Physical Therapist

Each child grows at an individual pace, but research shows that a child's first three years are the most important time for learning. Getting help early puts your child on the right path to learn and develop at their full potential.

The University of South Florida Bay Area Early Steps Program holds the Children's Medical Services Early Steps contract for the Bay Area, which covers Hillsborough and Polk Counties. Early Steps is Florida's early intervention system that offers services to eligible infants and toddlers (birth to thirty-six months) with significant delays or a condition likely to result in a developmental delay. Early Intervention is provided to support families and caregivers in developing the competence and confidence to help their child learn and develop. Effective January 1, 2018, Early Steps eligibility expanded to include an At-Risk category.

 

Plans and implements specific treatment programs for individual patients according to the principles and practice of physical therapy and within the parameters prescribed by the attending physician. Develops, implements, monitors, and revises, as necessary, a program of corrective exercise and treatment for assigned patients.  Records progress notes and other appropriate material in the patient's record.  Coordinates and communicates patient progress and therapeutic goals with other team members.  Confers with physician on patient's progress.  Maintains equipment and orders supplies consistent with job specifications.  Performs related clerical work.

This position requires a Level II background check.

This position will involve clinical care. The position will provide direct clinical services to families and children served within the Early Steps program.   These services include evaluation and assessment.  Development of Individualized Family/Child Goals and Strategies on the Individualized Family Support Plan. Ongoing intervention including: developmental strategies, coaching and mentoring families, team based strategies. Ongoing progress monitoring of patients progress. Delivering difficult news to families; addressing family grief and fear in practice.

 

This position will participate in ongoing monitoring of internal and community providers related to program requirements.  Duties will include IFSP development, quality of intervention service and documentation, timelines, and other service benchmarks as documented in the Early Steps State Office Program Handbook and Operations Guide. This position will work with the Program Director, Assistant Program Director and the Community Compliance & Development Program Coordinator to implement the provider mentoring model in which benchmarks related to the Team Based Primary Service Provider approach are incorporated into their ongoing practice.  Duties include the development of internal agency processes to promote family centered care, the team based primary service provider approach and provision of services and supports within the child's typical routines.

 

This position will also be involved with education and training. The position is responsible for providing education and training to medical students and pediatric residents who rotate through the Early Steps program.  This position provides community training and mentoring related to clinical services provided to children and families through the Early Steps program.

 

Other duties as assigned.

A Bachelor's degree in a health-related field such as anatomy, physiology, biology, chemistry, or physics; and a graduate from a physical therapy program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. Requires Florida State Licensure as a Physical Therapist.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of