Inpatient Physical Therapist – Per Diem (Weekends/Variable)

Precision Physical Therapy & Fitness; Santa Cruz (CA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-call pay guaranteed

Flexible per diem hours

Inpatient training and onboarding

Opportunity to transition to full-time

Mentorship program

Job summary

Precision Physical Therapy & Fitness in Santa Cruz is seeking therapists to join its orthopedic inpatient team on a flexible per diem basis. You’ll help adult post-operative patients regain mobility while collaborating with nurses and surgeons in a hospital setting.

Expect 0–9 hour shifts, guaranteed on-call pay, onboarding with 4–8 weeks of inpatient training, and the opportunity to transition into full-time roles.

Qualifications

• California PT license required; PTLA not accepted.
• 6 months experience as treating PT (new grads welcome).
• BLS and required certifications.
• Strong communication and patient-centered care skills.
• Onboarding: 4–8 weeks with training specific to inpatient care.

Responsibilities

• Join orthopedic inpatient team and help adult post-op patients regain mobility.
• Collaborate with nurses and surgeons in a hospital setting.
• Work with variable hours and on-call schedule.

Skills

Communication skills

Patient-centered care

Education

California PT license (PTLA not accepted)

Job description

About Precision Physical Therapy & Fitness

A unique, mid-size city developed along Central California’s coastline, Santa Cruz is located just 2 hours north of Big Sur, 2 hours south of San Francisco, and 45 minutes west of the heart of Silicon Valley. Ours is a charming beach community including two state-of-the-art colleges and a reputable vacation destination for travelers from all over the world. Santa Cruz County offers epic coastlines, giant redwoods and several locally sourced, artistic city centers. Whether your perfect day includes mountain biking, wind-surfing, stand-up paddle, trail running or a simple stroll to your farm-to-table eatery, sushi bar or artisan ice cream shop, Santa Cruz has it all and year-round sunshine to match. Precision Physical Therapy & Fitness is proud to have been a staple of Santa Cruz County health care and rehabilitative services for over 15 years.

James Vegher, DPT, DNSCP and Chris Christensen, DPT, CSCS, DNSET, Precision's co-owners, partnered to open Precision Physical Therapy & Fitness with the goal to create a teaching and learning environment based on natural human movement where neither therapists nor patients are stifled by preconceptions about physical therapy. With a deep commitment to education, Precision Physical Therapy & Fitness offers mentorship to all new hires. James and Chris believe every patient should leave therapy having met their goals, with a better understanding of their body and tools to stay pain-free for life.

Join our orthopedic inpatient team and enjoy flexible, per diem work with guaranteed on-call pay! Help adult post-op patients regain mobility while collaborating with nurses and surgeons in a supportive hospital setting.

Why You’ll Love This Role

• Variable hours (0–9 hrs/day) – choose shifts that fit your schedule
• Guaranteed on-call pay (4 hours at on-call rate) + extra if called in
• Work with 2–5 patients/day, focusing on individual therapy and education
• Immediate documentation time paid – no unpaid paperwork
• Opportunity to transition into full-time roles

Qualifications

• California PT license (PTLA not accepted)
• 6 months experience as treating PT (new grads welcome)
• BLS and required certifications
• Strong communication and patient-centered care skills
• Onboarding: 4–8 weeks with training specific to inpatient care