UCSF logo
UCSF
San Francisco, California

Respiratory Therapist - Per Diem

Respiratory TherapistNo weekendsPer Diem

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

The Respiratory Therapist I (RT I) provides a full range of diagnostic and therapeutic respiratory care services to patients of all age groups. Responds to cardiopulmonary emergencies providing airway maintenance and manual and mechanical ventilatory support using a variety of devices and techniques.

Administers therapeutic gases, inhaled aerosol medications and humidity therapy. Obtains, reviews, and interprets data and assesses the need for and response to respiratory care interventions and consults with medical and nursing personnel to optimize patient care planning.

Performs arterial blood gas analysis and a variety of cardiopulmonary diagnostic procedures. Provides patient and family instruction in respiratory therapy self-administration and proper use of equipment and supplies.

About UCSF

The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.

It is the only campus in the 10-campus UC system dedicated exclusively to the health sciences. We bring together the world’s leading experts in nearly every area of health. We are home to five Nobel laureates who have advanced the understanding of cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, aging and stem cells.

Pride Values

UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence – also known as our PRIDE values.

In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity – both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce. We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care. Additional information about UCSF is available here.

Join us to find a rewarding career contributing to improving healthcare worldwide.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Salary Information

The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy.

Your placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors including your work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. For positions that are represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range will be guided by the rules in the collective bargaining agreement.

To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total

Compensation, Please Visit

ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu

Key Responsibilities

The Respiratory Therapist provides diagnostic and therapeutic respiratory care services, including airway maintenance and mechanical ventilatory support during emergencies. They also perform cardiopulmonary diagnostic procedures, analyze arterial blood gases, and educate patients and families on equipment use.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a valid California Respiratory Care Practitioner license, NBRC Registered Respiratory Therapy certification, and AHA Basic Life Support certification. The role requires the ability to work independently and collaborate effectively across various UCSF Medical Center locations.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Diagnostic respiratory careCardiopulmonary diagnosticsPatient instructionCritical careEmergency carePatient-driven protocolsAerosol medication administrationTherapeutic gas administration

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Respiratory Therapist - Per Diem at UCSF a 6.3 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Respiratory Therapy — ranked against 3,900 active Respiratory Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

Of the 50 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 52% have no call, 54% require no weekends.

Respiratory Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is down 1.2% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

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).

Top contract/1099 Respiratory Therapist Jobs

37 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution27 jobs

8
<$95k
13
$95k-110k
3
$110k-125k
3
$125k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks24 jobs

401k / retirement match
83%
Sign-on bonus
46%
Relocation assistance
17%
PSLF eligible
13%
Loan repayment
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Respiratory Therapist

Sutter Health · Sacramento, California

$47.68-$66.75/hr
#2

Respiratory Therapist II

Marian Regional Medical Center · Santa Maria, California

$52.03-$64.05/hr
#3

Respiratory Therapist – CRT/RRT

$45.05 - $63.70/hr
#4

Respiratory Therapist - Providence Kodiak Island

$37.08-$55.62/hr
+ 35 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 3.0this job 6.3
Better work-life than 80% of Respiratory Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,900 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends

Living in San Francisco

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.74M
Typical market rent
$4,682/mo
Residents’ average commute
30 min
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.

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