Exercise Physiologist - Cairns

Proactive Health is a national ecosystem of over 40 allied health businesses across 450+ locations in Australia. We unite independent clinic owners under a shared commitment to clinical excellence — providing the governance, development infrastructure, and operational support of a large network while preserving the personalised, community-driven care that smaller practices do best.

Our clinics operate as genuine multidisciplinary teams. Exercise physiologists work alongside physiotherapists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, dietitians, and social workers — not just sharing a building, but actively coordinating care and learning from each other every day.

We service clients across DVA, Medicare (EPC), NDIS, Home Care Packages, private health, and workers' compensation — giving our EPs one of the most diverse and clinically rich caseloads in the profession.

About This Clinic — Cairns

The Cairns clinic is a vibrant, community-focused allied health practice known for its commitment to patient-centred care and holistic rehabilitation. Situated in a regional area with access to a diverse client base, this clinic provides a great opportunity for an Exercise Physiologist to make a meaningful impact and grow their skills in a supportive multidisciplinary team.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

Exercise physiology is a profession with enormous scope — but too many roles narrow it down to one funding stream, one patient demographic, and one way of working. This role is different.

At Proactive Health, you'll work across the full breadth of what an Accredited Exercise Physiologist can offer. You'll design and deliver individualised exercise programs for people managing chronic conditions, recovering from surgery, building functional capacity after injury, navigating the NDIS, or simply working to stay mobile and independent as they age. Your clinical reasoning will be tested and developed — not dulled by repetition.

DVA is a significant and deeply rewarding part of our work. You'll support veterans across a wide range of presentations — from chronic musculoskeletal pain and cardiovascular conditions to mental health-related deconditioning and complex multi-morbidity. These are patients who deserve thorough, considered care, and DVA's no-gap funding model means you have the time and resources to deliver it properly. Beyond DVA, you'll also work with Medicare, NDIS, Home Care, workers' compensation, and private clients — keeping your skills broad and your weeks varied.

What Your Week Actually Looks Like

A typical day might include an initial assessment for a Medicare EPC client recovering from orthopedic surgery, followed by a group exercise class for NDIS participants focusing on functional mobility. You may visit a local aged care facility to deliver rehabilitation programs under Home Care Packages, and collaborate with our physiotherapists and dietitians for comprehensive patient management. The variety ensures ongoing professional growth and client engagement.

Day-to-day, you'll be:

• Conducting thorough initial assessments including functional testing, health screening, and exercise capacity evaluation
• Designing and delivering individualised, evidence-based exercise programs across clinic, gym, home, and community settings
• Managing a mixed caseload spanning DVA, Medicare (EPC), NDIS, Home Care Packages, workers' compensation, and private clients
• Running individual and small group exercise sessions tailored to each participant's clinical needs
• Collaborating with physiotherapists, podiatrists, OTs, dietitians, and GPs as part of genuine multidisciplinary care
• Monitoring progress, adjusting programs, and supporting patients toward meaningful functional and health outcomes
• Maintaining high-quality clinical documentation in line with ESSA standards and Proactive Health's governance framework
• Educating clients on self-management strategies, lifestyle modification, and injury prevention

What You'll Get From Us — Beyond the Salary

• Dedicated mentorship — you'll have a mentor in your corner, whether you're a new grad finding your feet or a mid-career EP looking to sharpen a specialty.
• The Proactive Health Academy — professional development partnerships that keep your skills current and your ESSA CPD obligations covered.
• Graduate and Leadership Programs — structured pathways for early-career clinicians and experienced EPs alike. Our graduate program is one of the most comprehensive in the sector.
• Clinical governance that has your back — quality assurance, supervision, peer review, and clinical frameworks that let you practise with confidence.
• The Hot Tub rewards program — discounts with The Iconic, JB Hi-Fi, Uber, Kmart, and more, plus access to our wellbeing centre.
• Real career progression — from clinician to senior EP, to team lead, to clinic management, to ownership. The path exists and people are walking it.

Requirements

• ESSA accreditation as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP), or eligibility for accreditation
• A recognised tertiary qualification in Exercise Physiology or Clinical Exercise Physiology
• Current professional indemnity and public liability insurance (or willingness to obtain)
• A valid Australian driver's licence and access to a reliable vehicle
• Current or willingness to obtain a National Police Check and relevant state-based screening (e.g., NDIS Worker Screening, Working with Children Check where applicable)
• Strong clinical reasoning, assessment, and program design skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills — you'll be coordinating with a wide network of practitioners and referrers
• The ability to work independently in community settings while contributing to a collaborative clinic team

Highly regarded but not essential:

• Experience with DVA clients or understanding of DVA funding and compliance requirements
• Experience across multiple funding streams (NDIS, Medicare, Home Care, Workers' Comp)
• Interest in chronic disease management, pain science, functional rehabilitation, or aged care
• Experience with group exercise programming
• Prior experience in private practice or community health

Benefits

→ A caseload that prioritises quality over volume — sustainable workloads that let you deliver care properly

→ A salary that reflects your value — $75K–$85K + super, discussed openly at interview based on experience

→ Dedicated mentorship — whether you're a new grad or mid-career, you'll have experienced clinicians around you who genuinely invest in your development

→ The Proactive Health Academy — structured CPD, professional development, and clinical education that keeps you at the front of your profession

→ Clear career pathways — senior clinician, team lead, clinic management, or clinic ownership. Your progression, your pace.

→ A Graduate Program that actually prepares you — structured, mentored, and designed to build confidence, not just fill a roster

→ Staff rewards and wellbeing support — retail discounts, wellbeing centre access, and a team culture that actually checks in on each other

→ The independence of private practice with the infrastructure and support of a national network across 450+ locations

Call to Action

If you're an EP who wants clinical variety, genuine mentorship, and the freedom to develop your career on your own terms — this is worth a conversation. We're building something in Mackay, and we want the right person, not just the fastest applicant.

Apply now, or contact Stuart Smith, Head of Talent at [email protected] or 0481 179 106 for a confidential chat.

Proactive Health is committed to fostering a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued, respected and given genuine opportunity. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with disability, and people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.