Lower School Occupational Therapist
Apply NowCompany: Mary McDowell Friends School
Location: Brooklyn, NY 11226
Description:
Mary McDowell Friends School (MMFS) invites applications for a full-time Lower School Occupational Therapist beginning August 2025.
Position Overview
The Occupational Therapist will support the school's mission by evaluating and providing therapeutic intervention for our students.
Essential Responsibilities and Duties
The essential duties of an Occupational Therapist include, but are not limited to:
Diversity and Equity Commitments
Supervisory Responsibility
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time, ten-month position that follows the academic calendar. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a half hour paid lunch; faculty meetings occur every Tuesday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand and will be scheduled in advance.
Travel
On occasion, travel between campuses is necessary for meetings, which are scheduled with advance notice and are within walking distance from each other. School trips are also scheduled with advance notice, and teachers are required to chaperone day-long and overnight school trips.
Work Environment & Physical Demands
This position requires the ability to maintain the physical capacity required to navigate the school environment and to ensure the safety of the students. The ability to open filing cabinets and bend, sit, or stand for long periods of time is necessary. Classroom locations vary based on student schedules; this position occasionally ascends/descends stairs to teach from different rooms in the building. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets; and frequently moves classroom equipment weighing up to 20 pounds for various classroom and event needs.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Requirements
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Application
To apply, please upload a letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three professional references as a .pdf (preferable) or Word document. If your background and experience are appropriate for the position, you will be contacted directly by a member of our search committee.
We offer a rewarding work experience in downtown Brooklyn, NY, where we encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work. We recognize, appreciate, celebrate, and honor our diverse community as we build an awareness of who each individual is and who we are collectively.
Applicants who enhance the diversity of the school's faculty and administration are strongly encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more information on our school and a full list of vacancies .
In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $72,000 - $115,000. Mary McDowell Friends School considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, essential skills, internal peer equity, and market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Employment at Mary McDowell Friends School is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic origin, nationality, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, familial status, or any other category protected by the law. Mary McDowell Friends School's policy of non-discrimination extends to all employment practices, including but not limited to hiring, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination.
Position Overview
The Occupational Therapist will support the school's mission by evaluating and providing therapeutic intervention for our students.
Essential Responsibilities and Duties
The essential duties of an Occupational Therapist include, but are not limited to:
- Provide therapy and evaluate students during school-year programming and the summer extended school-year program (if necessary).
- Collaborate with school administrators for effective planning, coordination, and implementation of speech/language pathology programs into the total educational system, including services provided during the traditional school year and/or summer extended school year programs.
- Adapts and modifies the environment, including assistive technology and training instructional staff to meet individual needs and help students function independently.
- Keep abreast of best practices in occupational therapy.
- Investigate and apply new strategies to deliver student services by conducting or participating in continuing education/staff development.
- Coordinate and schedule services to best meet the student's needs.
- Complete treatment notes and progress reports promptly and according to school policy. Document all aspects of work with students according to school, state, and national guidelines
- Participate fully in the life of the school, including professional development, MMFS committees, weekly faculty meetings, regular supervisory meetings, and all school silence and staff meetings.
- Supervise student activities, including study hall, student trips (including overnight trips), advisory, student clubs, etc.
- Work collaboratively with the faculty, speech and language therapists, school counselors, social workers, and school psychologists regularly.
Diversity and Equity Commitments
- Understand and participate in all school-wide diversity and equity initiatives.
- Examine administrative practice through the lens of race, identity, equity, and privilege.
- Provide an equitable framework for leadership decisions.
- Support a school culture that allows for social identities to feel welcome.
Supervisory Responsibility
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time, ten-month position that follows the academic calendar. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a half hour paid lunch; faculty meetings occur every Tuesday from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand and will be scheduled in advance.
Travel
On occasion, travel between campuses is necessary for meetings, which are scheduled with advance notice and are within walking distance from each other. School trips are also scheduled with advance notice, and teachers are required to chaperone day-long and overnight school trips.
Work Environment & Physical Demands
This position requires the ability to maintain the physical capacity required to navigate the school environment and to ensure the safety of the students. The ability to open filing cabinets and bend, sit, or stand for long periods of time is necessary. Classroom locations vary based on student schedules; this position occasionally ascends/descends stairs to teach from different rooms in the building. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets; and frequently moves classroom equipment weighing up to 20 pounds for various classroom and event needs.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Requirements
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- MA required; special education experience a plus.
- OTR/L required.
- 1-3 years of experience; independent or charter school experience a plus.
- Strong oral and written communication with parents, children, and colleagues.
- Commitment to equity and justice, including knowledge and skills related to cultural competencies.
- The ability to create a classroom environment where students feel safe, supported, and challenged.
- Strong collaboration and teamwork skills.
- Growth mindset and ability to use feedback to improve practice.
- Familiarity with new technologies; GSuite and Veracross a plus.
Application
To apply, please upload a letter of interest, resume, and contact information for three professional references as a .pdf (preferable) or Word document. If your background and experience are appropriate for the position, you will be contacted directly by a member of our search committee.
We offer a rewarding work experience in downtown Brooklyn, NY, where we encourage employees to bring their whole selves to work. We recognize, appreciate, celebrate, and honor our diverse community as we build an awareness of who each individual is and who we are collectively.
Applicants who enhance the diversity of the school's faculty and administration are strongly encouraged to apply. Please visit our website for more information on our school and a full list of vacancies .
In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $72,000 - $115,000. Mary McDowell Friends School considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, essential skills, internal peer equity, and market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Employment at Mary McDowell Friends School is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, ethnic origin, nationality, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, disability, familial status, or any other category protected by the law. Mary McDowell Friends School's policy of non-discrimination extends to all employment practices, including but not limited to hiring, transfer, promotion, training, compensation, benefits, layoffs, and termination.