<p>A brand-new acute care hospital opening in the Gainesville, Florida area is recruiting a founding Occupational Therapist to help build its inpatient rehabilitation program from the ground up. This is a full-time, hospital-based W2 role with a consistent schedule, a collaborative interdisciplinary team, and a $20,000 sign-on bonus — structured for both new graduates and experienced clinicians who want to shape a program rather than inherit one. The patient mix spans neurology, orthopedics, stroke, and cardiac populations, offering genuine clinical breadth in a stable acute care environment.</p>
<h3>Perks and Benefits</h3> <ul> <li>$20,000 sign-on bonus</li> <li>Relocation assistance available (evaluated case by case)</li> <li>Full-time W2 employment with consistent hours and patient volume</li> <li>Ground-floor opportunity to influence workflows, protocols, and program development from day one</li> <li>Interdisciplinary team support across physicians, nursing, and the full rehab department</li> <li>Open to new graduates as well as experienced therapists — onboarding structured accordingly</li> </ul>
<h3>Practice Highlights</h3> <ul> <li>Brand-new acute care hospital setting — purpose-built clinical environment with modern infrastructure</li> <li>Inpatient acute care caseload spanning neurology, orthopedics, stroke recovery, and cardiac rehabilitation</li> <li>Founding rehabilitation team — direct involvement in establishing departmental workflows and care standards</li> <li>Consistent, predictable schedule; no home health assignments or PRN travel requirements</li> <li>Collaborative model with physicians, nurses, and fellow rehab team members integrated into daily care delivery</li> <li>Diverse patient population providing broad clinical exposure across multiple service lines</li> </ul>
<h3>Qualifications</h3> <ul> <li>Active Florida Occupational Therapist license, or eligibility to obtain prior to start</li> <li>Bachelor's degree or higher in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program</li> <li>BLS certification required within 30 days of hire</li> <li>New graduates welcome; prior acute care or hospital-based experience is a plus but not required</li> <li>Ability to evaluate and treat patients, develop individualized treatment plans, and adjust care based on ongoing progress monitoring</li> <li>Comfort educating patients and families on recovery strategies and functional independence</li> </ul>
<h3>About the Community</h3> <p>Gainesville is a mid-sized university city in north-central Florida — home to the University of Florida and its nationally ranked academic medical center — offering a vibrant cultural scene, diverse dining, and a strong sense of community at a cost of living well below Florida's coastal markets. The area enjoys year-round warm weather, proximity to both Gulf and Atlantic beaches within two hours, and access to natural springs, state parks, and outdoor recreation that make it a compelling destination for clinicians seeking quality of life alongside professional growth.</p>