The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) is assigned to Mental Health Service Line, within Vocational Rehabilitation Services program, St. Cloud VA Health Care System, VA Midwest Health Care Network, (VISN 23), Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, St. Cloud, MN.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties will include, but may not be limited to the following: Clinical Responsibilities: Determines the vocational goals and objectives of the Veteran based on referral from a professional staff member and by interviewing the Veteran. Determines the areas of vocational interests, and decides what services such as job seeking skills training, resume development, or interview skills training the Veteran may require to successfully obtain suitable employment. Counsels and guides Veterans through difficult transition in the adjustment to employment. Analyzes 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. Coordinates with various resources to locate potential employment and training (TW) sites in the community that will be specifically suitable from the standpoint of the needs and problems of the individual. Finds suitable employment opportunities, monitors placement, and promotes successful adjustment. Provides limited technical assistance to Veterans in the Career Center, and may facilitate groups (job prep groups, vocational information groups, job club, etc.). Administrative Duties: Networks with community employers, community agencies, and community businesses with the goal of developing professional relationships with these groups to assist program participants in obtaining and maintaining suitable community employment. 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 individual needs and problems. Maintains and evaluates data related to TW, SE and CWT activities. Performs other administrative duties as needed to advance the Compensated Work Therapy programs, such as preparation for Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) surveys. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, Evenings and weekends may be required *Driver's license and physical required* Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Telework: VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English? and SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Must have one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position? To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service. 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. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: Applicant must have two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or masters or equivalent graduate degree with a major study in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position, which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. One year of full-time graduate education is the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent one (1) year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, eighteen (18) semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: Must have an equivalent combination of education and specialized experience (as described above) to meet the requirements at the GS-9. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: CommunicationEmployee DevelopmentTeaching OthersTherapy and Counseling IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. 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/.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address St Cloud VA Medical Center 4801 Veterans Drive St Cloud, MN 56303 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]