Chair - Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program (OTD)

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in occupational therapy or related field (PhD, OTD, EdD, or equivalent) from an accredited institution.
• Current unrestricted license to practice occupational therapy or eligibility for licensure in Michigan.
• At least eight years of documented experience in occupational therapy, including clinical practice.
• At least four years of post-baccalaureate teaching experience.
• Administrative experience in program planning, implementation, personnel management, evaluation, and budgeting.
• A record of scholarship, professional service, and leadership.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ACOTE accreditation processes.
• Experience in curriculum development and innovation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Additional Information

• The OTD Program Director reports to the Associate Dean of the SHRS and the Dean of CHP.
• Rank and salary will be commensurate with experience. The university has excellent benefits including medical and dental insurance, retirement plan with match and tuition benefits for employees and their dependents.  

The College of Health Professions (CHP) provides a transformative education grounded in the Mercy and Jesuit traditions. We are committed to preparing compassionate and competent health professionals, who are dedicated to serving and leading while respecting diversity and human differences, valuing social justice, and advocating for equitable healthcare within a global society. UDM is ranked 43rd in the country and 2nd in the state of Michigan by the Wall Street Journal America’s Best Colleges 2025.

The values that guide this work are:

• Learning: We commit to academic excellence that fosters integrity, intellectual rigor, personal development, and student-centered learning in an environment that values reflection and inclusivity.
• Mercy: We commit to heartfelt solidarity with those suffering and in need, and to engage in transformative acts of mercy and justice; love, compassion, forgiveness, caring, and kindness.
• Justice: We commit to confronting oppressive systems as we recognize all persons’ innate dignity and uniqueness reflected in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the Mercy and Jesuit traditions.
• Service: We commit to selfless service and advocacy in recognizing and responding to the needs of all with a focus on the disadvantaged, underserved, and vulnerable populations.
• Community: We commit to collaborating with others at a local, national, and global level, whose mission is to improve health equity, eliminate health disparities, and enhance health outcomes.

Physical Requirements  

The job may require lifting lightweight objects (1 to 15 pounds) with no repetitive bending or stooping.

Work Environment

Regular exposure to a standard office and classroom conditions. Environment subject to change pending semester workload and inclusion/exclusion of clinical site to consideration of environment.

Salary/Pay Information  

Rank and salary will be commensurate with experience. The university has excellent benefits including medical and dental insurance, retirement plan with match and tuition benefits for employees and their dependents.

Anticipated Schedule  

Schedule subject to change pending semester workload and inclusion/exclusion of clinical sites.

Employee Benefits

At the University of Detroit Mercy, we continually strive to provide a high-quality, comprehensive benefits package to our valued employees. We offer our employees the following benefits: 

• Medical -

o Three health plans to choose from with a large national provider network

•Dental -

o UDM’s School of Dentistry FREE to you and your dependents

o Option to purchase additional dental plan through UNUM

•Vision – 

o Under United Healthcare, you are able to get one exam every 24 months

o Under Heritage Vision, an eye exam and lenses (not Frame) are provided every 12 months

        (Plans are available to employees to purchase as an option)

• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Accounts offered

• Employee Assistance Program -

o Provided to everyone in your household

• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability

• Life and AD&D 

o 1x base salary up to  Dollar One Hundred Thousand. 

• Option to purchase additional life insurance, accident insurance, and/or critical illness insurance

• Tuition Remission Benefit for you, your spouse, and children. 

• Retirement Plan -

o UDM provides matches up to 8%

Michigan’s largest, most comprehensive private University, University of Detroit Mercy is an independent Catholic institution of higher education sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and Society of Jesus. Detroit Mercy seeks qualified candidates who will contribute to the University’s mission, diversity, and excellence of its academic community. University of Detroit Mercy is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer with a diverse student body and welcomes persons of all backgrounds.