This position is being filled under the Pathways Recent Graduate Program. This program provides recent graduates with work experience directly related to their degree and career goals while offering eligibility for conversion to permanent employment upon completion of the program requirements. Click here for more information about the Department of Veterans Affairs' Recent Graduate Program.

Duties

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation, counseling, and case management services to disabled veterans and other eligible individuals. The primary emphasis of the Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Program is on achieving an employment outcome for the veteran. Duties are divided between counseling duties and case management and include, but are not limited to: Performs initial rehabilitation evaluations, entitlement determinations, rehabilitation planning, problem-solving counseling, adjustment counseling, case management including coordination of all rehabilitation services, case documentation, employment services, and administration and interpretation of vocation testing when appropriate. Assists the veteran in exploring and identifying rehabilitation needs, goals, and objectives. Provides individual and group counseling sessions to provide information and assistance with the program considering complete personal history, vocational and educational history, collection of data on limitations imposed by the veteran's disability, abilities, aptitudes, and interests. Serves as a Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP) coordinator for military service members with a service-connected disability. Provides a problem-solving counsel to a diverse adult population with a wide range of disabilities, supervising the veteran through his/her program of rehabilitation services, providing supportive guidance and counseling as needed. Provides case management services, which include coordination of rehabilitation services, documentation of progress and adjustment, and maintenance of case records according to VA regulations. 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. The grade progression for this position is GS-12. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Eligible per agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Recent Grad); 38544A, 38543A, 38542A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Required to sign a Pathways Program Participant Agreement and serve a one-year trial period.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:01/03/2024. RECENT GRADUATE REQUIREMENT: You must have obtained a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctoral, or technical/vocational degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two years. Preference eligible veterans who were precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their 2-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed 6 years from the date on which the degree (or certification) was completed. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Candidate must possess the specific education detailed below to be eligible for this position, please read the requirement description carefully. A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling that included an internship, OR A master's degree in counseling psychology (or related field) that included an internship in rehabilitation counseling and was supplemented by at least 30 semester hours of course work in a majority of the following areas (coursework MUST have an emphasis on vocational rehabilitation counseling): foundations of rehabilitation counseling, human growth and development, counseling theories and techniques, vocational assessment, career development, job placement, case management, and medical/psycho-social aspects of disability; OR A master's degree listed in the first two bullets WITHOUT a rehabilitation counseling internship. Where the internship was substituted for professional experience following completion of the master's degree. [Experience suitable for substitution must be one full year in direct delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to adults with disabilities in rehabilitation programs, other than those in correctional facilities. The experience or internship/practicum must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.] GS-09 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: There are no additional qualification requirements at this grade level. Education Substitution: None Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information. Volunteer Experience: 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. Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: This position is primarily sedentary.\ with some walking, standing, bending, and/or carrying lightweight items.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application. It must include your coursework and date of conferral of a Masters degree in vocational rehabilitation (or related) field.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

Contacts

• Address Oakland Regional Benefit Office 1301 Clay Street, Rm. 1400 North Oakland, CA 94612 US
• Name: Carol Fortin
• Phone: 000-000-0000
• Email: [email protected]