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Sanford Health
Brainerd, Minnesota

Occupational Therapist - Full Time

Occupational TherapistNo nightsFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 36m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland.

Work Shift

Day (United States of America)

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Compensation

Union Position

  • No
  • Department Details

Summary

Assesses clients/patients/residents and designs occupational therapy treatments. Help clients/patients/residents to develop, maintain and recover their ability to perform tasks in client’s/patient’s/resident's occupations of life.

Job Description

The therapist conducts evaluations and provides interventions for clients/patients/residents who have functional, cognitive or behavioral impairments.

Occupational Therapist evaluate physical, cognitive, developmental and psychosocial abilities of clients/patients/residents; developing realistic therapy goals and administering appropriate occupational therapy programs.

Documents client's/patient's/resident's information for evaluation; establishes therapeutic plans and modifies them if necessary. Provides clients/patients/residents education designed to enhance understanding and improve functional outcomes.

Knowledge of and utilizes appropriate age-related treatments and evaluations relating to the needs of clients/patients/residents. Demonstrate and incorporate knowledge of current research into daily treatment of clients/patients/residents. May treat individuals of all ages with varying diagnosis and disorders.

Will demonstrate documentation in accordance with departmental guidelines and meet all regulatory requirements. Demonstrates level of treatment associated with their specialty provided to their clients/patients/residents. Follows and adheres to accepted clinical practice guidelines of professional organization.

Exhibits flexibility with acceptance of variable work schedules/assignments. Participates in activities to promote the department, Good Samaritan Society and Sanford Health.

Will be interacting with individuals outside of the department including but not limited to: providers, case managers, family members, third party payers, public organizations, etc. May be asked to supervise assistants, aides, and students as they provide patient/resident care, treatment, or other services.

Will be expected to provide ongoing education and training to peers in the area(s) of expertise as determined by the department leadership. Performs other related duties as requested by manager.

Dependent on facility and location, work may focus on those receiving intervention in the post-acute, long term care, and home health care environments.

Qualifications

Appropriate education level required in accordance with state licensure.

Must be licensed in the state(s) of practice as Occupational Therapist. When working at a Sanford Health Facility (not required but preferred for GSS Facilities): Must also be certified through the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). When applicable, may require valid driver's license.

Obtains and subsequently maintains required department specific competencies and certifications. Basic Life Support (BLS) for health care providers required or within the first 60 days of employment.

In the state of South Dakota and Iowa, new graduates in the process of testing with the board, will be considered with the possession of a temporary license.

Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-949-5678 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.

Key Responsibilities

The Occupational Therapist assesses patients to design and implement therapy programs that help recover functional, cognitive, and behavioral abilities. They also document patient progress, educate clients, and collaborate with healthcare providers to ensure high-quality care.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient evaluationTreatment planningFunctional impairment assessmentCognitive impairment assessmentBehavioral impairment assessmentPatient educationClinical documentationRegulatory complianceInterdisciplinary collaborationStaff supervision

Occupational Therapist Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Minnesota is 98.6 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 63.4% of Minnesota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 50 active Occupational Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 4% are remote, 40% have no call, 66% require no weekends.

What does the Occupational Therapy market look like in Minnesota?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score5.1 / 10 · above average in occupational therapyranked against 8,995 Occupational Therapy listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Cost of livingMinnesota index 98.6US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Occupational Therapy listings in Minnesota175 active9,037 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 4% remote · 40% no call · 66% no weekends50 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedMinnesota occupational therapist listings (all specialties): 17% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 20% offer loan repayment212 active listings, Nov 2026
New Occupational Therapy listings3,212 in the last 30 days1,658 the 30 days before (+94%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Occupational Therapy pay trend+4.1% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (8,995 Occupational Therapy listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Occupational Therapist Jobs

38 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

34 jobs · 30 employers
4
<$100k
18
$100k-115k
3
$115k-130k
7
$130k-145k
2
$145k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

35 jobs · 30 employers
401k / retirement match
89%
CME allowance
54%
Sign-on bonus
46%
Loan repayment
26%
PSLF eligible
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

School-Based Occupational Therapist (OT)

Strides Therapy and Educational Services · Baltimore, Maryland

$67-$73/hr
#2

Clinic Director I - Licensed Occupational Therapist (OT)

EmpowerMe Wellness · Moraga, California

$54-$71/hr
#3

Occupational Therapist Marlboro NJ

$140k
#4

Occupational Therapist Matawan NJ

$140k
+ 36 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 5.1
Better work-life than 50% of Occupational Therapy listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 8,995 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights

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.