Early Childhood Occupational Therapist

Position Title: Early Childhood Occupational Therapist    

Apply by: Priority application deadline of February 20, 2026. Position open until filled.    

Position type: This is a full-time, 40 hours/week, exempt position.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Our mission is to treat the social, emotional, and behavioral challenges of infancy and early childhood, and to support the caregiving relationships that are the foundation of early development. We are also committed to building a robust, well-trained infant and early childhood workforce.

We are seeking an occupational therapist to join our talented clinical team. In this position, you will be an integral part of a small team of highly trained infant and early childhood mental health professionals. At Cooper House, you will find a supportive environment where clinicians collaborate and share their expertise in partnership with parents and caregivers. Our Integrated Clinical Model pairs OTs with mental health therapists to address the unique needs of children ages 0-5. Our care is developmentally informed, relational, attachment based, trauma responsive, and culturally responsive.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide a range of services to children (birth to five years) and their families using our unique Integrated Clinical Model. This could include parent meetings, childcare consultation, consultation with other providers, and other work to support the child and family.
2. Maintain primary case responsibility, working with clients through all phases of treatment.
3. Collaborate with childcare professionals, school staff, and other service providers significant to the family’s wellbeing.
4. Collaborate with other Cooper House staff (including other Occupational Therapists and Mental Health therapists) on case formulation and treatment approaches.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Participate in creating and maintaining an environment that values diversity and does not discriminate in regard to race, color, age, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability.
2. Provide all services utilizing a developmentally minded, strengths-based and relationship-based approach.
3. Participate in weekly supervisory meetings and staff meetings with a collaborative attitude and self-reflective stance.
4. Further individual skills and expand knowledge base, particularly related to the DIR/Floortime model and diversity-informed tenets.
5. Engage as an active member of the Cooper House team by responding to colleagues in a timely manner, pitching in to assist on tasks, giving and receiving feedback, engaging in difficult conversations to grow relationships and skills, and building a culture of appreciation and connection.
6. Complete client paperwork and other assigned tasks in a timely and accurate manner to ensure daily operation of services.
7. Follow agency policies and procedures.
8. Perform other appropriate tasks related to your professional role as needed.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE, COMPETENCIES & QUALITIES

Minimum Qualifications

1. Passion for the mission and vision of Cooper House.
2. Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited college or university.
3. Valid Washington occupational therapy practitioner license. 
4. Experience or interest in the DIR®/Floortime model and understanding of OT principles that promote young children’s developmental and social-emotional capacities within the contexts of their important relationships.
5. Commitment to obtain endorsement from Center for Early Relational Health (WA-AIMH) as an Infant Mental Health Specialist category, within first two years of employment with Cooper House.
6. Ability to manage schedules, priorities, and work independently.
7. Strong written and oral communication skills, including openness to feedback and ability to present information concisely and effectively, both verbally and in writing.
8. High levels of integrity, trustworthiness, flexibility, compassion, playfulness, creativity, and persistence.
9. Commitment to maintain required reporting and tracking systems in a timely, thorough, and accurate manner.
10. Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and email.
11. Willingness to undergo a criminal background check.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

1. At least two years’ experience providing services with young children and families in support of sensory processing, motor, social-emotional, and developmental differences.
2. Working knowledge of Developmental, Individual Differences, Relationship-Based model (DIR®/Floortime™).
3. Certificate in Infant Mental Health from a recognized IECMH training program, endorsement from Center for Early Relational Health (formerly known as WA-AIMH) as an Infant Mental Health Specialist, or equivalent combination of related work and educational experience.
4. Knowledge, values, attitude, and skills to create a trauma-responsive environment that respects the perspectives and experiences of the individuals, families, staff and communities we serve.
5. Bilingual skills. We are particularly interested in OTs who are fluent in Spanish and English.
6. A working knowledge of:

• attachment theory
• social-emotional development of the young child
• adult mental health disorders and treatment approaches
• basic psychodynamic principles
• dyadic approaches to treatment with young children and caregivers
• concrete, developmentally appropriate strategies for supporting parents around topics such as sleep, toileting, etc.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

1. Submit a resume or CV, as well as a cover letter summarizing why this opportunity is a good fit for your experience and skills, via email to hiring@cooperhouse.org.
2. Title the subject line of your email with your name and position you are applying for (i.e., Simone Jones Occupational Therapist).

HOURS/SCHEDULE & LOCATION

This is a full-time (1.0 FTE), exempt position at 40 hours/week. This position requires a Monday-Friday schedule that optimizes overlapping hours with other clinicians, which may include some days beginning at 8 AM and other days ending at 6 PM.

Our offices are located in two beautiful historic buildings on Capitol Hill. Depending on your specific caseload, there may be opportunities to work remotely for some part of your schedule.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Our benefits include competitive compensation, with a salary range of $86,000-$115,000, dependent on experience and education. Benefits include full medical/vision/dental coverage, generous paid time off starting at 5 weeks a year, retirement account with 3% match, transit pass, and professional development stipend.

For more information, visit: Careers — Cooper House

For questions regarding accommodations, email: hiring@cooperhouse.org.