Jobs and Careers

Physical Therapist

United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 8 May 2025

About the role

Department Overview

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, known as one of the pioneers in personalized cancer medicine, is an international leader in research and cancer treatment. Driven by its mission to end cancer as we know it, the institute is building upon its expertise in targeted treatments to advance the early detection of cancer when the disease is most treatable.

Every Knight Cancer employee is expected to embody our guiding principles:

We act BOLDLY—Breakthroughs require pushing the boundaries of science, exploring new frontiers, and thinking differently
We SUPPORT each other—Respect leads to trust, which leads to excellence
We work as a CONNECTED team—We must leverage our collective brain power to conquer cancer because no one individual can do it alone

Function/Duties of Position

The primary role of the physical therapist is to instruct a group exercise class 3 times a week as part of a large-scale randomized controlled exercise intervention in cancer survivors. In addition to teaching the 75 min class, the exercise instructor will be expected to maintain attendance records, monitor for and record adverse responses to the exercises among participants, and will be involved with participant retention activities such as calling participants who have missed class. The person hired for this position will work under the immediate supervision of the Intervention Supervisor to instruct the classes according to the protocol designed by the research team and maintain appropriate study related records. The ideal candidate will have an outgoing personality and the ability to relate well with older adults as well as strong communication skills both within a team environment and with participants; have strong organizational skills; and can demonstrate a commitment to maintaining the integrity and quality of data collection in a research environment. A current licensed Physical Therapist in the U.S., CPR/first aid certification and experience teaching exercise to older adults and/or a clinical population is required. A recognized fitness leadership certification such as American College of Sports Medicine and experience working with cancer survivors is a plus.

Key Responsibilities:

Instruct the classes according to the protocol designed by the research team
Expected to evaluate, correct form, and instruct participants on proper exercise technique.
Expected to keep attendance records and monitor for adverse responses to exercise among participants.
Will be involved with patient retention activities such as calling absent participants to encourage them to come back to class

Required Qualifications

Education & experience:

A license with the Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board as a Physical Therapist OR
Completed an accredited physical therapy educational program and be eligible to obtain an Oregon Physical Therapy license or temporary permit.
At the time of appointment must have at least a temporary permit
Experience teaching exercise to older adults and/or a clinical population

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Experience communicating with and teaching exercise to older adults and/or clinical populations
Ability to facilitate group interactions/dynamics in an exercise setting.
Ability to attend to details and complete assignments with minimal direction
Ability to communicate clearly, demonstrate a high level of professionalism and interact well with participants and research team
Experience working with Word, Excel, and other MS Office programs
Ability to work independently and as part of a team while being collaborative in resolving problems
Willingness to teach the exercise protocol with high fidelity.
Ability to encourage and motivate research participants to promote study adherence and retention.
Ability to collect data related to exercise sessions accurately and with a high degree of integrity.