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Government · Healthcare

Recreation Therapist

National Institutes of HealthMontgomery County, Maryland, United StatesFull-time$85,447 - $111,087 per yearPosted Oct 22, 2026Closes Oct 26, 2026
Job description

About the role

Full text from the employer, as published on USAJobs, arranged into sections. Nothing added or removed.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: For this position, you must demonstrate that you have either: A. A bachelor's or higher degree in therapeutic recreation, art therapy, drama therapy, dance therapy, or music therapy. OR B.

A bachelor's or higher degree in a related field involving therapeutic emphasis or concentration that included at least 36 hours in therapeutic courses as follows: 18 semester hours of therapeutic recreation courses; and 18 semester hours that included a combination of abnormal psychology, human anatomy and development, disabilities, and general recreation. AND Additional Qualifications Requirements: A.

You must demonstrate 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: 1) performing individual recreation therapy clinical assessments of a patient's functional abilities related to cognitive, physical, social, emotional, educational, and behavioral domains; 2) planning and providing recreation therapy to patients in accordance with the Assess, Plan, Implement, Evaluate, and Document (APIED) process; 3) evaluating patients progress with recreation therapy; 4) collaborating with other therapists to identify alternative treatment options; 5)providing counseling to and education for patients and their families; and 6) providing individual and group treatment.

OR B. Completed 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field. OR C. A combination of post-graduate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Selective Factor: In order to meet minimum qualification requirements you must demonstrate possession of the selective factor of this position.

Selective factor include; You must be credentialed as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.

Do not copy and paste the duties or specialized experience from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy.

Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13092681

As a GS-0638-11 Recreation Therapist your duties may include but are not limited to the following: Performing comprehensive assessment of each patient to include the patient's strengths and limitations; conducting analysis of assessment data and performing clinical assessments; Providing individual and group treatment; Planning and carrying out a full range of treatment where therapeutic objectives are complex and the procedures involved require the application of highly specialized skills and knowledge; Devising or adapting equipment to carry out treatment with severely disabled patients; Employing different motivational techniques to obtain the participation of the patient in his/her rehabilitation; Creating and implementing a treatment plan based on physician referral information, assessment and information from the medical record.

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DGJ Insight

Our own data about this role and place, from official statistics and our live job index.

Updated Oct 24, 2026
Pay benchmark
Average wage, United States
$86,977 average / year

This job's listed pay is 13% above the benchmark.

This job: $85,447 to 111,087

Source: OECD Average annual wages, 2025

Work permit route
  • H-1B specialty occupation: Employer petition, bachelor's degree or higher in the specialty; annual cap and lottery
  • L-1 intracompany transferee: Employees of a related company abroad transferring to a US office
  • O-1 extraordinary ability: Evidence of extraordinary ability in sciences, arts, education, business or athletics

Official routes: USCIS

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