Pediatric Occupational Therapy Assistant

If you can turn socks, scissors, swings, snack time, messy play, and “I CAN’T DO IT!” into skilled intervention, we should probably talk. Bonus points if you also like seeing whether the strategy works five minutes later in the classroom. 

WHALE Respite Center is a nonprofit pediatric center built around a simple idea: children with delays and disabilities and their families deserve equal opportunities to live, learn, and play—and the professionals serving them should work together instead of in separate lanes. 

You will implement OT plans under licensed OT supervision and help children build functional skills where those skills matter—in therapy, in class, at play, and in everyday routines. 

How we work 

Everybody at the table knows something the rest of us don’t. 

The therapist may know why a child’s motor, sensory, communication, feeding, or behavioral system is making participation difficult. The teacher may know exactly what happens at 10:17 every morning when 14 children are transitioning to the playground. The parent knows the child in a way none of us ever will. Good care happens when we put those pieces together. 

At WHALE, expertise moves both directions. Clinicians teach. Teachers teach. Families teach. We expect all of us to stay curious enough to learn from one another. 

What you’ll actually do 

•  Carry out OT treatment plans under the direction and supervision of a licensed OT. 

•  Provide individualized treatment and, when directed and clinically appropriate, support intervention within classroom and natural routines. 

•  Collect objective data and communicate meaningful changes to the supervising OT. 

•  Support caregiver and teacher carryover of strategies established in the OT plan of care. 

•  Collaborate with classroom educators, PT, SLP, and behavior staff as one team. 

•  Participate in the monthly interdisciplinary learning rotation and contribute what you are seeing in real life with children. 

•  Complete timely documentation and assist with treatment-space/material organization and reasonable support duties when clinical care is not available. 

•  Stay squarely within COTA scope while using excellent judgment about when the OT needs to step in. 

You might be our kind of person if… 

•  Active Colorado COTA credential/license as required for practice. 

•  Graduate of an accredited OTA program. 

•  Pediatric experience preferred; interest in sensory, self-care, fine-motor, feeding/mealtime, and participation-based care is helpful. 

•  Strong documentation, observation, communication, and teamwork. 

•  Comfort working in both one-to-one and classroom environments. 

•  You can be excellent at your discipline without needing your discipline to be the most important one in the room. 

•  You care about what happens during the other 167 hours of a child’s week—not only the therapy session. 

Pay, schedule & benefits 

Schedule 

Approximately 20–24 hours/week initially 

Hourly pay 

$29–$36/hour; starting rate is based on relevant experience, pediatric competency, scope of responsibility, internal equity, and organizational sustainability. 

Paid work 

Employees are paid their applicable hourly wage for all compensable work. 

PTO 

Accrues at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked, subject to WHALE policy and applicable law. 

Childcare tuition 

50% employee tuition discount from WHALE’s published private-pay childcare tuition rate, subject to enrollment availability and program requirements. 

Retirement 

Retirement plan with employer match up to 4% for eligible employees, subject to plan terms. 

Medical insurance 

Available to employees regularly scheduled at least 32 hours/week, subject to plan terms. This role is not expected to be medical-benefit eligible at its initial part-time schedule. 

Other 

Aflac availability; paid required meetings/training; productivity incentive eligibility after onboarding when quality and performance requirements are met. 

Our hiring process 

We do not believe one formal interview tells us enough about you—or tells you enough about us. Our process is intentionally relational: 

•  1. Application and resume review 

•  2. Phone conversation 

•  3. Coffee interview + WHALE tour 

•  4. Final meal with you and another adult who is important to you 

•  5. Offer, if we both still think this is a good fit 

The goal is not to “win” an interview. The goal is to figure out whether we want to do meaningful, sometimes messy, highly collaborative work together. 

Ready to talk? 

Apply today! 

WHALE Respite Center provides equal employment opportunity in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified applicants and employees. Employment is contingent on completion of applicable background checks, credential verification, and any role-specific regulatory requirements. 

This posting describes the general nature of the role and is not an exhaustive list of every duty, qualification, or responsibility. Duties may evolve as WHALE’s pediatric therapy and behavioral services grow.