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Essentia Health
Brainerd, Minnesota

Occupational Therapist - 0.6FTE Flex - Brainerd Area

Occupational TherapistIncludes weekendsNo callPart-Time

Listed compensation

$34.96-$52.44/hr

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Building Location

St Josephs Medical Center

Department: 4003810 OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY - SJMC

Job Description

Evaluates, plans, treats and implements care for patients in accordance with professional standards of the American Occupational Therapy Association and policies and procedures of Essentia Health.

This Flex FTE Occupational Therapist position primarily provides coverage in the hospital at 0.6 FTE (24 hours per week), with the opportunity to increase FTE through additional hospital hours or outpatient clinic coverage.

Education Qualifications

Bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program

We’re excited to offer a $4,500 sign-on bonus for this opportunity.

Key Responsibilities

Provide therapy evaluation, develop individualized treatment plans, implement evidence-based interventions, provide patient/caregiver education, and discharge planning for a full patient caseload.

Provide all ancillary/administrative requirements for a full caseload of patients, including documentation, billing, scheduling management, and other administrative duties

Demonstrate appropriate communication, professionalism and supervision of support staff (licensed assistants, aides, volunteers)

  • Collaborate with a multidisciplinary care team to ensure optimal clinical and financial outcomes.
  • Work closely with Essentia Health leadership and coordinate with referring physicians to ensure cohesive patient care.
  • Comply with organizational policies and procedures and the code of conduct
  • Meet professional organization core values, code of ethics, &/or scope of practice

Work where the patient need is highest (including flexing to other departments) when home department schedule allows

May serve as a clinical instructor, participate in department or therapy discipline committees, and complete credential/certification that would benefit patient care

Inpatient Acute Care

  • Coordinate and deliver durable medical equipment to patients.
  • Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to support smooth transitions of care.

Ideal candidates will demonstrate flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

This role requires a minimum commitment of 0.6 FTE, or 24 scheduled hours per week. Additional hours may be available in the hospital or at outpatient clinics based on department needs and candidate availability. The position also includes a weekend rotation at the hospital, working both Saturday and Sunday approximately once every 6–8 weeks.

Licensure/Certification Qualifications

Current Occupational Therapist license in the state where services are performed

Organizational Highlights

  • Our mission and values are patient-centered, emphasizing the delivery of quality care
  • An annual continuing education budget is provided to support therapists in advancing their education and clinical skills*
  • Reimbursement for licensure expenses*
  • A rehabilitation career ladder is in place to reward high-performing therapists*

Leadership opportunities including staff education, committee participation, and staff onboarding and mentorship.

Employment at Essentia Health qualifies you for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). Please refer to the U.S. Department of Education’s website for the most current information regarding PSLF

*Must meet minimum FTE requirements

FTE

0.6

Possible Remote/Hybrid Option

Shift Rotation

FTE Flex Days (United States of America)

Shift Start Time

Shift End Time:

Weekends

Hospital rotation every 6-8 weeks

Holidays

No

Call Obligation

No

Union

Union Posting Deadline:

Compensation Range

$34.96 - $52.44

Employee Benefits at Essentia Health: At Essentia Health, we’re committed to supporting your well-being, growth, and work-life balance. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, along with supplemental options to fit your needs.

We offer a 401(k) plan with employer contributions to help you plan for the future, and we invest in your professional development through training, tuition reimbursement, and educational programs.

To help you thrive both at work and at home, we provide flexible scheduling, generous time off, and wellness resources focused on your physical, mental, and emotional health. Please note that benefit eligibility may vary.

For full details, refer to your benefit summary or contact our HR Service Center at (218) 576-0000.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program. A current Occupational Therapist license in the state of practice is required.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Patient evaluationTreatment planningPatient educationClinical supervisionMultidisciplinary collaborationDurable medical equipment coordinationClinical instruction

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In Minnesota, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$90k (155 salary observations; 508 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,566 salary observations; 27,651 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 Minnesota is 98.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$91k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $92k in an average-cost state. 63.4% of Minnesota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Occupational Therapy market look like in Minnesota?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score6.9 / 10 · top 25% in occupational therapyranked against 9,033 Occupational Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$73k–$109kOccupational Therapy median $92k (middle half $79k–$104k)20 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Minnesota vs national$90k median in Minnesota$97k nationally (−7%)155 state / 5,566 national salary observations
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$92k in purchasing powerMinnesota index 98.6 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapy listings in Minnesota166 active9,043 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 45% no call · 65% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repayment$5k sign-on · loan repaymentMinnesota Occupational Therapist listings: 17% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 20% offer loan repayment203 active listings, Nov 2026
New Occupational Therapy listings3,074 in the last 30 days1,790 the 30 days before (+72%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Occupational Therapy pay trend+3.5% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Essentia Healthsilver tier, 73/100Top Employers work-life index142 active listings
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (9,033 Occupational Therapy listings), Top Employers work-life index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Occupational Therapist - 0.6FTE Flex - Brainerd Area at Essentia Health a 6.9 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Occupational Therapy — ranked against 9,033 active Occupational Therapy listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.

Top Occupational Therapist Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

21 jobs
8
<$110k
5
$110k-120k
2
$120k-130k
4
$130k-140k
2
$140k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

30 jobs · 29 employers
401k / retirement match
83% this job
CME allowance
70% this job
Sign-on bonus
27% this job
Loan repayment
23% this job
PSLF eligible
13% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Occupational Therapist

Home Care Providers Group · Yuba City, California

$95/hour
#2

Home Care Occupational Therapist- 1099 (Eastern Suffolk County)Per Diem

US Physical Therapy · Selden, New York

$65-$90/hr
#3

Occupational Therapist - $80 to 90 per hour - Part Time

$80-$90/hr
#4

Occupational Therapist-Neuro and Hand Therapist- Per Diem- San Diego County Float

$52.36-$75.69/hr
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 6.9
Better work-life than 80% of Occupational Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 9,033 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No call
  • Includes weekends
Essentia Health logo

About Essentia Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Duluth, MN
5,001-10,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

$4,500 Sign-On Bonus
Annual Continuing Education Budget
Licensure Expense Reimbursement
Rehabilitation Career Ladder
PSLF Eligible
Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
401(k) with Employer Contributions
Tuition Reimbursement

Living in Brainerd

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$320k
Typical market rent
$1,011/mo
Residents’ average commute
20 min
State income tax
Up to 9.8%
Sources & methodology

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

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