Occupational Therapist

Department
 

BSD PED - Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

About the Department
 

The Section of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP), within the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago and Comer Children’s Hospital is a center of excellence for the diagnosis and management of children with disabilities across developmental domains, including: motor, communicative, sensory, developmental, genetic, neurological, learning, and behavior disorders. The Section includes three Developmental and Behavioral Pediatric faculty members, two childhood trauma psychologists, three DBP subspecialty fellows, and nursing support. The Section provides interdisciplinary assessment and management to optimize child functioning, support families, and maximize prevention strategies across health, education, and community care systems. The Section serves as a resource for primary care practitioners, subspecialists, and community professional agencies for children at high risk for having suboptimal educational outcomes and those with complex medical and/or behavioral challenges. Their collective clinical expertise is coupled with research, educational endeavors, advocacy, and public policy activities geared to ensuring that children receive the information and supports for long-term success. The faculty’s clinical expertise, research contributions, and leadership roles within communities and professional organizations are recognized at the local, regional, national, and international levels. The clinical services provided by the Section include, but are not limited to, interdisciplinary diagnostic assessment of children enrolled in Early Intervention and diagnostic and treatment for children with a diverse array of delays and disabilities with origin in childhood (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disability, feeding disorders, etc.).
This at-will position is wholly or partially funded by contractual grant funding which is renewed under provisions set by the grantor of the contract. Employment will be contingent upon the continued receipt of these grant funds and satisfactory job performance.

Job Summary
 

DBP is seeking a halftime, benefits eligible Occupational Therapist to deliver services to children being cared for in our clinical practice. This work may be done both independently as an individual provider establishing their practice and as part of a multi-disciplinary team. The Occupational Therapist will also serve as a core interventionist for the Let’s E.A.T. (Eating with Assistive Technology) study, an interdisciplinary hybrid virtual/in person intervention to support oral feeding for infants with feeding tubes and tracheostomies, funded through the Gerber Foundation.

Responsibilities

• In-person enrollment and exit assessments with study participants; the Occupational Therapist will complete clinical sensory and feeding assessments.  

• During interval virtual assessments, the Occupational Therapist will complete clinical sensory and feeding assessments.  

• The Occupational Therapist will lead bi-weekly virtual therapy appointments, some interdisciplinary with the speech/language pathologist, for each participant in the intervention group. 

• Deliver services for children cared for within the Early Intervention Outreach Program. 

• The Occupational Therapist will hold an independent clinic for patients with diverse delays and disabilities including, but not limited to: oral aversion, feeding aversion, autism spectrum disorder, developmental coordination disorder. He/she will see patients for both initial assessment and ongoing therapies.   

• Working either individually or as a team member, evaluate children age birth through teenage years with delays or disabilities in independent functioning. 

• Recommends developmental interventions to improve sensory integration, fine motor, visual motor, adaptive skills, handwriting, and dexterity. 

• Evaluates children’s capabilities, recommends, and provides therapy. Develops and implements individual intervention plans for outpatient therapy and makes additional recommendations to the development of IFSPs and IEPs and 504 plans. 

• Provides direct services to support the child’s individual development of skills for daily living. Assists the team in the development of appropriate individual goals and objectives supporting maximal therapeutic trajectories appropriate to each child’s individual needs. 

• Follows treatment programs and goals for improved patient function, participation, and family well-being. 

• Participates in case conferences to ensure coordinated and comprehensive plans for care of the child and communicating these plans to the child’s family. 

• Identifies and arranges for other necessary supports or accommodations required for continued developmental achievements. 

• Communicates with other professional staff and the child’s family support system to provide continuity of care. 

• Evaluates patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals. 

• Collaborates with a variety of individuals, including the sports medicine staff, coaches, administrators, and various offices on campus providing wellness events and services. 

• Performs other related work as needed. 

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications  

 

Education:  

• Bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy. 

• Master's degree in Occupational Therapy. 

 

Experience: 

• Five years of experience working with children with cognitive and/or physical limitations.  

• Five years of experience in the occupational therapy field. 

• Experience in providing an array of diagnostic and therapeutic services in health centers, home settings and educational programs. 

• Experience as a feeding specialist with patients who require support in weaning from feeding tube to oral feeding.  

Licenses and Certifications: 

• Certification as a State of Illinois Early Intervention Specialist and Evaluator.

• Early Intervention credentialing in Illinois. 

• Current registration by the American Occupational Association and/or State of Illinois license in occupational therapy. 

• Incumbent may also be required to also secure a license for providing services in Indiana. 

• Completion of Annual Continuing Medical Education (CME) requirements for Occupational Therapy (OT) practice and Early Intervention. 

 

Preferred Competencies  

• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with the students, parents, and other professionals.  

• Ability to develop reports and maintain records.  

• Ability to adapt to a variety of settings. 

• In depth, up-to-date knowledge of occupational therapy, theory and practice, and the legal and ethical issues associated with them. 

• Effective communication skills, both written and oral. 

• Working knowledge of recovery models is preferred for each case. 

• Early Intervention Medical Diagnostics services and/or provision of therapeutic services to these children. 

Working Conditions  

• Direct patient contact. 

• Clinical care setting. 

• Ability to stand and move around during much of the workday. 

• Patience and strong interpersonal skills to inspire trust and respect. 

• Ingenuity and imagination in adapting activities to individual needs. 

• High stress environment. 

• Ability to bend, crouch, or stoop. 

• Ability to carry or lift loads of 25 to 49 lbs. 

• Ability to sit for 2 hours to 4 hours. 

• Ability to stand for 2 hours to 4 hours. 

• Effective audio-visual discrimination and perception. 

 

Application Documents  

• Resume (required) 

• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Healthcare & Medical Services

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Non-Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Biweekly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

20

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

Yes

Health Screen Required
 

Yes

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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