The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) position is located at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital Division (ALMD), in the Mental Health Product Line, within the Psychology Service department, of the STVHCS. The incumbent is assigned vocational rehabilitation duties throughout the hospital, its clinics, and within the community. The incumbent is under the direct supervision of the Director of Compensated Work Therapy programs.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/15/2025. 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-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. Individual Occupational Requirements Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. OR Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: counsels and guides Veterans through difficult transition in the adjustment to employment; coordinate with various resources to locate a training facility in the community that will be specifically suitable from the standpoint of the particular needs and problems of the individual; Develops strategies to engage Veterans who may be reluctant to actively pursue employment or risk a reduction of benefits; and coordinates with various resources to locate services and employment opportunities in the community that will be suitable for the individual program participant from the standpoint of their particular individual needs and problems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. (Transcripts required) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond a bachelor's degree. (Transcripts required) GS-11: 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: coordinates with various resources to locate services and employment opportunities in the community that will be suitable for the individual program participant from the standpoint of their particular individual needs and problems; helps the employer to understand the nature of the Veteran's limitations while maintaining a positive impression of the Veteran's capability to succeed; finds suitable employment opportunities, monitors placement, and promotes successful adjustment; and analyze mental and physical disabilities or other handicaps, in terms of the practical effects of such handicaps on motivations, adjustment to training, and difficulty in employment placement. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. (Transcripts required) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master's degree. (Transcripts required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Therapy and Counseling Psychology Communication Interpersonal Skills Analysis and Problem Solving 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: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (2-6 hours); Standing (2-6 hours); Both legs required; Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Both eyes required; Depth perception; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Ability to perform privileges; Ability to independently perform physical exam as appropriated to position; Emotional & mental stability Mostly sitting w/ some walking 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/.
Major Duties: Solicits and develops employment opportunities for Veterans suffering from psychosis through a wide arrange of employment search approached and activities within the local opportunity, industry, state, and federal agencies. Oversees and places patients assigned to various competitive employment positions within the Medical Center and the community through the Compensated Work Therapy Program. Provides and assists in arranging suitable placement of more severely disabled, difficult to place Veterans who may require more individualized treatment plans in vocational and academic training, community employment, and conducts follow-up and follow along services on these placements. Monitors and reports to the North East Program Evaluation Center the summary data utilized for the associated performance measures, which are involved in this initiative. Provides job coaching, job accommodation and adaption services to both Veterans with psychosis and to those employers who employ these Veterans either here at this Medical Center or within the local community. Provides Vocational Rehabilitation, including the assessment of intelligence, vocational interests, aptitude and abilities, through the use of clinical tests, observations, interviews, and specialized vocational assessment equipment. Provides and coordinates a variety of professional rehabilitation counseling and case management services. Assesses data received from medical and psychological reports, develops rehabilitation plans, and as appropriate, provides rehabilitation services. Provides personal adjustment and problem solving counseling, thus allowing treatment to continue on schedule by using effective counseling skills to determine the causes and extent of the adjustment problem and referring the Veteran, if the problem is unresolved after counseling, to other treatment professionals. Serves as case manager for patients within the Supported Employment Initiative within the CWT program. Serves as consultant to the interdisciplinary treatment team regarding patient's problems in his/her area of specialized knowledge. provides consultation on vocational rehabilitation for the interdisciplinary treatment team and other clinical staff. Establishes and maintains a liaison between the Medical Center and those organizations within the community which provides competitive employment opportunities for Veterans under the Supported Employment Initiative of the CWT program. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: 8:00AM - 4:30PM, Monday - Friday Telework: This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. (Ad-hoc only) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist/PD00441A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized