UCSF logo
UCSF
San Francisco, California

Respiratory Therapist I

Respiratory Therapist Top 5% in Respiratory TherapyFull-Time

Listed compensation

$136,739 - $171,163

Listing transparency3 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Full-Time · on-site
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
Not specified
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
[https://www.ucsf.edu/about/mission-and-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
[https://diversity.ucsf.edu/].

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

https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html
[https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2Fhttps%3A%2Fucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu%2Fcompensation-and-benefits%2Findex.html%3B!!LQC6Cpwp!uPLWUNVR0rFXMaSxiegp2raBmrA8C98l3-u68X5cON0um3OJMU_XUivT5BcOsGRYxtGPmgcRECZCCPoE3BWZz30_aN1A%24&data=05%7C02%7Ckellestad%40deloitte.com%7C09196a31acf74487ae9208de8b4b632a%7C36da45f1dd2c4d1faf135abe46b99921%7C0%7C0%7C639101353128138525%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=YCGJ3ybBxqEKRAZBHus2KaGkepN2dmG3pACwRBxDLng%3D&reserved=0]

Key Responsibilities

The Respiratory Therapist provides diagnostic and therapeutic respiratory care services, including airway maintenance and mechanical ventilatory support for patients. They also perform cardiopulmonary diagnostic procedures and educate patients and families on respiratory therapy self-administration.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a valid California Respiratory Care Practitioner license and a current Registered Respiratory Therapy (RRT) certificate. Additionally, current Basic Life Support (BLS) and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certifications are required.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Diagnostic respiratory careCardiopulmonary diagnosticsPatient assessmentAerosol medication administrationPatient educationCritical careEmergency carePatient-driven protocols

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Respiratory Therapist I at UCSF a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 5% in Respiratory Therapy — ranked against 3,520 active Respiratory Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc.

Respiratory Therapy Career Context

Of the 41 active Respiratory Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 68% have no call, 56% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$154k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $139k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Respiratory Therapist Jobs

2 matches · ranked by pay
#1

Respiratory Therapist

Northwell · Terryville, New York

$80k-$136k
#2

Respiratory Therapist

Elevance Health · Indianapolis, Indiana

$59k-$92k

Work-life snapshot

7.2/ 10
Listing-based score

Top 5% in Respiratory Therapy

  • On-site

Living in San Francisco

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1,741k
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.

UCSF logo

About UCSF

Hospitals and Health Care
San Francisco, CA
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive benefits package
Retirement plan
Health insurance
Dental
Vision