Occupational Therapist

government schools; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Jennings Street School in Melbourne, Victoria, is seeking an Occupational Therapist to lead the school\'s OT service for students with autism. You will coordinate therapy across classrooms, work with Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, and families to support student well-being and learning outcomes.

New graduates are encouraged to apply; registration with AHPRA is required. The school emphasizes a collaborative, inclusive approach and professional learning through MDTs.

Qualifications

• Develop and deliver a comprehensive student-centred OT service for students with autism in an educational setting.
• Provide and support interventions addressing sensory processing, social learning, self-regulation, motor planning, functional skills, and play.
• Collaborate with school staff, families, and community services.
• Ability to work independently and accept supervision as required.
• Evaluate programs and outcomes with evidence.

Responsibilities

• Support functional, vocational, and social emotional learning within the school environment.
• Support our students to develop skills in writing and self-care.
• Collaborate and consult on meeting sensory and sensorimotor needs of our students.
• Support participation and independence for our students.
• Use standardised, observational, and formal assessment to support student learning.
• Coordinate programs and sessions with other allied health disciplines and teachers.
• Provide teacher and teacher assistant professional learning within the scope of Occupational Therapy.

Skills

Student-centred OT

Autism interventions

Team collaboration

Independent work

Program evaluation

Education

Approved OT qualification

Job description

Occupation: Health and allied health

Reference: 1551978

Location Profile

Jennings Street School is a prep to year 12 autism specific school with 120 students ranging in ages from 5-18. There is a strong focus on student well-being and building effective home school partnerships. Professional Learning Teams and an integrated service model including Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, and Psychologists form the basis for quality teaching, building staff instructional capacity, high standards of professional engagement, a strong sense of collegiality, and a culture of excellence. Jennings Street School currently has 16 classrooms across three learning centres and a team of Allied Health that work within each centre.

Selection Criteria

• Ability to develop and deliver a comprehensive student-centred Occupational Therapy service to individuals with autism in an educational setting
• Experience and knowledge in providing and supporting interventions that address sensory processing, social learning, self-regulation, motor planning, functional skills, and play for students with ASD
• Demonstrated ability to participate effectively in a team environment to develop collaborative working relationships with school staff, families and community services
• Ability to work independently, to accept supervision as required, and an ability to seek support and implement recommendations
• Ability to evaluate programs, interventions, your professional performance, and provide evidence of outcomes

Role

Range 4 is distinguished by broader management responsibility, particularly in the areas of finance, human resource and other support functions.Range 4 is responsible for managing a range of functions under a wide range of conditions, subject to the size and complexity of school operations.

Objectives will, generally, be clearly defined; guidelines will be broad and day-to-day direction minimal.Management responsibility extends to ensuring appropriate support levels are maintained across the school.Range 4 generally provides key support and timely advice to the leadership team and school council and liaises with the general school community, the Department and other government agencies and service providers.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor.Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Responsibilities

Support functional, vocational, and social emotional learning within the school environment.

Support our students to develop skills in writing and self-care.

Collaborate and consult on meeting sensory and sensorimotor needs of our students.

Support participation and independence for our students.

Use standardised, observational, and formal assessment to support student learning.

• Coordinate programs and sessions with other allied health disciplines and teachers.
• Provide teacher and teacher assistant professional learning within the scope of Occupational Therapy.

Who May Apply

• Individuals with an approved qualification in Occupational Therapy
• Registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• New graduates are encouraged to apply.

Diversity and Inclusion

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [e-mail]

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

• All staff employed by the department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.

Please note that the selection panel may seek additional referees beyond those you name. Consistent with policy, we shall advise you if we will take this action.

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.

Applications close Tuesday 24 November 2026 at 11.59pm