SLP Operations logo
SLP Operations
Merkel, Texas

Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) FT, PT and PRN schedules available!

Occupational TherapistFull-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 2mo ago

Job Description

Merkel Nursing Center is currently seeking a full time, part time or prn Occupational Therapy Assistant to join its in-house therapy team. We seek a therapist who is innovative, positive, and team oriented.

Part of Gemini Healthcare, Merkel Nursing Center is a long-term care and post-acute rehab facility located in Merkel, Texas. We have an in-house team of therapists to work with, an amazing rehab director and opportunity to see a wide range of conditions.

We offer opportunity for you to create and implement speech therapy programs that will best fit the needs of your patients.

We are supported by Vital Therapy, a growing provider of therapy support and leadership to 85 locations throughout Texas and Oklahoma. We believe in giving our patients and residents moments of joy and reason to live each day, developing and supporting our leaders, and sharing a fierce commitment to quality of care.

We offer comprehensive benefits, PTO, opportunity for career growth and fun, high energy work environment.

Requirements

Requirements

Texas License

We are an equal opportunity employer and prohibit discrimination/harassment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Key Responsibilities

The Occupational Therapy Assistant will work within an in-house therapy team to provide patient care and implement therapy programs. They will collaborate with the rehab director to treat a wide range of conditions in a long-term care and post-acute rehab setting.

Key Skills

RehabilitationTeam collaborationTreatment planningClinical documentation

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In Texas, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$95k (186 salary observations; 2,330 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (4,521 salary observations; 25,570 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 Texas is 97.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 57.7% of Texas clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 3.7% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) FT, PT and PRN schedules available! at SLP Operations a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Physical Therapist Assistant — ranked against 4,946 active Physical Therapist Assistant listings on WeekdayDoc.

Location & Logistics

Texas has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states.

Top contract/1099 PTA Jobs

6 matches · ranked by pay

Work-Life Balance Distribution6 jobs · 5 employers

0
1-2
0
3-4
1
5-6
3
7-8
2
9-10

Higher = better work-life balance

#1

Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) – Pediatric Home Health

MedCare Pediatric · Crosby, Texas

$35-$40/hr
#2

Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), Millsboro Delaware

Aquacare & Fitness Forum Physical Therapy · Millsboro, Delaware

$27-$35/hr
#3

Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), Millville Delaware

$27-$35/hr
#4

Physical Therapist Assistant

$29-$35/hr
+ 4 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 4.8this job 7.2
Better work-life than 80% of Physical Therapist Assistant listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 4,946 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Merkel

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$217k
Median resident rent
$1,058/mo
Residents’ average commute
27 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
90.4
State income tax
None
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Abilene, TX metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

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About SLP Operations

Hospitals and Health Care
Fort Worth, Texas
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Comprehensive Benefits
PTO
Career Growth Opportunities