Occupational Therapist - New Entry Level

Occupational Therapist - New Entry Level

Location : Wellington Regional Hospital, Hutt Valley Hospital, Kenepuru Hospital

Contract : Fixed term (2 years), Full time

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is dedicated to serving all New Zealanders. Through integration and collaboration, we're building a health system underpinned by partnership, equity, sustainability, whānau-centred care, and excellence.

About the Role

Exciting Opportunity : Occupational Therapy Entry to Practice Program - Launching in 2026

We are excited to offer a new Occupational Therapy Entry to Practice program launching in 2026. This program is designed to provide support, structure, and clinical education to new graduates during their first 6 months of practice in physical health. It serves as a foundation for our well-established and embedded rotational program, which you will transition into after the initial six months. Both the Entry to Practice and Rotational programs are overseen and supported by the Occupational Therapy Clinical Educator.

As part of a 2 year fixed-term rotational program, you will have the opportunity to work across the district in Wellington, Hutt, and Kenepuru hospitals, as well as community services. The program includes a variety of clinical areas, competencies, and learning opportunities. We are offering 9 positions across the three sites under the Hospital and Specialist Services - physical health umbrella.

The Entry to Practice program will begin in orthopaedic or medical wards. Following this, the wider Occupational Therapy rotation covers inpatient rehabilitation, neurology / neurosurgery, community therapies, and community rehabilitation. During your rotation, you will gain experience in both tertiary and community hospital settings, each providing unique insights into local populations.

You will enter a structured mentoring program with clear clinical competencies to guide and maximize your clinical development. You will be supported by a Clinical Educator and work alongside friendly, fun, and enthusiastic teams, with leadership from dedicated Team Leaders in and around the Capital City.

If you are passionate about developing strong clinical foundations and continuing your learning as a new graduate occupational therapist within allied health teams committed to patient care, this may be the perfect opportunity for you!

About the Team / Service Location

Over the 2 years, you will rotate across the three hospital sites (Wellington, Hutt and Kenepuru) where we have many occupational therapists with breadth and depth of experience. We work in the acute settings, assessing and treating patients to contribute to successful discharges and acute hospital flow, as well as working in the community where the focus is on enabling independence and supporting people within their own homes and community settings.

About you

• Registration and current APC with Occupational Therapy Board NZ
• Excellent time management skills, problem solver and demonstrate initiative
• A clear understanding of the health needs of our Māori and Pacific Island communities
• Demonstrates ability to build rapport with patients, whānau and colleagues from all backgrounds
• A commitment to ongoing learning and development that is self-driven
• NZ drivers licence

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is 'the weaving of wellness'. We're dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of Aotearoa / New Zealand.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Health New Zealand are committed to being good employers and honouring our equal employment opportunity obligations. We embrace diversity and welcome application from all people, including all gender identities, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and disability. A workforce that is diverse and inclusive means that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We are pro-equity health organisation, with a particular focus on Māori, Pacific Peoples, and the Disability Community.

How to Apply

To apply please click 'apply now.' All applications must be submitted through our online careers' portal by 19 November. If you have any questions about the role, please contact

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advertisement.

Job details

Job Reference :

Job Reference : AH215-25

Location :

North Island - Wellington - Hutt Valley

North Island - Wellington - Porirua

North Island - Wellington - Wellington Central

Job type :

Job type : Contract / Temp Full time

Expertise :

Clinical - Allied Health - Occupational Therapist

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