Physical Therapist

JOB TITLE: Physical Therapist

POSITION LOCATION: Peoria Service Center, 507 E. Armstrong Ave., Peoria, IL 61603

POSITION STATUS: Part-time opportunities are immediately available! Schedules are flexible and consistent from week to week.

POSITION SCHEDULE: Clinic hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 6:00pm (with the last appointment at 5:15pm)

What Could Your Day Look Like?

One day you're helping a child work toward a new mobility goal. Another, you're evaluating a stander through our Assistive Technology Clinic, working with a family on a home program, or using aquatic therapy to help a child build strength and confidence in the water. At Easterseals Central Illinois, your PT expertise can make an impact in many different ways.

About Us

At Easterseals Central Illinois, physical therapy is about more than exercises and milestones. It's about helping children participate more fully in the things that matter most to them and their families. As a Physical Therapist on our team, you'll work alongside children, families, and an interdisciplinary team to help children build strength, mobility, coordination, balance, and confidence while developing skills they can use in everyday life. You'll have opportunities to work across a variety of programs, specialty clinics, and settings, giving you the chance to build a broad range of clinical experience while making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and their families. 

Your Work May Include:

• Outpatient Pediatric Rehabilitation - Provide individualized physical therapy to children with developmental, neurological, and physical needs. Treatment focuses on functional mobility, motor skills, balance, coordination, strength, and participation in everyday activities and family routines.
• Aquatic Therapy - Bring therapy into the water and use the unique properties of warm water to support children working toward goals related to strength, balance, coordination, endurance, mobility, and functional movement. Our Peoria Service Center features a warm-water, zero-entry therapy pool, while our Bloomington Service Center has access to the Bloomington-Normal YMCA's therapy pool, located within the same building.
• Assistive Technology Clinic - Help children gain greater independence by evaluating mobility and positioning needs and collaborating with vendors and funding sources to recommend and obtain equipment such as wheelchairs, standers, and other adaptive mobility devices. You'll be involved throughout the process, including evaluations, equipment orders, fittings, and follow-up.
• Orthotics Clinic - Work with families and orthotic vendors to evaluate lower-extremity needs and recommend orthotics that support improved posture, gait, balance, flexibility, and functional mobility.
• Serial Casting - Use serial casting as a conservative treatment option for children experiencing joint contractures or restricted ankle movement. Through carefully planned, progressive casting, you can help promote muscle lengthening, improved alignment, and greater ease of movement.
• Early Intervention Services - Work with children under age 3 in their natural environments, including homes, daycares, and community settings. Partner with families and other disciplines to support developmental milestones and help integrate therapy strategies into everyday routines.
• Family-Centered Care - Partner with parents and caregivers throughout the therapy process. Develop individualized home programs, provide hands-on family training, and help families incorporate therapy strategies into their everyday routines.

Why Join Easterseals Central Illinois?

• A Career That Keeps Growing - Pediatric physical therapy at Easterseals offers opportunities to expand your clinical skills beyond traditional outpatient treatment. You'll have access to mentorship, continuing education, specialized clinics, and opportunities to learn from experienced clinicians across disciplines. Depending on your interests and the needs of the children we serve, you may develop additional expertise in areas such as aquatic therapy, assistive technology, orthotics, serial casting, and early intervention.
• A Team That Works Together - You'll never be working in isolation. Our interdisciplinary team includes Occupational, Physical, Speech-Language, and Feeding Therapists, along with behavioral and counseling professionals. You'll have opportunities to participate in case studies, medical staffing, caregiver meetings, and other team discussions where different perspectives come together to support the child and family.
• Therapy That Fits Into Real Life - Our approach goes beyond what happens in the therapy room. You'll work with families to address functional goals and participation in daily activities and family routines, whether therapy takes place at one of our service centers, in a child's natural environment, or through telehealth when appropriate.
• Opportunities to Teach and Mentor - As your experience grows, you may have opportunities to mentor new staff members, supervise Physical Therapist Assistants and clinical students, and share your knowledge with the next generation of clinicians.

See the Impact:

What Sets Us Apart

• A Pediatric Focus - Work with children and families throughout developmental stages, from early intervention through school-age services, while building expertise in pediatric physical therapy.
• A Broad Range of Clinical Experiences - Your work can extend beyond traditional outpatient treatment. From aquatic therapy and serial casting to orthotics, assistive technology, and early intervention, you'll have opportunities to apply your PT expertise in a variety of ways.
• A True Interdisciplinary Model - Collaborate closely with other therapy and support professionals rather than working in a silo. Your expertise is part of a larger team working toward the same goals.
• Time to Provide Quality Care - Our 60% productivity expectation allows time during your paid workday for documentation, care coordination, meetings, and other responsibilities that are an important part of being a therapist. When a client cancels, you are still paid for your scheduled time.
• Work-Life Balance - Enjoy a consistent Monday–Friday schedule with no nights or weekends, giving you predictable time outside of work.
• Quality and Accountability - Easterseals Central Illinois maintains CARF accreditation for Pediatric Specialty Outpatient Rehabilitation, reflecting our commitment to quality, safety, and continuous improvement.

Compensation and Benefits:

Compensation for this position falls within the range of $28.85 - 38.46 hourly. The final offer may be structured as either an hourly rate or a salary, depending on the role classification, and will consider several individualized factors including relevant experience, scope and responsibilities of the role, qualifications and credentials, talent availability and specialization, and organizational needs. This range is subject to change in the future.

Compensation is just one component of the total rewards package offered for this role. Easterseals Central Illinois offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the well-being of our team members:

• Paid Time Off & Holidays
  • PTO: Vacation, Sick, and Personal time available to employees working 16+ hours per week
  • Paid Holiday break: Employees working 16+ hours per week are eligible for the Christmas Eve through New Year's Day holiday shutdown
  • 5 Paid Holidays: Available to employees working 40 hours per week
  • Event Days: Earn additional PTO hours if you volunteer with us!
• Comprehensive Group Health Insurance Available to employees working 30+ hours per week
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance with multiple plan options
  • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent Care expenses
  • Employer-Paid Life and Long-Term Disability Insurance 
  • Voluntary Life and AD&D Coverage options for employee, spouse, and/or children
  • Supplemental Coverage Options: Short Term Disability, Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Plans
• Retirement Planning
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan with Employer Match
• Employee Support & Discounts
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for 24/7 confidential support
  • Exclusive Employee Discounts through PerkSpot and local gym partnerships
• Professional Development
  • Annual Professional Development & CEU Allowance
  • New Employee Referral Bonus 

Easterseals qualifies for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program

All benefits are subject to eligibility, terms, and plan guidelines.

Position Objective: The Physical Therapist functions as a member of the interdisciplinary treatment team, providing early intervention and medical rehabilitation services to individuals and their families.  The Therapist evaluates persons referred to the Center, establishes goals, and designs and implements specific treatment programs for individuals.  The Therapist assigns and supervises treatment programs to be carried out by support personnel where appropriate.

Job Functions:

• Completes initial evaluation and evaluation report(s) for each client. Establishes individualized therapy goals and generates data for Plan of Care, identifying appropriate treatment diagnoses and therapy recommendations.
• Completes progress notes every three to six months or as required.
• Provides direct therapy with a focus on client and family priorities addressing functional limitations and participation in daily activities and family routines at service centers, natural environments, and or by telehealth. 
• Participates in parent/guardian Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and multidisciplinary and caregiver meetings.  Attends medical staffing/case studies to participate in interdisciplinary team discussions.
• Reports cancellations and no shows to the scheduling team for proper documentation and action.  Accurately completes documentation and billing in EHR following payer guidelines. 
• Develops and instructs family members in home program activities and revises as necessary. Provides parent/guardian/family training during the session regarding HEP and therapy strategies.
• Participates as needed or requested in the smooth transition of an individual to a public school program or other placement as necessary. Corresponds with physicians and other professionals involved in the care/treatment of the client/family as necessary and documents in EHR.
• Attends program services meetings, discipline meetings, rehab staff meetings, case studies, and in-services.
• Completes competencies and maintains established departmental policies and procedures, safety and infection control standards, quality assurance, and accreditation standards of the Center.
• Ensures that all requirements for credentialing and licensure are maintained (e.g. Early Interventions credentialing, CPR, Illinois license, certification). 
• Provides Assistive Technology Clinic and Orthotic services, including evaluation, equipment orders, fittings, and follow-up as appropriate for clients served. 

Marginal Responsibilities:

• Mentors new staff members as requested.
• Fulfills contractual obligations as requested.
• Complete letters of medical necessity as needed.
• Participate in Clinics as requested.
• Supervises clinical students and Physical Therapist Assistants as requested.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with a degree in Physical Therapy is required.
• Must be licensed in the State of Illinois or eligible for licensure.
• Illinois Early Intervention credential or eligible for credential.

Easterseals Central Illinois is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Easterseals is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, call 309.686.1177.