PRINCIPAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
Career Family: OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
To land Principal Occupational Therapist in New Jersey you go through the competitive route: you sit an announced exam and the score puts you on the eligible list agencies hire from.
To be eligible you bring 3 years of relevant experience and a professional license. The FY 2027 range lands between $83,582 and $122,832, and state payroll currently lists about 25 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. 2 agencies employ it. We don't track live vacancies.
See all 2 employers and how to apply →Who employs this title
Principal Occupational Therapist appears on the State payroll at 2 departments, most of them at Department of Health.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Health | 15 |
| Department of Human Services | 10 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 25 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $118,678. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (15)
- Human Services (10)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under the direction of a supervisory officer in an institution or agency, provides program leadership, development, coordination and supervision for a comprehensive occupational therapy or rehabilitation therapy program in a unit or section of an institution, agency or school; does other related duties.
Examples of work
- Identifies residents' or clients' needs for occupational therapy services.
- Selects or develops screening and evaluation procedures for identifying focus and scope of residents' or clients' needs to be met through occupational or rehabilitation therapy services.
- Conducts needs assessments and interprets findings.
- Participates in the formulation and implementation of a program providing occupational therapy services.
- Assigns personnel and resources to meet occupational or rehabilitation services program requirements, in consultation with designated supervisory personnel.
- Coordinates the use of space, equipment and material of the occupational or rehabilitation therapy services program in the unit or section.
- Provides referrals to occupational or rehabilitation therapy programs and other relevant services.
- Selects or designs the appropriate evaluative methods and instruments for assessing the performance skills and deficits of residents or clients.
- Provides instruction to staff in the application of assessment instruments.
- Provides assignments and instruction to staff in the development and implementation of individualized treatment and rehabilitation plans.
- Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and/or disciplining of employees.
- Monitors and reviews occupational therapy programs for effectiveness.
- Conducts individual case reviews.
- Conducts occupational therapy programs for individual and groups.
- Serves as a consultant to treatment teams and other clinical staff.
- Collaborates with community agencies and resources to initiate, develop and/or utilize community activity-oriented services and to provide continuity of service after discharge.
- Participates in staff training as assigned.
- Participates in lectures, workshops and orientation sessions on the principles and practices of occupational therapy.
- Prepares progress and other reports.
- Provides information needed to prepare the budget for the occupational therapy program.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
- May be required to engage in lifting clients when working in a setting which provides direct services to clients who are non- ambulant, or who are semi-ambulant and/or have severe physical handicaps.
Experience
Three (3) years of experience in occupational therapy.
License
Applicants must possess a license as an Occupational Therapist issued by the Occupational Therapy Advisory Council, Department of Law and Public Safety.
Appointees to positions in day training centers and other educational facilities identified by the New Jersey Department of Education will be required to possess the appropriate education certification issued by the New Jersey Department of Education.
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
SPECIAL
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of occupational therapy.
- Knowledge of the components of a comprehensive occupational therapy services program.
- Knowledge of occupational therapy materials and equipment
- Knowledge of the types of maladjustments and the types of occupational therapy best suited.
- Ability to provide instruction and supervision to rehabilitation and occupational therapy staff.
- Ability to coordinate available personnel and efficiently utilize available funds, equipment, supplies and space.
- Ability to plan and implement a program of patient care, monitoring and utilization review.
- Ability to select and develop screening and evaluation methods and instruments to determine needs and assess skills.
- Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with staff and others involved in the program.
- Ability to confer and collaborate with clinical and administrative staff.
- Ability to prepare reports.
- Ability to establish and maintain a system for equipment and supply monitoring and maintenance for a unit or section.
- Ability to establish and maintain essential records and files.
- Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
- CODES: 25/S26 - MCK 9/23/00
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
Ability to physically lift, move and position clients as needed.