Recreation Therapy Assistants perform a variety of duties in carrying out activities which have been prescribed for physical and/or mental rehabilitation, the palliation of symptoms related to terminal illness, or to provide for veteran's quality of life at Medical Center. The Recreation Therapy Assistant with extensive practical experience may perform some of the professional therapist's functions, e.g., planning therapy treatment for veterans who are not critically or acutely ill.

Duties

Understands each veteran's skills and abilities. Effectively monitors each engagement in therapeutic or diversional recreation or creative arts therapy and improves understanding through direct supervision. Responsible for the comfort, wellbeing, and safety of the veterans in their charge. Assures that veterans are properly dressed for prescribed outdoor activities. Maintaining related equipment in proper working condition to the extent of cleaning, testing, adjusting, and minor repair. Participates in administrative functions that are necessary to maintain a safe and comfortable working environment. Accomplish departmental goals and objectives, and facilitate inter-departmental cooperation within VANIHCS Report major repairs to immediate supervisor and recommendations to the service regarding the purchasing of equipment and materials. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30am-4:00pm EST Compressed/Flexible: May be 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. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: PD91981-A/Recreation Assistant Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Permanent Change of Station (PCS): PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/05/2023. 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-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. 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-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Understands each veteran's skills and abilities. Effectively monitors each veteran's engagement therapeutic or diversional recreation. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed graduate education or an internship that is directly related to the work of the Recreation Assistant 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 combination of qualifying specialized experience and education as described above to qualify at the GS-6 level for the Recreation Assistant position. (Transcripts must be submitted). You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical ReasoningCommunicationInterpersonal EffectivenessTechnical CompetenceVeteran and Customer Focus 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 requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing or walking for prolonged periods of time; frequent bending, reaching, stooping, and stretching to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus; lifting and repositioning veterans; pushing or pulling heavy objects; leading or directing physical exercise. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity to perform intricate therapy procedures. 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

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 Northern Indiana HCS 1700 East 38th Street Marion, IN 46953 US
• Name: Chelsey Legg
• Phone: 7405421239
• Email: [email protected]