<p>A newly opening acute care hospital in Gainesville, Florida is recruiting a founding Occupational Therapist to join its inpatient rehabilitation team from the ground up. This is a full-time, hospital-based W2 position offering a rare chance to help build clinical workflows, shape a new rehab program, and treat a diverse patient population spanning neurology, orthopedics, stroke, and cardiac recovery — all within a structured, consistent schedule and a strong interdisciplinary environment.</p>
<h3>Perks and Benefits</h3> <ul> <li>Full-time W2 employment with consistent hours and stable patient volume</li> <li>Sign-on bonus available (case by case)</li> <li>Relocation assistance available (case by case)</li> <li>Hospital-based setting — no home health assignments, no PRN travel requirements</li> <li>Open to new graduates as well as experienced therapists, making this accessible at multiple career stages</li> </ul>
<h3>Practice Highlights</h3> <ul> <li>Brand-new acute care hospital opening in the Gainesville, FL area — ground-floor opportunity to influence department culture, protocols, and workflows from day one</li> <li>Inpatient acute care setting with a diverse case mix including neurological, orthopedic, stroke, and cardiac patients</li> <li>Founding rehabilitation team structure with strong interdisciplinary collaboration across physicians, nursing, and allied health</li> <li>Consistent schedule and predictable patient volume — not a float or per-diem role</li> <li>Responsibilities include evaluation, individualized treatment plan development and implementation, ongoing progress monitoring, and patient and family education to support recovery and independence</li> <li>Opportunity to grow professionally alongside a new program, with built-in exposure to a broad acute care patient population from the outset</li> </ul>
<h3>Qualifications</h3> <ul> <li>Active Florida Occupational Therapist license, or eligibility to obtain licensure prior to start</li> <li>Bachelor's degree or higher in Occupational Therapy required</li> <li>BLS certification required within 30 days of hire</li> <li>New graduates are welcome; prior acute care or clinical experience is preferred but not required</li> </ul>
<h3>About the Community</h3> <p>Gainesville is a vibrant mid-sized city in north-central Florida, home to the University of Florida and a well-established healthcare and research ecosystem that makes it an unusually dynamic market for clinicians. The city offers a lower cost of living than Florida's coastal metros, a lively arts and dining scene, year-round outdoor recreation including springs, trails, and lakes, and highly regarded public schools. Its central location puts both the Gulf Coast and Atlantic beaches within a two-hour drive, offering the best of Florida living without the congestion of a major urban center.</p>