The position is located within with the Mental Health Integrated Care Community at Central Texas VA Health Care System. The position serves within the Vocational Rehabilitation team. The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) works within the Vocational Rehabilitation team and serves programs including Supported Employment (SE), VA Compensated Work Therapy Transitional Work Program (CWT-TW), Supported Education (SEd), Community Based Employment Services (CBES), and Vocational Assistance.

Duties

MAJOR DUTIES Skills Assessment and Training - 25% Interviews potential program participants in medical centers, Community Based Outreach Clinics (CBOCs), via VA telemedicine from various locations, and/or at locations within the community, utilizing the Vocational Assessment Profile (VAP), or from a referral from a professional staff member, utilizing Motivational Interviewing techniques to ensure the highest level of services. Analyzes information gathered in the interview and/or VAP to assist the program participant in identifying vocational interests and occupational areas in which they would like to target their job search activities. Determines the necessary services that need to be provided to the participant in order to successfully obtain suitable employment, such as job seeking, skills training, resume development, or interview skills. Provides training which meets established agency or Federal guidance for expenditure of agency resources. Develops individual assessments on training needs while considering requirements that meet the client's vocational goals and objectives may not be available in standard vocational or training programs. Analyzes mental and physical disabilities or other handicaps in terms of the practical effects on motivations, adjustment to training, and difficulty in employment placement. Documents all interactions with the participant and records the contact data into the Computerized Patient Records System (CPRS). Community Relations - 25% Develops extensive external professional relationships and networks with community employers, agencies, and businesses as an active participant in the community, 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 participant from the standpoint of their specific individual needs and problems. Maintains awareness of job and small business opportunities and sustains day-to-day contact with potential employers, placement personnel, or other likely placement resources. Job Search and Placement Activities - 25% Conducts rapid engagement with the program participant, scheduling consults within 2 business days of receiving a referral. Initiates conversations with the participant about work and introduces the idea of return-to-work activities. Engages participant in activities such as resume development, job seeking training, and interviewing skills instruction as soon as possible. Utilizes job finding techniques such as job carving- assisting employers with customizing a position to fit with the needs of a specific veteran- to facilitate the employment of the participant. Provides support and encouragement to participants including assistance with submitting resumes, completing applications, and job interview preparation. Monitors the progress of participants and provides constructive feedback to the participants with the goal of improving the probability of obtaining community employment. Job Retention and Program Support - 25% Provides ongoing support to participants upon obtaining suitable community employment, including assistance with problem solving, developing interpersonal work relationships, maintaining work performance and quality, and life management activities. Oversees the adjustment program, monitors the work of lower-graded specialists, approves any significant modifications to the placement contract, approves any new or potential employers for placements, training facilities, and VA Compensated Work Therapy Transitional Work Program (CWT-TW) placement sites proposed within the medical center or the community. Generates reports to include Excel spreadsheets, survey data, CPRS, and written reports on program progress for submission to the program manager, and/or the VA Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC) in accordance with established procedure. Manages the most difficult placement cases, including patients who are severely disabled by a physical, mental, behavioral, and other impairment (as well as those with multiple disabling conditions), and those disadvantaged by lack of education and skills, such as those with only a GED or no civilian work history. 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: Monday-Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist/PD00531A and PD06843A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/03/2023. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirements Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. Experience. 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. Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist GS-09 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 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 possess a master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Please note: Graduate education major study--vocational rehabilitation, vocational or education counseling, or other fields related to the position. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education as described above. Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist 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, but are not limited to: 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 possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Please note: Graduate education major study--vocational rehabilitation, vocational or education counseling, or other fields related to the position (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education as described above. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Therapy and Counseling Psychology Interpersonal Skills Computer Skills 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.

Education

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 sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.

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/.

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.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Contacts

• Address VA Central Texas Health Care System 1901 Veterans Memorial Drive Temple, TX 76504 US
• Name: VISN 17 SSU USAS Group
• Email: [email protected]