses at least one specialty certification in one of the pre-approved occupational therapy fields.

In addition, provides in- services, continuing education, training & competency resources, orients/trains/mentors assigned staff, contributes to performance improvement initiatives, provides student clinical experience and other assigned organizational priorities as approved by supervisor.

Adheres to all local/state/federal regulations, codes, policies, and procedures to ensure privacy and safety while delivering optimal patient care.

Job Description

Education

Graduate of an accredited occupational therapy program.

Certification & Licensure

  • OT-Occupational Therapist
  • OR CHT-Certified Hand Therapist
  • BLS-Basic Life Support Healthcare Provider

Must Possess One of the Following

  • CHT-Certified Hand Therapist – Hand Therapy Certification Commission
  • OR CBIS-Certified Brain Injury Specialist – Brain Injury Association of America
  • OR PRPC-Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certified – Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute (H&W)

OR PORI-Certified Oncology Therapist and Certified Oncology Specialist by Physiological Oncology Rehabilitation Institute OR LANA-Certified Lymphedema Therapist by the Lymphology Association of North America

OR AOTA - American Occupational Therapy Associations Board Advanced Certification Programs OR CWS-Certified Wound Specialist for PT, OT by the American Board of Wound Management

OR Duke/Emory University, University of Pitt Vestibular Rehabilitation Competency Based Course & Certification

OR ATP - Assistive Technology Professional Certification by RESNA (Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America)

OR IBCLC-International Board Certified Lactation Consultant by the International Board Certified Lactation Consult Commission

Typical Experience

6 years recent relevant experience

Skills and Knowledge

Clinical specialty area depth knowledge and skill level demonstrated by certification & specialty practice competencies.

  • Ability to teach/educate others, public speaking.
  • Ability to assess competencies.
  • Ability to develop training materials and competency assessments.
  • Develop treatment protocols.
  • Ability to extract Evidence-based practice (EBP) information and apply to clinical practice and training materials.
  • Complex problem solver within and outside of department.
  • Analyzes data/information from multiple sources.
  • Collaborates with key stakeholders in developing solutions.
  • Develops educational curriculum for staff training.

Job Shift

Days

Schedule: Full Time

Days of the Week

Monday - Friday

Weekend Requirements

Every other Weekend, Saturday

Benefits

Yes

Unions

No

Position Status: Exempt

Weekly Hours

40

Employee Status

Regular

Employees of Sutter Health and its entities may handle hazardous drugs in the course of their work, including patient care, which requires them to manage, store, prepare, receive, unpack, transport, dispose of, or administer drugs identified as hazardous or potentially hazardous by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and in accordance with the USP 800 guidelines.

  • Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.
  • Pay Range is $134,638.40 to $188,489.60 / annual salary

The compensation range may vary based on the geographic location where the position is filled. Total compensation considers multiple factors, including, but not limited to a candidate’s experience, education, skills, licensure, certifications, departmental equity, training, and organizational needs. Base pay is only one component of Sutter Health’s comprehensive total rewards program. Eligible positions also include a comprehensive benefits package.

Key Responsibilities

Independently provide specialized occupational therapy services, focusing on hand and upper extremity disorders for assigned patient populations. Mentor staff, develop educational curricula, and contribute to performance improvement initiatives while adhering to safety and regulatory standards.

Requirements

Requires graduation from an accredited occupational therapy program and at least six years of recent relevant experience. Must hold a current OT license and at least one specialty certification such as Certified Hand Therapist (CHT).

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
5+ years of experience

Certifications

Board Certification

Key Skills

Patient assessmentMentoringTraining developmentCompetency assessmentData analysisComplex problem solvingClinical education

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In California, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$117k (924 salary observations; 2,017 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (6,587 salary observations; 25,232 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 California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$162k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $146k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 45 active Occupational Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 40% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

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

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Occupational Therapist Clinical Specialist, Outpatient, Certified Hand Therapist at Sutter Health a 8.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as excellent. This places the position in the top 5% in Hand Therapist (OT) — ranked against 166 active Hand Therapist (OT) listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no night shifts.

Top Occupational Therapist Jobs

27 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution27 jobs · 18 employers

16
<$110k
4
$110k-130k
4
$130k-150k
1
$160k
2
$170k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks25 jobs · 18 employers

401k / retirement match
96% this job
CME allowance
56% this job
Sign-on bonus
48%
Loan repayment
20%
Relocation assistance
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Home Health Occupational TherapistPer Diem

Ace Home Health Care & Hospice · San Jose, California

$154k-$207k
#2

Occupational Hand Therapist II, Ambulatory

Sutter Health · Yuba City, California

$122k-$171k
#3

Occupational Therapist (Home Health)

$130k-$160k
#4

Occupational Therapist

$96k-$141k
+ 25 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 8.0
Among the best 10% of Hand Therapist (OT) listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 166 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • On-site
  • Includes weekends

Living in Elk Grove

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$548k≈ 4.1× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,716/mo≈ 24% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
106.7
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Sutter Health logo

About Sutter Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Sacramento, California
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive benefits package
Retirement plan
Health insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Paid time off
CME allowance