Occupational Therapist - $7,500 Sign-On Bonus

Occupational TherapistIncludes callFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 2mo ago

Job Description

Occupational Therapist (OT)

Nexus Children’s Hospital – Dallas, TX

Full-Time with $7,500 Sign-On Bonus

About Us

Nexus Children’s Hospital is dedicated to bridging medical and behavioral care to ensure that no child falls through the cracks. We specialize in supporting children recovering from complex medical challenges, including brain injuries, acute illnesses, developmental delays, psychiatric diagnoses, and other life-altering events, fostering recovery within a nurturing environment.

As a leader in pediatric medical services and rehabilitation, we are committed to meeting the needs of our community and helping children return to lives of productivity and meaning.

Campus Highlights

  • 60 private rooms
  • ICU step-down, neurobehavioral, and rehabilitation units for a full continuum of care
  • State-of-the-art rehabilitation gym
  • Indoor and outdoor activity spaces designed for structured therapeutic play

Position Summary

The Occupational Therapist (OT) provides specialized, evidence-based therapeutic services to pediatric patients with neurodevelopmental disorders and complex behavioral and medical conditions. This role requires advanced clinical reasoning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Excellence

  • Conduct comprehensive evaluations using standardized assessments
  • Develop and implement individualized treatment plans
  • Deliver evidence-based interventions including sensory integration, behavioral strategies, and trauma-informed care
  • Address motor, sensory, cognitive, and adaptive functioning
  • Monitor progress and adjust treatment plans based on outcomes
  • Utilize assistive technology and adaptive equipment to improve independence
  • Manage complex patient populations with co-occurring medical and behavioral conditions

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

  • Partner with physicians, psychologists, nursing, and behavioral health teams
  • Participate in treatment planning and care conferences
  • Ensure continuity of care across all service areas

Patient & Family Engagement

  • Educate caregivers on therapeutic techniques and home programs
  • Foster a therapeutic environment focused on dignity, autonomy, and growth
  • Advocate for patient needs and access to resources

Quality & Compliance

  • Maintain accurate and timely documentation
  • Adhere to AOTA standards and regulatory requirements
  • Participate in quality improvement initiatives and audits
  • Supervise COTAs as appropriate

Qualifications

Education

  • Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy required
  • Master’s or Doctorate (OTD) preferred

Experience

  • Minimum 2 years of clinical experience
  • Pediatric and/or neurodevelopmental experience preferred

Skills

  • Strong clinical reasoning and therapeutic communication
  • Experience with sensory processing, behavioral interventions, and trauma-informed care
  • Ability to manage complex behaviors and de-escalate crisis situations
  • Strong collaboration and documentation skills

Licensure & Certification

  • Current Texas OT license (required)
  • NBCOT certification
  • BLS (American Heart Association or Red Cross)
  • De-escalation training (within 30 days of hire)

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Pediatric rehabilitationPatient evaluationCrisis de-escalationCaregiver education

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In Texas, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$95k (186 salary observations; 2,330 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (4,521 salary observations; 25,570 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for Texas is 97.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 57.7% of Texas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Occupational Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 46% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 3.7% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Location & Logistics

Texas has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top Occupational Therapist Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution40 jobs · 33 employers

17
<$115k
6
$115k-135k
8
$135k-155k
6
$155k-175k
3
$175k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks33 jobs

401k / retirement match
97%
CME allowance
52%
Sign-on bonus
45% this job
Loan repayment
15%
PSLF eligible
12%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Occupational Therapist III EX

UCSF · Oakland, California

$67.06-$90.53/hr
#2

Occupational Therapist

Ironside Human Resources · Fairfield, California

$75-$90/hr
#3

Occupational Therapist II EX

$64.05-$86.19/hr
#4

Virtual Occupational Therapist

$82.50 per hour
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Occupational Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 9,471 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call

Living in Dallas

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$286k
Typical market rent
$1,591/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
103.1
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

Nexus Health Systems logo

About Nexus Health Systems

Hospitals and Health Care
Houston, Texas
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Sign-On Bonus ($7,500)