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Sutter Health
Palo Alto, California

Optometrist III

Optometrist Top 25% in OptometryNo weekendsPer Diem

Listed compensation

$145K - $218K

Listing transparency2 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Per Diem
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
No weekends
Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

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

Organization

PAMF-Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAD

Position Overview

Perform general eye examination, address the patient's chief complaint and
diagnose chronic and acute conditions affecting the ocular system along
formulating plans to manage or treat any of these conditions assessed.

Job Description

These Principal Accountabilities, Requirements and Qualifications are not
exhaustive, but are merely the most descriptive of the current job. Management
reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be
performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies,
staff changes, workload, or technical development).

Education

* Doctorate: Graduate from an accredited school of Optometry with a Doctor of
Optometry Degree.

Typical Experience

* 5 years recent relevant experience.

Certification & Licensure

* OPT-Optometrist

* BLS-Basic Life Support

Skills and Knowledge

* Ability to demonstrate knowledge of and to apply the principles, theories,
practices and techniques of optometric practice, including anatomy,
physiology, pathology and mechanics of the human eye, visual processes and
detailed knowledge of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics.

* Medical knowledge with competent and quality skills applicable to perform
within the scope of practice.

* Professional, role model with leadership qualities that is motivated and
demonstrates initiative in their work.

* Good verbal and written communication/consultative/collaborative skills for
regular contact with young patient, adult patient, along with fellow
physicians and staff.

* Clear and complete documentation skills along with computer data entry skills
to enter patient information.

* Team player with ability to work with others in a flexible and cooperative
manner.

* Must be able to maximize the utilization of resources and manage varying
procedures and interruptions.

* Seeks to further skills through continuing education per license requirements

Job Shift

Days

Schedule

Per Diem/Casual

Shift Hours

8

Days of the Week

Monday - Friday

Weekend Requirements

None

Benefits

No

Unions

No

Position Status

Non-Exempt

Weekly Hours

0

Employee Status

Per Diem/Casual

Sutter Health is an equal opportunity employer EOE/M/F/Disability/Veterans.

Pay Range is $69.81 to $104.71 / hour

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

Perform general eye examinations to diagnose and treat chronic and acute ocular conditions. Formulate and manage treatment plans while maintaining clear patient documentation.

Requirements

Requires a Doctor of Optometry degree from an accredited school and at least 5 years of recent relevant experience. Must hold valid Optometrist licensure and Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Ocular DiagnosisPatient ManagementClinical DocumentationCollaborative CommunicationResource Management

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Optometrist III at Sutter Health a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Optometry — ranked against 1,725 active Optometry listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Optometry Career Context

Of the 50 active Optometry listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 66% have no call, 62% require no weekends.

Optometry pay on WeekdayDoc is down 5.2% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$87k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $78k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Optometrist Jobs

29 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution22 jobs · 9 employers

7
<$165k
5
$165k-180k
1
$183k
7
$195k-210k
2
$210k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks24 jobs · 9 employers

401k / retirement match
79%
CME allowance
63% this job
Sign-on bonus
54%
Loan repayment
17% this job
PSLF eligible
4%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Optometrist

Vision to Learn · Newark, New Jersey

$110-$120/hr
#2

Optometrist - Ophthalmology

Providence · Torrance, California

$74.17-$117.1/hr
#3

Optometrist - Venice, FL

From $200k
#4

Optometrist

From $200k
+ 27 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

6.6/ 10
Listing-based score

Top 25% in Optometry

  • No weekends

Living in Palo Alto

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$3,262k
Typical market rent
$4,678/mo
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
110.4
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 · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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