Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), PRN
Listed compensation
$40 per hour
The week · per this posting
Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) - Inpatient Rehabilitation
Per Diem
Wage scale: $40.00 per hour
Supportive Leadership, Superior Outcomes, Career Advancement
Your Experience Matters
At Palomar Health Rehabilitation Institute, we are driven by a profound commitment to prioritize your well-being so you can provide exceptional care to others. Here, you’re not just valued as an employee, but as a person.
As a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant joining our team, you’re embracing a vital mission dedicated to making communities healthier. Join us on this meaningful journey where your skills, compassion, and dedication will make a remarkable difference in the lives of those we serve.
How You’ll Contribute
The Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) provides direct patient care under the supervision of an occupational therapist, assisting with therapeutic interventions and documentation while supporting quality and compliance standards in rehabilitation services.
Essential Functions
- Communicate patient progress or concerns to the supervising occupational therapist and interdisciplinary team.
- Instruct patients’ families or nursing staff in follow-through programs and home exercises.
- Assist with patient scheduling and post treatment charges to patient records daily.
- Document patient care accurately and in accordance with all regulatory, licensing, payer, and accrediting requirements.
- Maintain treatment equipment and work areas in a clean and safe condition.
- Ensure compliance with the Company’s Code of Business Conduct, Corporate Compliance Agreement, and applicable laws and professional standards.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
What We Offer
Fundamental to providing great care is supporting and rewarding our team. In addition to your base compensation, this position also offers:
- Comprehensive Benefits: Multiple levels of medical, dental and vision coverage for full-time and part-time employees.
- Financial Protection & PTO: Life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity insurance, short- and long-term disability, paid family leave and paid time off.
- Financial & Career Growth: Higher education and certification tuition assistance, loan assistance and 401(k) retirement package and company match.
- Employee Well-being: Mental, physical, and financial wellness programs (free gym memberships, virtual care appointments, mental health services and discount programs).
- Professional Development: Ongoing learning and career advancement opportunities.
Qualifications and Requirements
- License: Licensed and eligible to practice as a COTA in the state where services are rendered.
- Certifications: CPR certification required.
- Must pass background screen
About Us
Palomar Health Rehabilitation Institute is a 52-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital located in Escondido, California, and is part of Lifepoint Health, a diversified healthcare delivery network committed to making communities healthier® with acute care, rehabilitation, and behavioral health facilities from coast to coast. From your first day to your next career milestone—your experience matters.
EEOC Statement
Lifepoint Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Lifepoint Health is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity for all applicants and employees and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination and harassment in employment.
Lifepoint Health is a leader in community-based care and driven by a mission of Making Communities Healthier.
Our diversified healthcare delivery network spans 29 states and includes 63 community hospital campuses, 32 rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals, and more than 170 additional sites of care across the healthcare continuum, such as acute rehabilitation units, outpatient centers and post-acute care facilities.
We believe that success is achieved through talented people. We want to create places where employees want to work, with opportunities to pursue meaningful and satisfying careers that truly make a difference in communities across the country.
We employ and provide care to people from all walks of life. We are committed to promoting healing, providing hope, preserving dignity and producing value with an inclusive workforce in which diversity is leveraged, respected, and reflective of the patients, family members, customers and team members we serve.
Key Responsibilities
The Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant provides direct patient care under the supervision of an occupational therapist, including therapeutic interventions and patient education. They are also responsible for accurate documentation, patient scheduling, and maintaining a safe treatment environment.
Requirements
Candidates must be licensed and eligible to practice as a COTA in the state of California. A current CPR certification is also required for this position.
Qualifications
- Education
- Professional certificate or licensure
Key Skills
Occupational Therapist Career Context
In California, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$118k (797 salary observations; 2,326 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,562 salary observations; 29,543 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-11-01; 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)). 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 7.2 / 10 · top 10% in occupational therapy assistant | ranked against 1,043 Occupational Therapy Assistant listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| California vs national | $118k median in California | $97k nationally (+21%)797 state / 5,562 national salary observations |
| Cost of living | California index 110.7 | US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Occupational Therapy listings in California | 903 active | 9,040 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | California occupational therapist listings (all specialties): 17% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 5% offer loan repayment959 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Occupational Therapy listings | 3,212 in the last 30 days | 1,658 the 30 days before (+94%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Occupational Therapy pay trend | +3.8% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA), PRN at Lifepoint Health a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 10% in Occupational Therapy Assistant — ranked against 1,043 active Occupational Therapy Assistant listings on WeekdayDoc.
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