This position is within the Employment Services for Homeless Veterans at the VA Black Hills Health Care System in Hot Springs, SD. The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist is responsible for the ongoing orientation and training of the Homeless Services continuum in order to connect Veterans to the most appropriate VA and/or community-based employment services. Works with Medical Center staff to create a platform for homeless Veterans to obtain competitive employment with appropriate support.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-11. At the GS-9 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-11. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Provides information, pre-employment assessment, and workforce re-entry planning services, linkage, and coordination for VA and non-VA services, and community-based follow-up services to integrate Veterans into the community through competitive employment. Establishes respectful, effective relationships with Veterans and the clinical and administrative staff from a range of institutions, including community employers. Provides guidance and training to all homeless programs and staff across the VA BHHCS to enhance and result in competitive employment outcomes for Veterans. Serves as a liaison to local community providers of employment placement and support services for homeless Veterans. Establishes a local employment collaborative to include VA and non-VA members and community-based employers. Ensures competitive employment resources of varying levels of intensity are available for homeless and chronically homeless Veterans, both at the medical center and in the community. Coordinates rapid access and placement strategies for Veterans that reduce barriers to employment. Reviews cases at least quarterly to monitor performance and progress to ensure Veterans are receiving services leading to competitive employment. Serves as an advocate on behalf of Veterans with members of the employment collaborative and community employers, to ensure comprehensive service delivery resulting in competitive employment. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Telework: Ad Hoc- 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 This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following criteria: 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. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. AND DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: This position requires driving a government vehicle to perform the duties of the position, therefore, a current, valid state driver's license is required. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your current and valid state-issued driver's license. AND You must meet one of the following criteria to qualify at the GS-9 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) in Federal Service that has equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist GS-9. Specialized experience includes: a) 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; b) 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; and c) 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include what is stated above, as well as, but not limited to: establishing respectful, effective relationships with patients and staff; creating individualized assessments to determine level of support necessary for patients; assisting with the development of employment opportunities through community-based job development; and maintaining a database of referral and placement outcomes in order to provide feedback to fellow collaborators. NOTE: Your experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or two (2) full years of graduate level education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D. with a major study in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other field related to this position. This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. You must meet one of the following criteria to qualify at the GS-11 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9) in Federal Service that has equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist GS-11. Specialized experience includes: a) 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; b) 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; and c) 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. Examples of specialized experience would typically include what is stated above, as well as, but not limited to: establishing respectful, effective relationships with patients and staff; creating individualized assessments to determine level of support necessary for patients; developing employment opportunities through community-based job development; monitoring performance and progress through case reviews; and maintaining a database of referral and placement outcomes in order to provide feedback to fellow collaborators. NOTE: Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ EDUCATION: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M., if related, with a major study in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other field related to this position. This education must have been obtained at an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~ COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of successfully completed higher level graduate education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: CommunicationTeaching OthersTherapy and Counseling 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 VA Black Hills Health Care System 113 Comanche Road Fort Meade, SD 57741 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]