COTA - Occupational Therapy

Salary: $28.24 - $36.05 Hourly
Location : Santa Monica and/or Malibu, CA
Job Type: PERMANENT, SCHOOL-YEAR
Job Number: View phone number on click.appcast.io
Department: SPECIAL EDUCATION
Opening Date: 07/01/2026

BASIC FUNCTION AND QUALIFICATIONS

This position works 8 hours/day, during the school year.

BASIC FUNCTION:

Under the direction of the Director of Special Education and/or designee, assist in providing occupational therapy services and treatment to enhance fine motor, sensory motor and other skills and development among identified students with disabilities; prepare equipment for treatment; assist with data collection and perform related clerical duties.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION: High school diploma or its recognized equivalent AND graduation from accredited Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant program.

EXPERIENCE:

Some experience working with students with various disabilities in a rehabilitative setting is desirable.

LICENSES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

Certification as an Occupational Therapy Assistant from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Licensed by the California Board of Occupational Therapy to practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Valid First Aid and CPR certification. A valid California Class C driver's license and an acceptable Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) and availability of private transportation between job sites may be required. REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities and qualifications required of personnel so classified. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

JOB DUTIES:

Provide occupational therapy treatment to enhance fine motor, sensory motor, gross and fine motor delays and other skills and development among identified students with disabilities. Maintain treatment and other assigned work areas in a safe and orderly manner Assist with student observations, assessments, evaluation and related interviews. Collaborate with multi-disciplinary team in providing occupational therapy services. Assist Occupational Therapist in developing therapeutic treatments and intervention goalsthat are educationally relevant and will be used in student's education programs. Assist with data collection (e.g., notes concerning daily therapy activities, treatment and student progress) for the use in multi-disciplinary meetings. Collaborate with the Occupational Therapist in monitoring and assist with adjusting individual treatment and therapy programs and activities in response to student progress. Plan and prepare for daily occupational therapy services and activities; utilize, adjust and demonstrate the use of various adaptive and therapeutic equipment and tools. Monitor inventory levels of therapeutic supplies and equipment; order, receive and maintain adequate inventory levels of supplies and equipment. Receive work guidance for Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) in accordance with American Occupational Therapist (OT) Association/California Board of Occupational Therapy standards. Operate a variety of standard office equipment including copier, computer, and assigned software. Attend various trainings, workshops and in-services as directed. Perform related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:

Issues related to child development. Educational and developmental needs of children with specific disabilities. Principles, methods, practices and equipment used in occupational therapy. Functioning of adaptive equipment, assistive technology and special equipment as it applies to occupational therapy services.

ABILITY TO:

Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Organize and prioritize responsibilities. Work independently with appropriate supervision. Perform task analysis of underlying treatment components to address IEP goals.

SUPERVISION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

SUPERVISION:

Supervision is received from the Director of Special Education and/or designee. Work guidance may be received from the Occupational Therapist.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

ENVIRONMENT:

Is subject to inside and outside environmental conditions; may be required to use personal vehicle in the course of employment.

PHYSICAL ABILITIES:

Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate office equipment and therapeutic equipment. Hearing and speaking to exchange information, seeing to monitor student progress and read a variety of materials, bending at the waist, twisting, kneeling or crouching to assist students, require the ability to walk long distances, perform work which may involves pulling and/or pushing of objects (such as wheeled equipment, carts and wheelchairs) weighing from ten (10) to one hundred (100) pounds, lifting objects (such as therapy equipment) and students weighing up to seventy-five (75) pounds, occasionally carrying objects which approximate twenty-five (25) pounds and may weigh up to seventy-five (75) pounds, sitting or standing for extended periods of time. Note: The heaviest item to be lifted alone is fifty (50) pounds. Should an applicant require reasonable accommodation, the Director of Classified Personnel will consider that upon request.

HAZARDS:

May be required to work around foul odors, contact with dissatisfied or verbally and physically abusive individuals. May be unintentionally struck by students while providing physical assistance to students.

SELECTION PROCEDURES

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

To be considered for an employment opportunity with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, it is necessary for you to complete an official District Application and Supplemental Questions. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of an application. The application is part of the examination process and is part of your total evaluation of qualifications for employment.

THE EXAMINATION PROCESS:

For those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications, the examination process will consist of any one or more of the following: Training and Experience Evaluation, Written Test, Performance Test, and/or Structured Interview. Additional information pertaining to the examination process will be emailed to those candidates who meet the minimum qualifications.

EXAMINATION PROTESTS:

Protest of any part of the examination process must be in writing and received in the office of the Director of Classified Personnel no later than five (5) working days from the date you were notified of examination results. All notifications are sent electronically via email. Any protest must include rationale to support the protest and must be based on illegal discrimination, abuse of discretion, or procedure/process error. We are not responsible for any incoming mail that is lost or misdirected after it has been entrusted to the US Postal Service.

ACCOMMODATION FOR DISABLED:

If you have a disability that may require an accommodation in any of these examination procedures, please notify the Personnel Commission in writing at the time you submit your application.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ELIGIBILITY LIST:

This examination process shall be open to all qualified applicants and shall result in one integrated eligibility list. All eligibility lists shall be established in accordance with Personnel Commission rules and shall be established for a period one (1) year, unless otherwise noted, or until there are fewer than three (3) ranks of eligible candidates who are available. Candidates are placed on the eligibility list in rank order according to their final examination score. Final examination scores will not change, but ranking may change as other candidates are added or removed from the list.

ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT:

Generally, new employees start at the first step on the appointed salary schedule. When filling a permanent vacancy, a new employee may request a higher salary placement based on having training and experience that greatly exceeds the minimum qualifications. An employee may submit a formal request for advanced step consideration on or after the first day of employment. Education transcripts, training certificates, and additional references may be requested for verification purposes.

HOW YOU WILL HEAR FROM US:

All correspondence and notifications regarding this recruitment will be sent to the email address you provide. It is your responsibility to review, follow instructions, and respond to information in a timely manner; as if it was a function of your job. The provisions of this announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract, and any provisions contained in this announcement may be modified or revoked without notice.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR

JOB APPLICANTS

ACCOMODATION FOR DISABLED: If you have a disability that may require an accommodation in any of these selection procedures, please notify the Personnel Commission in writing and attach your request to the completed application packet. PREFERENCE POINTS: Seniority credit, based on length of service, is added to the final passing score of permanent employees. Veteran's credits are added for entry level examinations as follows: 5 points for non-disabled veterans; 10 points for disabled veterans. "Veteran" is defined as serving at least 30 days active duty during war or qualifying armed conflict. A DD-214 must be presented on or before date of the examination. ELIGIBILITY LIST: Candidates who pass the examination will be placed in rank order on the eligibility list. Final selection will be made from the top three available ranks only. When a promotional and open eligibility list is established, the promotional list will be used first. Eligibility lists are usually established for one calendar year. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT: All potential employees must provide evidence of their identity and authorization to work in the United States before they will be hired. State law requires employees to provide proof that they have had a recent negative tuberculosis test result. All new employees are fingerprinted and conviction records, if any, are checked. SALARIES, MERIT INCREASES & ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT: Salaries generally begin on the first step of the appropriate salary range. Permanent employees receive an increase after six months of continuous satisfactory service and equal raises based on merit at subsequent one year intervals for a total of five increases. Relevant experience and/or education in excess of entry requirements may permit employment at other than the first step. If employed at a higher step, salary increases are granted annually until reaching the end of the salary range. BENEFITS: Permanent employees will receive paid holidays, sick leave, vacation and longevity benefits per bargaining unit contract or Personnel Commission Merit Rules. The District offers a comprehensive package of insurance benefits to full-time employees and their families, which includes major medical and dental. (Permanent employees who work less than full-time, but a minimum of four (4) hours will contribute an amount proportionate to the number of assigned hours for major medical and dental.) Employees belong to the Public Employees' Retirement System to which the District makes contributions approximately equal to those deducted from the employee's pay. Assuring Equal Opportunities through the Merit System since 1938.

SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

PERSONNEL COMMISSION

1717 4th Street Santa Monica, CA 90401 The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District does not discriminate based on actual or perceived sex, age, ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, gender, mental and/or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, and a person's association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. (Revised April 2008) 01

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: The information you provide on this application will be used to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications. Please be accurate, truthful, and thorough in your responses as your application is part of the selection process. Referring to your application/resume, listing "see resume", or incomplete responses will NOT qualify as a response to any question and may result in DISQUALIFICATION .Your experience, education, training, and certification must be listed on your application in order to be considered. Any sign of deliberate misinformation or intentional exaggeration will result in disqualification from this examination process and possible bar from future employment opportunities with Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District.
~ I confirm that I have read, understand, and accept the above terms

02

Please read the following statement regarding compensation: New employees entering the CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT (COTA) position start on range 40, step A: $28.24 per hour. On the first day of employment, new employees will be given 60 days to submit a formal request for advanced step placement.Employees who have experience and education that greatly exceed the minimum qualifications may be considered for placement on steps above B. ONLY INFORMATION ON YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE ADVANCED STEP PLACEMENT. Transcripts, certificates, and additional references or materials may be requested for verification purposes.
~ I confirm that I have read, understand, and accept the above terms

03

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: Employees may receive compensation above the first step of the classification's salary range, but an employee's base salary will not exceed the top step of the range. The top step for CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY ASSISTANT (COTA) is $36.05/hour.
~ I confirm that I have read, understand, and accept the above terms

04

Select the option below that best corresponds with your employment status:
I am a current employee of SMMUSD
I am a former employee of SMMUSD
Neither of the above

05

If you are a current or former employee of SMMUSD, please list the year you were hired and your classification title(s).

If you are not a current or former SMMUSD employee, type N/A.
06

Certification as an Occupational Therapy Assistant from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is REQUIRED for this position.

Do you possess this minimum requirement?
Yes
No

07

Please list your NBCOT certification number:
08

Please list your NBCOT certification expiration date:
09

Licensure by the California Board of Occupational Therapy to practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) is REQUIRED for this position.

Do you possess this minimum requirement?
Yes
No

10

Please list your CBOT license number:
11

Please list your CBOT license expiration date:
12

Select the option below that best describes the amount of experience you possess working with students with various disabilities in a rehabilitative setting:
No experience in this area
Some experience, but less than one year
One year but less than two
Two years but less than three
Three years but less than four
Four years or more

13

Please provide a thorough description of your professional experience related to working with students with various disabilities in a rehabilitative setting. In addition to your experience, be sure to include the name of the organization(s) in which you gained the experience, dates of employment, and your job title.If you do not have experience in this area, please list "NA."
14

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT: The current vacancy is a full-time position (40 hours per week) based in Santa Monica. The selected candidate will be expected to work at both Santa Monica and Malibu school sites as needed.
I confirm that I have read, understand, and accept the above terms.
I am not interested in working a part-time position.

Required Question