Occupational Therapist
Listed compensation
$74,693 - $112,091/year
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
Position Summary
UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PROGRAM MANAGER AND WITH CLINICAL GUIDANCE FROM
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY STAFF, THE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST I IS AN ENTRY-LEVEL ROLE
Responsible for Providing Diagnostic and Therapeutic Occupational Therapy
SERVICES TO A FULL CASELOAD OF PATIENTS. THIS POSITION PARTICIPATES IN
Departmental Programs, Education, and Interdisciplinary Collaboration.
THE TOTAL REHAB CARE CASELOAD SPANS NEWBORN THROUGH GERIATRIC POPULATIONS, WHILE
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVES ADULTS AGE 18+. IN ACCORDANCE WITH LICENSURE, THE
Occupational Therapist I Supervises Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants
(COTAS), REHABILITATION AIDES, AND MAY SUPERVISE STUDENTS WHEN EXPERIENCE AND
Clinical Competency Meet Departmental and National Guidelines.
Key Responsibilities
- CONDUCT COMPREHENSIVE PATIENT ASSESSMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH LICENSURE AND
DEPARTMENTAL STANDARDS
- DESIGN, IMPLEMENT, AND ADAPT INDIVIDUALIZED THERAPY INTERVENTIONS AND
PATIENT/FAMILY EDUCATION PLANS
- MAINTAIN ACCURATE, TIMELY CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION PER REGULATORY AND
DEPARTMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
- APPLY CRITICAL THINKING TO PATIENT CARE, INTEGRATING PHYSIOLOGICAL,
PSYCHOLOGICAL, AGE-SPECIFIC, SOCIO-ECONOMIC, AND EDUCATIONAL FACTORS
- PROVIDE DISCHARGE PLANNING RECOMMENDATIONS, INCLUDING TRANSITIONS OF CARE AND
COMMUNITY RESOURCE UTILIZATION
- SUPERVISE AND MENTOR ASSISTANTS, AIDES, STUDENTS, OBSERVERS, AND VOLUNTEERS
AS APPLICABLE
Minimum Qualifications
Education
- GRADUATE OF AN ACCREDITED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM
- BACHELOR’S OR MASTER’S DEGREE IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
Experience
- ONE (1) YEAR OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE PREFERRED (NEW GRADUATES ENCOURAGED TO
APPLY)
Licensure & Certification
- CURRENT MARYLAND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY LICENSE OR TEMPORARY MARYLAND LICENSE
PENDING STATE BOARD EXAMINATION OR RECIPROCITY
- CURRENT BLS CERTIFICATION REQUIRED (BLS NOT REQUIRED FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
POSITIONS)
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
- KNOWLEDGE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TREATMENT INTERVENTIONS
- STRONG ASSESSMENT, CLINICAL REASONING, AND TREATMENT-PLANNING SKILLS
- ABILITY TO EVALUATE PATIENT PROGRESS AND MODIFY TREATMENT PLANS AS NEEDED
- EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS WITH PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY
TEAMS
Physical & Working Conditions
- ABILITY TO PERFORM PATIENT HANDLING AND THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING
LIFTING, CARRYING, PUSHING, AND PULLING AS REQUIRED
- REQUIRES FINE MOTOR SKILLS, HAND-EYE COORDINATION, AND SUSTAINED ATTENTION TO
DETAIL
- MAY INVOLVE EXPOSURE TO BLOOD AND BODY FLUIDS AND OTHER HEALTHCARE-RELATED
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Why Join Us?
- SUPPORTIVE CLINICAL LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATIVE TEAM ENVIRONMENT
- OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH DIVERSE PATIENT POPULATIONS ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
- PROFESSIONAL GROWTH THROUGH MENTORSHIP, EDUCATION, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY
PRACTICE
Happy to Help
AT MERITUS, WE BELIEVE IN A COLLABORATIVE AND CARING WORK ENVIRONMENT.
INTERACTIONS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN, LISTEN AND TO BE THERE FOR ONE
Another. Therefore, We Provide WARM Welcomes, Hospitality-Driven Closures, And
ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a bachelor's or master's degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program. A current Maryland Occupational Therapy license or eligibility for one is required.
Qualifications
- Education
- Master's degree (postgraduate degree)
Certifications
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Occupational Therapist at Meritus Health a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Occupational Therapy — ranked against 8,995 active Occupational Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc.
Occupational Therapist Career Context
In Maryland, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$97k (44 salary observations; 101 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (1,621 salary observations; 6,573 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.
Of the 40 active Occupational Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 68% have no call, 78% require no weekends.
Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 3.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).
The cost-of-living index for Maryland is 105.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$93k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $89k in an average-cost state. 62.9% of Maryland clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
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