Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA)
Listed compensation
$36-$43.88/hr
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) - Inpatient Rehabilitation
Full-time
Wage scale: $36.00 - $43.88 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
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) Position Summary
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.
Additional Information
- Must demonstrate strong communication, time management, and clinical documentation skills.
- Familiarity with electronic medical records preferred.
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.
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 COTA provides direct patient care under the supervision of an occupational therapist, assisting with therapeutic interventions and daily documentation. They also instruct families and nursing staff on follow-through programs while maintaining a clean and safe treatment environment.
Requirements
Candidates must be licensed and eligible to practice as a COTA in the state of California. A CPR certification is required, and strong clinical documentation and communication skills are essential.
Qualifications
- Education
- Professional certificate or licensure
Key Skills
Occupational Therapist Career Context
In California, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$116k (263 salary observations; 619 listings), vs ~$96k nationally (1,946 salary observations; 8,121 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 4.2% 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 ~$83k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $75k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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