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Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Occupational Therapist-NICU

Salinas, CA · On-site

$2.3K - $2.4K/wk

Occupational Therapist - NICU Location: Salinas, California Pay Rate: $ 2,300 To $ 2,460/Week Contract: 13 Weeks Schedule: Day Shift | 8:00 AM Start Experience: Minimum 3 Years of Occupational ...

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Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist information

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How much do internship neonatal occupational therapist jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for internship neonatal occupational therapist in the United States is $45.37, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $38.70 and $50.96 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an internship neonatal occupational therapist do?

An Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist works under supervision to provide specialized therapy to newborns, especially those in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Their role involves assessing and supporting infants with developmental, sensory, and feeding difficulties. Interns assist in creating treatment plans, educating families, and collaborating with medical teams to help premature or medically fragile infants achieve developmental milestones. This experience helps interns gain practical skills and knowledge in neonatal care before becoming fully licensed occupational therapists.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an internship neonatal occupational therapist?

To thrive as an Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist, you need foundational knowledge in pediatric occupational therapy, neurodevelopment, and completion or near-completion of an accredited OT program. Familiarity with standardized assessment tools, documentation systems, and evidence-based intervention protocols is typically required. Strong observation skills, empathy, and effective communication with families and healthcare teams are essential soft skills. These competencies are crucial for supporting the developmental needs of neonates and ensuring collaborative, family-centered care in sensitive clinical environments.

What types of hands-on experiences can I expect during an internship as a neonatal occupational therapist?

As an intern in neonatal occupational therapy, you will typically work under the supervision of licensed therapists within a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Your hands-on experiences may include assisting with developmental assessments, helping to implement sensory and motor interventions, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team (including nurses, physicians, and speech therapists), and participating in family education sessions. Exposure to a variety of cases will help you understand the unique challenges of caring for premature and medically fragile infants and develop essential clinical skills for this specialized field.

What is the difference between Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist vs Neonatal Occupational Therapist?

AspectInternship Neonatal Occupational TherapistNeonatal Occupational Therapist
CredentialsEnrolled in occupational therapy program, limited certificationLicensed occupational therapist with full certification
Work EnvironmentSupervised clinical internship in neonatal unitsIndependent practice in hospitals or clinics
Job RoleAssists with patient care under supervision, gaining experienceProvides direct therapy to neonatal patients independently

In summary, an Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist is a student gaining hands-on experience under supervision, while a Neonatal Occupational Therapist is a fully licensed professional providing independent care to neonatal patients.

What cities are hiring for Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist jobs?

Cities with the most Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist job openings:

What are the most commonly searched types of Neonatal Occupational Therapist jobs?

The most popular types of Neonatal Occupational Therapist jobs are:

What states have the most Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist jobs?

States with the most job openings for Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist jobs include:

Infographic showing various Internship Neonatal Occupational Therapist job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 9% Internship, 1% As Needed, 68% Full Time, 20% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $94,375 per year, or $45.4 per hour.

Neonatal Occupational Therapist

University of New Mexico

Albuquerque, NM • On-site

$39 - $51.25/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 29 days ago


University Of New Mexico rating

8.3

Company rating: 8.3 out of 10

Based on 56 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

128th of 629 rated colleges and universities


Job description

The Developmental Care Program has an exciting opportunity for an Occupational Therapist to join our team as a Neonatal Developmental Specialist and work in a collegial atmosphere and an inter-professional environment. We are a multidisciplinary team with an expertise in NICU developmental care and in the sequelae of medical diagnoses as they pertain to developmental outcomes for babies born preterm. Our team helps set the stage for how parents begin their parenting roles that can last a lifetime and we have a specialized focus on the family as the current and future "growers" and "nurturers" of the infants in our unit. Our practices are consistent with current evidence based knowledge.

The Neonatal Occupational Therapist will provide comprehensive developmental care services. These include needs assessment, treatment planning, and critical developmental therapy services to ill and/or developmentally high-risk newborns and families in a newborn intensive care environment, and at our follow up clinic. They will also design, develop, and manage developmental education and/or therapeutic programs, and provide consultation and training to NICU staff.

This position will require evenings, weekends and some holidays. 


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