School Occupational Therapist (OT) - Manhattan

Knowledge Road
Manhattan, US
On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Strong fit for independent occupational therapists who manage their own caseloads and prioritize flexibility in school-based settings.

Best fit for

  • Independent occupational therapists seeking flexible hours and control over their workload in Manhattan schools
    — “No minimum caseload and no exclusivity”
  • Candidates who can align their availability with school schedules and handle documentation responsibilities
    — “Keep session notes and complete required documentation”
  • Professionals with experience in IEP- and IESP-mandated services and a preference for one-to-one student interaction
    — “Occupational therapy cases are one-to-one, at $75/hour”

Things to consider

  • Must not have worked for NYC DOE within the last year unless special approval is obtained
    — “You cannot have been employed by the NYC Department of Education within the past year”
  • This role may require adapting to different school environments and schedules throughout the year
    — “What is open varies through the year”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with IEP- and IESP-mandated services in your resume and interview responses
    — “provide IEP- and IESP-mandated services to students”
  • Showcase your communication and collaboration skills with school teams and families
    — “Communicate with the school, the family and the student's team”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · MediumAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Individual

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • student participation in school activities
  • IEP/IESP goal alignment
  • positive student outcomes
Typical background
occupational therapypediatric therapyschool-based therapy

Skills & requirements

Required

Occupational TherapyIep/iesp ComplianceStudent SupportDocumentationCommunication

Preferred

Pediatric TherapySchool-based Therapy

Stack & domain

Occupational TherapyIEPIESPStudent SupportSession NotesProgress ReportsCommunicationIEP MeetingsTeamworkProblem-solvingAdaptabilityTime ManagementDocumentationReportingCase ManagementEducation

About the role

Original posting from Knowledge Road via Ashby

Knowledge Road is hiring NYS-licensed Occupational Therapists to work as school-based occupational therapists on a 1099 basis in Manhattan. The position pays $75 an hour.

We hold a New York City DOE contract to provide IEP- and IESP-mandated services to students who attend independent, parochial and charter schools across the borough, plus some homeschooled students. These are not DOE public school placements.

How much you work is up to you:

  • No minimum caseload and no exclusivity
  • No cap on hours from us — it comes down to how many cases you take on
  • Most cases run during the school day in Manhattan schools, some after school, and a few on weekends

What is open varies through the year. We recruit year-round and tell you what is open when you apply.

What you'll do

  • Plan and deliver occupational therapy aligned to each student's IEP or IESP goals
  • Support each student's participation in school and daily activities
  • Keep session notes and complete required documentation
  • Complete progress reports as required
  • Communicate with the school, the family and the student's team
  • Attend IEP meetings for the students you work with

How cases work

Before you accept a case you get the details: the school, the grade, the schedule, the group size and the hourly rate. You decide whether to take it.

Pay

Occupational therapy cases are one-to-one, at $75/hour.

You submit your sessions at the end of each month and are paid by direct deposit, generally within about a week. Payment is for sessions delivered.

What you need

  • NYS license as an Occupational Therapist
  • Availability to work in Manhattan
  • You cannot have been employed by the NYC Department of Education within the past year. If you have, a special approval is required — tell us and we will take you through it.

Getting started

We handle your DOE clearance with you as part of onboarding. From there we bring you cases that match your license, your schedule and the areas you want to work.

The application asks about your license, DOE clearance status, availability, the areas you can work and the languages you speak.

Equal Opportunity

Knowledge Road is committed to equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected status.

Source: Knowledge Road careers (Ashby)

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