How to hire an orthoptist

How to hire an orthoptist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step orthoptist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an orthoptist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new orthoptist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the orthoptist you need to hire. Certain orthoptist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An orthoptist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, orthoptists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents orthoptist salaries for various positions.

   Type of Orthoptist	Description	Hourly rate
   Orthoptist		$23-47
   Ophthalmic Technician	An ophthalmic technician specializes in providing eye care services to patients under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. Among their responsibilities include conducting interviews, taking notes of the patients' symptoms, conducting eye examinations and tests, administering medication, and performing support tasks for ophthalmologists during procedures... Show more	$14-29

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Prism
   • Eye Movements
   • Exam Rooms
   • Patient Education
   • Tonopen

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform Tonometry (iCare, Tonopen).
   • Perform clinic work-ups/manifest refraction utilizing EMR, program and maintain laser equipment, clinical photography, and assist physicians during surgeries.
   • Project management and event coordinator responsibilities; Dr. Garcia hosts and attends numerous continuing education events yearly.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your orthoptist job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An orthoptist salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an orthoptist in Alabama may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level orthoptist usually earns less than a senior-level orthoptist. Additionally, an orthoptist with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average orthoptist salary

   $69,904yearly

   $33.61 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level orthoptist salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average orthoptist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$86,886	$42
   2	New York	$83,728	$40
   3	New Jersey	$83,199	$40
   4	Texas	$82,606	$40
   5	Massachusetts	$80,409	$39
   6	New Hampshire	$79,126	$38
   7	Oregon	$78,926	$38
   8	Arkansas	$78,838	$38
   9	Illinois	$78,576	$38
   10	Louisiana	$77,467	$37
   11	Missouri	$75,401	$36
   12	Rhode Island	$69,962	$34
   13	District of Columbia	$68,875	$33
   14	Pennsylvania	$67,824	$33
   15	Michigan	$66,817	$32
   16	Tennessee	$65,403	$31
   17	Georgia	$65,325	$31
   18	North Carolina	$64,688	$31
   19	Indiana	$64,063	$31
   20	Wisconsin	$63,993	$31

   Average orthoptist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Children's Hospital of Michigan	$89,325	$42.94
   2	Sutter Health	$86,602	$41.64	6
   3	Children's Hospital New Orleans	$83,322	$40.06	1
   4	Boston Medical Center	$78,007	$37.50	1
   5	Children's Hospital Colorado	$74,766	$35.95	1
   6	LCMC Health	$72,210	$34.72	1
   7	Children's Hospital Los Angeles	$71,928	$34.58
   8	Mount Sinai Health System	$71,190	$34.23	1
   9	Children's National Medical Center	$70,307	$33.80
   10	Sutter Medical Foundation	$70,234	$33.77
   11	Eye Care Physicians & Surgeons	$70,021	$33.66
   12	Ascension Michigan	$69,855	$33.58
   13	University of California-Berkeley	$69,178	$33.26
   14	Scripps Health	$67,678	$32.54
   15	UCSF Health	$67,232	$32.32
   16	Vanderbilt University Medical Center	$67,208	$32.31	2
   17	University of California	$66,278	$31.86
   18	Touro College	$65,637	$31.56
   19	Arkansas Children's Hospital	$65,545	$31.51	2
   20	Children's Surgical Associates Ltd	$65,328	$31.41

4. Writing an orthoptist job description

   A job description for an orthoptist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an orthoptist job description:

   Orthoptist job description example

   We are looking for team members who are passionate about challenging and significant work for the good of every patient. We are searching for individuals who are compassionate, serve with a purpose, are dedicated to supporting their team, and who seek excellence every day.
   Sound like a perfect match? Apply now - we can't wait to hear from you!
   
   Schedule
   
   * Full Time
   * 40 hours per week
   * Monday - Friday; 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
   * No weekends or holidays
   
   Shift
   
   * Days
   
   This position provides skilled technical support for the diagnosis and treatments of ocular disorders in patients of all ages. Performs comprehensive and specialized ophthalmic examinations, interprets, evaluates, and communicates test results and prepares recommendations for patient treatment and management. Implements treatment programs and conducts follow up for designated patients.
   
   Bachelor's degree with coursework in orthoptics required. 1-3 years experience as orthoptist preferred.
   
   * Knowledge of theories, principles, and concepts of orthoptics required.
   * Possible rotation to Greenwood and Carmel clinics when needed.
   
   Safeguarding our patients and each other is an important part of how we deliver the best care possible to the communities we serve. As a condition of employment, IU Health requires all new hires to receive various vaccinations, including the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, barring an approved exemption. New hires will also be provided the option to submit proof of previous vaccination.
   
   We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion at IU Health. IU Health does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, national origin, gender identity and/or expression, marital status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find orthoptists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your orthoptist job on Zippia to find and recruit orthoptist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting orthoptists requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new orthoptist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the orthoptist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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