This position is in Mental Health Care Line (MHCL)/Community Outreach Division (COD) at the Cincinnati VAMC, Station 539, Cincinnati, Ohio. The employee serves as the Employment Specialist and carries out all duties related to obtaining and maintaining competitive employment for homeless or at-risk of homelessness Veterans who are referred by a homeless program provider or self-present for employment services.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/20/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Skilled in communicating effectively both orally and in writing, with agencies, faculty, and external entities. Skilled in exercising independent judgment, flexibility and discretion when setting priorities, implementing procedures, maintaining standards, and resolving problems. Knowledge of the organizations mission and operating programs, support organizations and functions, as well as specific techniques and analysis, to promote efficiency and effectiveness of the programs. Skill in analyzing problems to frame the issue, formulating alternatives to resolve, and presenting recommended solutions. Ability to choose, interpret, adapt, and apply pertinent guidelines. Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program. Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention. Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. (Transcripts Required) Major Study - Vocational Rehabilitation, Vocational or Educational Counseling, or other fields related to the position. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond progressively higher level graduate education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. (Transcripts Required) Major Study - Vocational Rehabilitation, Vocational or Educational Counseling, or other fields related to the position. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, but does require intermittent driving, standing, and walking. A valid driver's license is required. The work requires that the incumbent drive on a regular basis as a significant amount of their time may be spent in the community meeting with Veterans, employers and other community agency representatives. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
The Cincinnati VA Medical Center (CVAMC) is a two-division campus located in Cincinnati, OH and Fort Thomas, KY serving 15 counties in Southwest OH, Northern Kentucky, and Southeast Indiana with 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Bellevue, KY; Florence, KY; Lawrenceburg, IN; Hamilton, OH; Clermont County, OH, and Georgetown, OH. The CVAMC also supports two off main campus locations in the Cincinnati area via an Eye Center and Mental Health Outreach Community Division. Duties: Promotes optimal occupational functioning of clients within the community by utilizing appropriate counseling, job search, job development, and job placement interventions. Collects and organizes data on Veterans served as required. Conducts interview to determine the nature and level of intervention that may be required to assist Veteran in obtaining employment. Provides a range of services options that will meet both Incumbent's immediate and long-term employment needs. Provides both direct and indirect services including the following: Access to job listings, resume preparation, counseling regarding the impact of employment income on both VA and non-VA benefits and entitlements, negotiations with employers for reasonable accommodations, assistance with completion and submission of job applications, coordination of and transportation to job interviews, interview skills training, job development, job placement, ongoing support for job retention. Levels and types of services provided should be determined in collaboration with the Veteran with end results being competitive employment, employment maintenance or improved job status. The Employment Specialists will assess for a singular service (resume preparation) or job development and placement to order to achieve an improved employment outcome. Provides transportation to the Veteran for interviews, job fairs, and enrollment in school. Develops individualized employment plans to include interventions, goals, objectives, and outcomes. Conducts brief group or individualized training in job search, and resume writing. Collaborates with existing community partners and employers and to demonstrate unique expertise in the ability to forge new relationships with such entities. Receives and records information from employers regarding employment opportunities participates in job fairs and may take a leadership role in coordinating employment fairs and similar events for homeless Veterans. Reports to the HUD-VASH Supervisor or designated supervisor and is given assignments with general instructions. The GS-11 Employment Specialist carries out assignments involving a wide range of difficult cases independently and consults with Incumbent's supervisor and with colleagues in developing knowledge and applying agency policies and practices to new matters. Keeps supervisor informed of problems that arise during service delivery. Consults with supervisors and colleagues in developing knowledge and applying agency policies and practices. Requires the ability to provide employment services to individual Veterans who may be disadvantaged by a lack of education, job skills, or other background factors using an array of VA and non-VA community resources. Works closely with the Veteran and staff to mitigate the impact of these factors on job attainment and retention. Exercises sound judgment and problem solving skills in working with employers to insure a successful employment match for the Veteran and the employer. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Development Specialist/PD928730 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized