Sanford Health logo
Sanford Health
Thief River Falls, Minnesota

Occupational Therapist

Occupational TherapistNo nightsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$31-$46.5/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1mo ago

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

Salary Range: $31.00 - $46.50 Sign on Bonus: up to $20,000 with a commitment

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 states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota, 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 and designs personalized treatment programs to help them recover or maintain functional, cognitive, and behavioral abilities. They are also responsible for documenting patient progress, educating clients, and collaborating with a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure

Key Skills

Patient evaluationTreatment planningFunctional assessmentCognitive impairment interventionBehavioral impairment interventionPatient educationClinical documentationRegulatory complianceSupervisionResearch application

Occupational Therapist Career Context

In Minnesota, the Occupational Therapy weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$89k (179 salary observations; 447 listings), vs ~$97k nationally (6,588 salary observations; 25,229 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 ~$81k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $82k in an average-cost state. 63.4% of Minnesota clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 44 active Occupational Therapy listings this role was benchmarked against, 5% are remote, 41% have no call, 61% require no weekends.

Occupational Therapy pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.5% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Occupational Therapist Jobs

23 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution23 jobs · 16 employers

11
<$105k
6
$105k-120k
2
$120k-135k
3
$135k-150k
1
$160k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks22 jobs · 16 employers

401k / retirement match
95%
Sign-on bonus
55% this job
CME allowance
50%
Loan repayment
18%
Relocation assistance
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Occupational Therapist (Home Health)

21st Century Home Health Services · Galt, California

$130k-$160k
#2

Occupational Therapist

Sentara Health · Norfolk, Virginia

$96k-$141k
#3

Occupational Therapist Matawan NJ

$140k
#4

Occupational Therapist Marlboro NJ

$140k
+ 21 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 9,285 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No nights
  • On-site

Living in Thief River Falls

Typical market rent
$1,228/mo
Residents’ average commute
10 min
State income tax
Up to 9.8%
Sources & methodology

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

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

Sanford Health logo

About Sanford Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Sioux Falls, SD
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Sign-on bonus up to $20,000
Day shift
BLS certification support