Occupational Therapist

Job Description

Company Overview:

Shrub Oak International School (SOIS) is a therapeutic day and residential school for autistic children, adolescents, and young adults with complex co-occurring conditions. Located in northern Westchester County, Shrub Oak offers unparalleled educational opportunities for autistic students in a family-centric, supportive environment. We offer a variety of programs to meet the needs of students across the spectrum, and our curriculum is based on the most advanced and successful evidence-based clinical and academic approaches in ASD education.

As a school, SOIS maintains a smoke-free environment to ensure the health and safety of our students, employees, and community. We are a residential school located on a scenic 127-acre campus, which includes multiple buildings and a working farm for student programming. The work environment will include both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Who We Are:

SOIS is a community of dedicated professionals who work together to find meaning with and for our students. We strive to make every day memorable in positive ways and to manage students’ difficulties as a team. We are accountable, timely, and show up whenever needed to support our students and each other.

We are guided day-to-day by our four core principles.

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• We Care
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• We are Innovative
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• We are Collaborative
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• We are Resourceful
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Benefits: (check for FT, PT or All)

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• Reduced Cost Meals every shift on site (All)
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• Employee assistance program (EAP) (All)
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• Insurance coverage: Health, vision, dental, life, supplemental and pet insurance (FT)
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• Flexible spending account (FSA) (FT)
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• Generous Paid time off (PTO) (FT)
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• 401k w/company match (FT)
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• Tuition/Professional development assistance (FT)
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Who You Are:

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• You have a passion for working with the autism population and ensuring the safety and well-being of students and staff.
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• You are a licensed occupational therapist with experience supporting students with complex developmental, sensory, and functional needs.
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• You are skilled in conducting functional assessments and translating findings into individualized, goal-oriented treatment plans.
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• You utilize student-centered, strength-based, and evidence-based occupational therapy approaches to support independence and daily functioning.
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• You are comfortable integrating therapeutic interventions across academic, residential, and campus life environments.
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• You collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams, including clinicians, educators, residential staff, and families, to support coordinated care.
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• You remain calm, analytical, and solutions-focused when responding to challenging behaviors or crisis situations.
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• You demonstrate strong judgment, professionalism, and discretion when working with confidential student information.
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• You are adaptable and able to manage responsibilities in a fast-paced, unpredictable environment.
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• You get the job done and are capable of strategic thinking while simultaneously rolling up your sleeves to support students and staff.
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• You have strong written communication skills, specifically involving documentation, progress notes, incident reports, and other related administrative tasks.
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Job Responsibilities:

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• Conduct formal and informal occupational therapy assessments to evaluate students’ functional, sensory, and daily living skills.
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• Develop, implement, and monitor individualized treatment plans and interventions aligned with student goals.
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• Provide direct occupational therapy services using evidence-based and student-centered approaches.
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• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to ensure coordinated and holistic student support across academic and residential environments.
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• Communicate regularly with students, families, and caregivers regarding progress, development, and clinical needs.
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• Provide consultation and guidance to staff to support student independence, skill acquisition, and functional outcomes.
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• Maintain accurate documentation, evaluations, and reports in accordance with organizational and regulatory standards.
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• Support students in developing life skills, self-regulation, and functional independence across settings.
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• Participate in clinical initiatives, professional development, and campus programming to advance best practices.
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• Remain current with advancements in occupational therapy and related clinical fields.
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• Assist with additional programs, events, and services as needed.
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Please note: This job description is not a comprehensive list of tasks or responsibilities. Specific assignments can change within the relevant field and training of your position, with or without notice.

Position Requirements:

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• Current New York State Occupational Therapist license (OT-R or OT-D) in good professional standing required.
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• Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy required.
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• Minimum of 3 years of relevant clinical experience preferred.
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• Experience working with individuals with autism spectrum disorder or developmental disabilities preferred; school or residential experience a plus.
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• Experience managing challenging behaviors and supporting crisis intervention is required.
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• Strong knowledge of occupational therapy assessment, treatment planning, and intervention strategies.
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• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including clinical documentation and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
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• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple priorities.
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• Ability to handle high-acuity behavioral situations with professionalism and sound judgment.
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• Ability to get TCIS trained and complete/maintain all required training.
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• Due to the nature of work in supporting our students, all job descriptions list the physical requirements for that position
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• Our campus consists of some paved areas, but primarily consists of grass, gravel paths and parking lots. Additionally, many areas of our building are fully accessible; however, as a historic building some areas are only accessible by stairs.
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• You must be able to ambulate around the campus, including hills, stairs, grass and gravel.
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• Student Facing Positions:
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• Must be able to react and move quickly during student crisis, both for the safety of the student and for the staff.
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• Must be able to run across the campus and throughout the school to catch/monitor an eloping student, and/or to remove yourself from an unsafe situation.
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• You must be able to pass TCIS (Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training for Schools).
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• You must be able to bend, stretch, sit, stand, crouch or kneel for sustained periods of time if implementing a hold.
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• Special Accommodations can be requested but will only be approved if the accommodation does not impact the ability to perform your position and it does not put yourself, a student, or any other staff member at risk of harm or injury.
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Competencies:

Clinical:

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• Occupational therapy assessment and intervention
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• Sensory integration and functional skill development
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• Treatment planning and goal setting
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• Data collection and progress monitoring
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• Crisis response and behavioral support
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• CPR
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• First Aid
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Behavioral:

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• Student-centered and strength-based approach
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• Emotional regulation support and modeling
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• De-escalation and crisis management
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• Relationship building with students and families
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• Adaptability in dynamic environments
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• Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training for Schools (TCIS)
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Collaboration & Communication:

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• Interdisciplinary teamwork
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• Family and caregiver communication
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• Staff consultation and training
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• Professional documentation and reporting
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Safety & Compliance:

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• Confidentiality and ethical practice
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• Adherence to clinical and regulatory standards
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• TCIS and safety protocol implementation
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• Accurate and timely documentation
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• Mandated Reporter Training
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EEO Statement:

Shrub Oak is an equal employment opportunity employer. Shrub Oak International School is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodation can be requested to enable individuals with disabilities to apply for a job or to perform the essential functions of their job. Requests may be approved if the position/department/school/students will not be adversely affected. Please advise us if you require a reasonable accommodation.