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Bakersfield, California

OT Occupational Therapist PRN

Occupational TherapistPer Diem

Listed compensation

$60-$65/hr

The week · per this posting

Schedule not stated in this posting — no days, weekends, call or nights given.

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 13m ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • Occupational Therapist (OT) – PRN
  • Bakersfield Post Acute
  • Location: Bakersfield, CA
  • Pay Range: $60.00 – $65.00 per hour (DOE)
  • Status: PRN / Per Diem
  • Setting: Skilled Nursing Facility | Short-Term Rehabilitation

Join a Team That Truly Cares

If you are caring, compassionate, and driven by a genuine desire to make a difference in people’s lives, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. At Bakersfield Post Acute, your talent is focused on serving patients, residents, and families with exemplary care—and we are committed to providing a premier healthcare community where together, we can transform the future of healthcare.

New grads welcome. Immediate availability.

Why Bakersfield Post Acute?

  • Competitive PRN pay
  • Supportive and collaborative rehab team
  • Career stability with a positive, team-oriented culture
  • Referral program
  • Educational and professional development opportunities
  • State-of-the-art skilled nursing and rehab setting

General Purpose

The Occupational Therapist (OT) evaluates and treats residents, communicates with families, physicians, and interdisciplinary team members, and maintains accurate documentation in the medical record. The OT also provides education and training to facility staff to support optimal resident outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Evaluate residents within 24 hours (or one business day) of physician referral; document any delays appropriately

  • Develop individualized treatment plans and obtain physician approval
  • Treat residents according to the physician-approved plan of care
  • Supervise Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs), aides, and students in accordance with state practice act
  • Assist nursing staff with training of Restorative Aides
  • Communicate resident progress, challenges, and plans with the rehab and interdisciplinary teams
  • Participate in care conferences, utilization review meetings, and rehab meetings as needed
  • Complete evaluations, daily treatment notes, weekly progress notes, recertifications, and discharge documentation per regulatory and payer requirements
  • Educate residents, families, and caregivers on maintenance programs and discharge planning
  • Participate in discharge planning and coordination of care
  • Recommend and facilitate ordering of durable medical equipment (DME) to promote independence
  • Report equipment issues to ensure safe and effective operation
  • Maintain positive, professional relationships with residents, families, and staff
  • Supervisory Responsibilities
  • Supervise Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs), aides, and students

Qualifications

  • Education & Experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy required
  • Master’s or Doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy preferred
  • Skilled Nursing Facility or geriatric experience preferred

Licensure & Certifications

  • Current, active California Occupational Therapist license in good standing
  • Must meet all continuing education requirements per state regulations

Skills

  • Proficient in electronic documentation systems (NetHealth and PointClickCare preferred)
  • Strong clinical judgment, communication, and organizational skills
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team

Work Environment

  • Inpatient Skilled Nursing Facility
  • Long-term care and short-term rehabilitation
  • Geriatric population

One Primary Location

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

Key Responsibilities

The Occupational Therapist evaluates and treats residents in a skilled nursing facility while maintaining accurate medical documentation. They also collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and provide education to staff, families, and caregivers to support resident outcomes.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Patient evaluationTreatment planningClinical documentationGeriatric careInterdisciplinary collaborationSupervisionDurable medical equipment recommendationPatient education

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In California, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$116k (757 salary observations; 2,372 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (5,357 salary observations; 29,628 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 California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$130k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $117k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

What does the Occupational Therapy market look like in California?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$125k–$135kOccupational Therapy median $146k (middle half $140k–$146k)32 comparable listings, Nov 2026
California vs national$116k median in California$97k nationally (+20%)757 state / 5,357 national salary observations
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$117k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapy listings in California902 active9,036 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 10% remote · 46% no call · 60% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia occupational therapist listings (all specialties): 16% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 5% offer loan repayment951 active listings, Nov 2026
New Occupational Therapy listings3,267 in the last 30 days1,694 the 30 days before (+93%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Occupational Therapy pay trend+2.9% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top contract/1099 Occupational Therapist Jobs

50 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

30 jobs
6
<$125k
11
$125k-140k
6
$140k-155k
7
$155k-170k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

32 jobs
401k / retirement match
84%
CME allowance
59%
Sign-on bonus
16%
Loan repayment
16%
Relocation assistance
13%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Occupational Therapist - Home Health

Uplift Homecare · Tampa, Florida

$80-$125/hr
#2

Home Care Occupational Therapist- Independent Contractor (Ocean County)Per Diem

US Physical Therapy · Toms River, New Jersey

$74-$95/hr
#3

Home Care Occupational Therapist- 1099 (Eastern Suffolk County)

$65-$90/hr
#4

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

$80-$90/hr
+ 48 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 8,992 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Bakersfield

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$354k
Typical market rent
$1,901/mo
Residents’ average commute
24 min
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
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.