Physical Therapist

Equal Opportunity Employer

The mission of the Health Federation of Philadelphia is to promote community health by advancing access to high-quality, integrated, comprehensive health and human services. We believe in and are firmly committed to equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status.  This commitment applies to all aspects of the Health Federation of Philadelphia’s employment practices, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promotion.

JOB SUMMARY

Ambulatory Health Services (AHS) within the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) seeks a full-time Physical Therapist (PT) to serve as a member of the primary care team in a municipal health clinic. The ideal candidate demonstrates our key values:

• Mutual Thriving: Patient thriving is fostered by compassionate providers, individualized care, curiosity, clear communication, empowerment, education, and skill development within a caring and pleasant environment. Patients should feel heard, respected, and trusting towards providers. Provider thriving is fostered by purposeful and rewarding work, patient and community centered models of care, interprofessional collaboration, and development of expertise within a caring and pleasant environment. Providers should feel valued and appreciated, and in turn should extend compassion towards patients and colleagues.
• Complexity-Capable Clinical Reasoning: Addressing complexity that spans the biopsychosocial spectrum requires creative and collaborative application of evidence tailored for each individual patient. Care plans are based on evidence from wide-ranging areas of study, adapt to evolving needs, and are grounded in practical patient-, family-, and community-centered care. Goals of care are centered on skill building, self-efficacy, and living well with chronic conditions. Providers should feel energized by complexity and excited to problem-solve with their patients. Patients should feel cared for as a whole and empowered with knowledge and self-management skills.
• Mission-Aligned Practice: Aligning practice, conduct, and professional development with the mission and vision of PDPH and AHS to promote dignity, partnership, and improved health outcomes for the people and communities we serve.

3 positions are available starting in October 2026, February 2027, and May 2027.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Responsibilities/Duties

• PT provides assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of musculoskeletal and neuromuscular conditions for primary care patients of all ages, both walk-in and scheduled:
  • Managing and applying principles of therapeutic and preventative interventions for patients with chronic and acute conditions.
  • Supporting behavior change, self-efficacy, and skill building.
  • Recommending exercise, activity adaptation, education, and tools for self-management including non-pharmacological pain management.
  • Assessing and building upon patient strengths, coping skills, and preferences.
  • Using contextual factors and pragmatism to inform clinical reasoning, diagnosis, and plan of care.
  • Combining evidence and individualization to guide practice and improve function.
• PT serves patients in an Integrated Care capacity:
  • Collaborating as needed with medical, behavioral health, support staff, patients, family, community, and others.
  • Supporting management of evolving co-morbidities, health status, and contextual factors.
  • Treating the whole patient in the context of their movement and function, incorporating new issues as they arise.
• The employee is responsible for the day-to-day activity of the PT service:
  • Securing and maintaining the patient’s engagement, safety, and quality of life.
  • Interprofessional coordination and communication.
  • Trauma-informed, anti-disparate, and patient/family/community centered practices.

Education

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), or equivalent, from a CAPTE-accredited program
• Licensed PT in the State of Pennsylvania
• Direct Access Certificate within 6 months of hire or upon eligibility

Skills/Experience

• 1 year of experience with complex populations preferred
• Knowledge and experience preferred in the following areas:
• Collaboration within interprofessional teams
• Under-resourced populations
• Chronic medical conditions
• Mental health conditions
• Patient/family/community centered care
• Trauma-informed care
• Anti-disparate practices
• Substance use disorders
• Supervision of the work of extended care providers and students
• Experience using translation services
• Ability to communicate in another language in addition to English preferred but not required

**Work Environment:**Outpatient physical therapy clinic within primary care setting.

**Position Type and Work Schedule:**Fulltime position, Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, or as assigned. Future possibility for evening hours once a week and/or Saturday mornings once a month as PT program grows. 

Travel: Daily work is at one location. Occasional travel for meetings or to cover providers at other sites.

**Physical Demands:**Sitting, walking, and standing. Computer work. Able to demonstrate exercises and move/set up equipment. Patient management and safety (transfers, falls prevention).

Salary and Benefits: Our employees are our most valuable resource, so we offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, which can include:

• Medical with vision benefits
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life, AD&D insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Plan, with a company contribution
• Paid time off including vacation, sick, personal and holiday
• Employee Assistance Program

Eligibility and participation is handled consistent with the plan documents and HFP policy. 

DISCLAIMER

The Health Federation reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the Company desires. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an employee assigned to this position. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, responsibilities and/or skills to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied, or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “at will.” The aforementioned job requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified disabled individuals.