Physical Therapist II - Spine Clinical Specialist

Description

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Summary

UNC Hospitals Rehabilitation Services is seeking an experienced, motivated, and clinically skilled Physical Therapist II – Clinical Specialist to join UNC Therapy Services – Spine Center , located within the UNC Hospitals Imaging and Spine Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. This full-time position offers the opportunity to provide advanced, evidence-based spine rehabilitation within a collaborative academic medical center environment.

Our specialty spine program serves patients with acute, recurrent, and persistent cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and lumbopelvic conditions. Clinical presentations include spine-related pain with or without referred or radicular symptoms, mobility and movement coordination impairments, cervicogenic headaches, spinal stenosis with neurogenic claudication, and complex degenerative or traumatic conditions. The clinic also provides rehabilitation following spinal procedures, including cervical and lumbar fusion, discectomy, decompression, laminectomy, and other spine surgeries. Care is individualized to each patient's clinical presentation, postoperative precautions when applicable, functional goals, and stage of recovery, with an emphasis on restoring mobility, strength, functional capacity, and confidence in movement while supporting return to work, daily activities, exercise, recreation, and other meaningful pursuits.

Our team emphasizes comprehensive clinical assessment, differential screening, sound clinical reasoning, and individualized, active rehabilitation. Treatment integrates evidence-based therapeutic exercise, graded activity, movement and motor-control training, manual therapy when indicated, patient education, and strategies supporting long-term self-management. Clinicians have opportunities to collaborate with colleagues possessing advanced expertise in orthopedic physical therapy, spinal manual therapy, and Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT/McKenzie Method). We value the thoughtful application of specialized assessment and treatment approaches, including directional-preference strategies when appropriate, while maintaining an individualized, evidence-informed approach rather than reliance on any single technique or treatment philosophy.

A distinguishing feature of our practice is personalized, one-on-one physical therapy with primarily 45-minute evaluations and treatments . This care model supports comprehensive assessment, focused clinical decision-making, meaningful patient education, and individualized treatment progression. Appointment durations and clinical templates may vary according to patient needs and operational requirements.

Located within the UNC Hospitals Imaging and Spine Center, our clinic offers opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with spine surgeons, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, pain management clinicians, advanced practice providers, and other members of the spine care team. As a PT II, you will serve as an advanced clinical resource, contribute to the management of complex cases, support clinical mentorship and education, and participate in quality improvement, interdisciplinary initiatives, and specialty program development as appropriate to your role.

The ideal candidate brings substantial outpatient orthopedic and spine rehabilitation experience, advanced clinical reasoning, strong communication skills, and a commitment to clinical excellence, collaboration, and continued professional growth. Advanced orthopedic, spine, or manual therapy certifications are valued but are not required for consideration.

Work Schedule

• Full-time, 1.0 FTE, 40 hours per week.

• Day shift, generally Monday through Friday, with scheduling availability and flexibility for shifts within approximately 7:30 AM–5:15 PM.

• Specific start and end times will be established based on the selected candidate’s availability, clinic coverage needs, and operational requirements.

• Onsite at UNC Therapy Services – Spine Center, located within the UNC Hospitals Imaging and Spine Center, 1350 Raleigh Road, 2nd Floor, Chapel Hill, NC 27517.

Core Responsibilities

Advanced Spine Evaluation & Patient Care: Provide evidence-based physical therapy examination, consultation, skilled treatment, and patient and caregiver instruction for patients with complex cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacroiliac, and related neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Integrate clinical findings, patient preferences, and functional goals into individualized plans of care.

Clinical Reasoning & Differential Assessment: Perform and interpret appropriate musculoskeletal and neurologic examinations, functional measures, movement assessments, and specialty tests. Evaluate potential pain mechanisms, neurologic involvement, symptom response, and functional limitations; recognize red flags and indications for referral or additional medical evaluation. Reassess treatment response and modify plans of care accordingly.

Evidence-Based Spine Rehabilitation: Apply clinical reasoning to select interventions such as therapeutic exercise, graded strengthening and conditioning, motor-control and movement retraining, manual therapy and mobilization when appropriate, symptom modulation, and patient-directed self-management. Incorporate MDT principles and directional-preference strategies when clinically indicated and consistent with the therapist’s training and competencies.

Postoperative & Complex Condition Management: Provide rehabilitation following spine surgery in coordination with referring teams, incorporating procedure-specific precautions, tissue healing, neurologic status, functional progression, and return-to-activity goals. Manage persistent pain and complex functional limitations through individualized, biopsychosocially informed, active rehabilitation and appropriate interdisciplinary communication.

Patient Education & Functional Outcomes: Educate patients in symptom management, movement confidence, activity modification, therapeutic exercise, ergonomic considerations, and long-term functional independence. Use patient-reported and performance-based measures to guide clinical progression and evaluate outcomes, with attention to shared decision-making and realistic goals.

Documentation, Billing & Caseload Management: Maintain timely, accurate clinical records, charges, and required metrics according to departmental, payer, and regulatory standards. Manage a specialty caseload efficiently while meeting applicable productivity expectations, supporting access, and maintaining patient safety, clinical quality, and continuity of care.

Clinical Mentorship & Education: Serve as a resource to less experienced clinicians and rehabilitation personnel for complex spine cases. Participate in staff orientation, clinical teaching, competency development, and mentorship of students, residents, or fellows as assigned. Contribute specialty knowledge through case discussion, in-services, and evidence-based professional education.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Communicate effectively with spine surgeons, physiatrists, pain management teams, advanced practice providers, and other rehabilitation clinicians to coordinate complex care, clarify precautions, support appropriate referrals, and promote consistent treatment plans and outcomes.

Specialty Program Development & Quality Improvement: Contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of spine-related clinical protocols, specialty services, evidence-based practice initiatives, patient access improvements, and quality improvement efforts. Participate in clinical research, educational outreach, and departmental initiatives as appropriate to the role.

Professional Leadership & Service: Demonstrate advanced professional judgment, accountability, collaboration, and leadership in daily clinical practice. Support high standards of patient-centered care, participate in professional activities, and contribute to the growth of rehabilitation services and colleagues.

Why Join UNC Health?

Specialized Spine Practice: Focus on a diverse, clinically challenging spine caseload, from acute and postoperative rehabilitation to radicular conditions, persistent pain, and complex functional limitations.

Individualized, One-on-One Care: Provide primarily 45-minute evaluation and treatment appointments that support thorough assessment, patient education, progressive rehabilitation, and meaningful functional outcomes.

Collaborative Multidisciplinary Environment: Work within a specialty spine center and alongside experienced therapists and interdisciplinary physicians and providers, with opportunities for professional exchange and coordinated care.

Experienced Colleagues & Clinical Growth: Collaborate with clinicians experienced in orthopedic specialty practice, MDT/McKenzie, and advanced manual therapy. Pursue ongoing clinical learning and contribute to mentorship, teaching, specialty education, and quality improvement.

Professional Development & Career Opportunities: Explore continuing education, educational assistance, specialty certification and fellowship pathways, clinical instruction, program development, and advancement opportunities within UNC Health, subject to program availability, eligibility, and organizational policies.

Comprehensive Benefits: Eligible full-time teammates have access to competitive compensation, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, retirement options, wellness resources, and other UNC Health employee benefits, subject to applicable plans and eligibility requirements.

Other Information

Other information:

Education Requirements:

• Graduation from an accredited Physical Therapy program.

Licensure/Certification Requirements:

• Licensed as a Physical Therapist in the state of North Carolina.

• BLS

Professional Experience Requirements:

• Five (5) years of experience as a licensed Physical Therapist, including one (1) year in the specialty field.

• Outpatient orthopedic and spine rehabilitation experience strongly preferred, including care of complex nonoperative and postoperative spine conditions.

Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities Requirements:

• Advanced clinical reasoning and physical therapy examination skills for spine-related musculoskeletal, neurologic, and complex pain presentations.

• Ability to develop and progress evidence-based, individualized treatment plans and safely manage patients following spinal procedures.

• Effective communication, patient education, interdisciplinary collaboration, documentation, organization, and caseload-management skills.

• Capacity to provide clinical consultation, support mentorship and learner education, and contribute to team-based quality improvement and specialty service development.

• Ability to recognize indications for additional medical consultation or referral and uphold clinical safety and patient-centered care.

• Ability to perform physical responsibilities associated with physical therapy evaluation and treatment, with reasonable accommodations as applicable.

Job Details

Legal Employer: STATE

Entity: UNC Medical Center

Organization Unit: UNC Therapy Services

Work Type: Full Time

Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00

Salary Range: $38.55 - $55.43 per hour (Hiring Range)

Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity

Work Assignment Type: Onsite

Work Schedule: Day Job

Location of Job: US:NC:Chapel Hill

Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: Yes

This is a State position employed by UNC Health Care System with UNC Health benefits. If, however, you are presently an employee of another North Carolina agency and currently participate in TSERS or the ORP, you will be eligible to continue participating in those plans at UNC Health.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran or political affiliation.

UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. All interested applicants are invited to apply for career opportunities. Please email [email protected] if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and/or to apply for a career opportunity.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.