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Child Serve
Des Moines, Iowa

Occupational Therapist (Part-Time)

Occupational TherapistNo weekendsPart-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday

Ask the employer about the pay range, the work setting, call expectations and time off.

Posted 4mo ago

Job Description

ChildServe’s talented, multi-disciplinary team of therapists specializes in pediatric rehabilitation and collaborates to create individualized, family-centered care plans to meet the needs of each child.

In the role of our Occupational Therapist (Part-Time), you will use evidenced based interventions, play-based activities, therapeutic activities, and specialized techniques to develop motor, sensory, visual, cognitive, and self-care skills so that children can be successful in their world. Our Occupational Therapists’ ultimate goal for each child is to maximize their independence, improve function, and meet each family’s goals.

Schedule: Part-time, 20 hours

Clinic Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-6pm

What You’ll Do

Compliance & Professional Standards: Maintains timely, accurate documentation; follows ChildServe policies, AOTA ethics, and regulatory requirements; maintains licensure and required continuing education.

Patient & Family Collaboration: Communicates effectively with families and interdisciplinary teams to develop, adjust, and explain individualized therapy plans and progress.

Clinical Care Delivery: Completes assessments, develops and follows individualized plans of care, provides interventions, and recommends appropriate referrals, equipment, and follow-up.

Team Support & Development: Supervises assistants and students, contributes to staff training, and meets required clinical competencies and education expectations.

What You'll Need

  • A degree from an AOTA approved occupational therapy program.
  • Experience with pediatrics preferred.
  • Experience with children with special healthcare needs preferred.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in reading, writing, and speaking the English language.
  • Ability to lift up to 35 lbs, be mobile within the assigned work area, and frequently bend, lift, reach, and stand.

Make a Difference Every Day at ChildServe

ChildServe partners with families to help children with special healthcare needs live a great life.

ChildServe is a leading pediatric healthcare provider with Iowa’s only children's specialty hospital, offering a variety of services and programs to meet each child’s unique needs.

ChildServe’s four key specialty areas include: complex medical care, pediatric rehabilitation, autism and behavioral health, and community-based services. With a coordinated approach to care delivery, services are interwoven and streamlined, so families can address their child’s needs in one location.

Established in 1928, ChildServe proudly provides more than 30 pediatric specialty services to nearly 6,000 children in Iowa each year.

ChildServe is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. To request assistance with the application process, please email careers@childserve.org.

ChildServe is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Key Responsibilities

The Occupational Therapist develops and implements individualized, family-centered care plans using play-based and evidence-based interventions. Responsibilities include conducting assessments, providing clinical care, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to maximize child independence.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a degree from an AOTA approved occupational therapy program and possess effective English communication skills. Experience in pediatrics and working with children with special healthcare needs is preferred.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Motor Skill DevelopmentSensory IntegrationCognitive Skill DevelopmentPatient AssessmentCare Plan DevelopmentInterdisciplinary CollaborationClinical DocumentationStudent Supervision

Occupational Therapist Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Iowa is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 59.8% of Iowa clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Occupational Therapist listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 40% have no call, 78% require no weekends.

What does the Occupational Therapist market look like in Iowa?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed paynot listedOccupational Therapist median $91k (middle half $83k–$101k)227 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost of livingIowa index 87.8US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapist listings in Iowa82 active10,304 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 2% remote · 40% no call · 78% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Occupational Therapist pay trend+2.6% vs prior quarter—through Sep 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Occupational Therapist (Part-Time) at Child Serve a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% of all occupational therapist listings evaluated on our platform. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

Top Occupational Therapist Jobs

37 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

28 jobs
4
<$95k
15
$95k-115k
4
$115k-135k
5
$135k-155k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

34 jobs · 29 employers
401k / retirement match
85%
CME allowance
65% this job
Sign-on bonus
32%
Loan repayment
12%
Relocation assistance
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

School-Based Occupational Therapist (OT)

Strides Therapy and Educational Services · Baltimore, Maryland

$67-$73/hr
#2

Occupational Therapist

Infinity Rehab · Berkeley, California

$57-$70/hr
#3

Occupational Therapist Matawan NJ

$140k
#4

Occupational Therapist Marlboro NJ

$140k
+ 35 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

6.6/ 10
Listing-based score
  • No weekends

Living in Des Moines

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$227k
Typical market rent
$1,126/mo
Residents’ average commute
20 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.7
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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