Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) - West Valley Campus, 26/27 SY
Listed compensation
$40k-$58k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and weekend coverage.
Job Description
Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (COTA) - West Valley Campus (K-8th Grade)
$1k Sign-On Bonus and up to $500/year in non-taxable reimbursement for CEUs and licensure fees.
Arizona’s first and only autism-focused charter school is expanding and seeking a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) to assess, diagnose, treat, and help students to communicate in the new state-of-the-art autism center.
- Under the supervision and direction of the Occupational Therapist, the COTA will be responsible for:
- Implement student engagement strategies
- Move students toward progress on goals
- Engage in data-driven instruction
- Implement Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies
Implement Goals Identified on Student IEPs Related To
Fine Motor Skills life skills/training psychosocial adaptations sensory processing/adaptations visual motor skills
- Follow school-wide systems, rules, and positive behavior interventions
- Delivery of services in a classroom integration model
- Coach the classroom staff on the implementation of occupational therapy goals
- Communicate effectively and proactively with students and families
- Responsible for paperwork compliance with data collections relating to IEP goals
- Accountability for growth and proficiency in IEP goals
- Participate in annual and ongoing staff training
- Provide training for new COTAs under the guidance and supervision of the OT
Conduct no less than 2 professional development sessions per year on sensory under the guidance and supervision of the OT
Provide opportunities for shadowing, coaching, and modeling throughout the year for Tier 3 COTAs that require additional support with guidance and supervision from the OT
- Regular and predictable attendance is considered an essential requirement of your position.
- Other duties as assigned
Benefits
- Competitive pay based on experience
- Salaried, non-exempt
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Supplemental Life, Short-term disability, Group Life Insurance, Supplemental Benefits (hospitalization, critical illness, scheduled accident), and Pet Insurance.
- Paid Time Off (80 hours, prorated), paid federal holidays, and school breaks
- Great professional development and advancement opportunities!
- Eligible to participate in a 401(k) Traditional and/or Roth with a company match
- Complementary access to Calm Health for you and up to 5 of your loved ones
- Up to $500 in non-taxable reimbursement for CEU and licensing fees incurred each school year
- Tuition reimbursement after 6 months of employment
- Eligible to participate in the referral bonus program
(*) A $1,000 sign-on bonus of $500 is paid after the first 90 days of the start date, and $500 after successful completion of the current school year, with satisfactory performance and attendance
Minimum Qualifications
- Experience delivering services in a school setting, in a classroom integration model preferred
- Ability to approach situations with optimism and perseverance
- Excellent verbal, written, and organizational skills
- Minimum of two years COTA experience in a school setting preferred
- Experience and training in Applied Behavior Analysis(ABA) preferred
- Valid Arizona fingerprint clearance card
Required
Arizona IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card
- Associate’s degree or higher in Occupational Therapy from an accredited school of the Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) or the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (AOTE)
- Valid AOTCB certification
- Valid license issued by the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners as a COTA
ADA and Other Requirements
Positions in this class require: stooping, crouching, reaching, standing, walking, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.
Light Work
Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Working Conditions
Work is routinely performed in an indoor classroom environment.
The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed by this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.
Arizona Autism Charter Schools, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Civil Rights Act Title VII of 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Arizona Autism Charter Schools, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability or age in employment or in any of its educational programs or in the provisions of benefits and services to students.
Key Responsibilities
The COTA will implement IEP goals and engagement strategies for students in an autism-focused charter school under the supervision of an Occupational Therapist. Responsibilities include delivering services via a classroom integration model, coaching staff, and maintaining compliance with data collection and paperwork.
Requirements
Candidates must hold an Associate's degree in Occupational Therapy, a valid AOTCB certification, and a license from the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners. A valid Arizona IVP Fingerprint clearance card is required, with a preference for experience in school settings and ABA training.
Qualifications
- Education
- Associate degree
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Occupational Therapist Career Context
In Arizona, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$96k (132 salary observations; 606 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,263 salary observations; 28,727 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 Arizona is 100.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$49k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $49k in an average-cost state. 60.3% of Arizona clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona vs national | $96k median in Arizona | $97k nationally (−1%)132 state / 5,263 national salary observations |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$49k in purchasing power | Arizona index 100.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Occupational Therapy listings in Arizona | 202 active | 9,079 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | $1k sign-on | Arizona occupational therapist listings (all specialties): 27% state a sign-on bonus (median $10k) · 11% offer loan repayment227 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Occupational Therapy listings | 3,284 in the last 30 days | 1,635 the 30 days before (+101%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Occupational Therapy pay trend | +4.4% vs prior quarter | —through Oct 2026 |
