Where the Melbourne OT jobs are
Melbourne occupational therapy roles are spread across Footscray, Box Hill, Dandenong, Werribee, Preston, Frankston, and the inner north. Many clinicians work across two or three sites in a week, so a current driver licence and a comfortable commute are common requirements for community, NDIS, and aged care positions.
Melbourne has a strong public health network, specialist paediatric and rehabilitation services, and a large NDIS provider market spread across the metro area. The mix runs from hospital rehabilitation and discharge planning to private paediatric clinics, aged care, and community caseloads funded through the NDIS.
Who hires occupational therapists in Melbourne
Major employers include Melbourne Health, Monash Health, Austin Health, Yooralla, and Scope. Alongside them, smaller private practices, paediatric clinics, and NDIS providers employ a significant share of Melbourne OTs, so there is usually more than one route into the local market.
Public health services in VIC generally advertise through central recruitment processes, while private and not-for-profit providers often hire directly. If you want a particular caseload or age group, it is worth approaching clinics before a role is advertised.
OT salaries and conditions in Melbourne
Advertised salaries in Melbourne typically sit between $82,000 and $112,000 depending on experience, setting, and whether the role is employee or contractor. Public health awards, salary packaging, and paid professional development can add several thousand dollars of value on top of the base figure.
New graduates should compare supervision and onboarding before salary, while experienced clinicians can negotiate for caseload caps, flexible hours, or a clinical specialisation. Always confirm whether travel time, report writing, and training are paid or expected outside billable hours.
Living and working in Melbourne
Melbourne's train and tram network makes some community roles possible without a car, but outer-suburban caseloads usually require driving. Housing costs and commute times vary sharply between the inner suburbs and growth corridors. Think about how far you are willing to travel between clients, whether you need parking, and whether public transport can get you to the sites you will visit. A trial visit or a conversation with a local clinician can save a lot of second-guessing.
Browse the live Melbourne vacancies below, or set up a job alert so new roles in your preferred setting reach you as soon as they are approved. If you are open to regional work, the state page covers roles outside the Melbourne metro area.
