The Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) are in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Regional Office (RO), RO Out-based office locations, VetSuccess On Campus (VSOC) school sites, or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) military installations. VRCs in the VBA provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling and case management services to veterans with service-connected disabilities and other eligible individuals.

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 purpose, objectives, services, and outcomes are developed by the VRC during the evaluation. The program's primary focus will be on helping the veteran find work and set goals and objectives to help them become more independent in their daily lives. Performs initial rehabilitation evaluations, entitlement assessments, rehabilitation planning, problem-solving and adjustment counseling, case management, including the coordination of all rehabilitation services, case documentation, employment services, and, as necessary, the administration and interpretation of vocation testing. Provides services for employer consultation, employment development and placement, career counseling, and vocational planning and assessment. Combines data from diagnostic tests and medical records to give a comprehensive picture of strengths, weaknesses, capabilities, and interests to help Veterans and Service members find suitable employment and/or increase independence in daily living. Partners with Vet Centers, career centers, local Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program, Specialists, Local Veterans' Employment Representatives, VA employment programs, and others to provide job search and placement services. Provides information and assistance with the VR&E program through individual and group sessions. Conducts counseling using a variety of approaches, including Tele- counseling, depending on the needs of the Veteran. Partners with administrators at schools, Vet Centers, military bases, and federal, state, and local agencies to determine the individual needs of service members and Veterans and to provide the essential assistance. 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 full performance level of this position is a GS-12. Work Schedule: Standard 5 day, 8 hours, Full time, Monday through Friday; Hours may vary to effectively carry out the mission. Compressed/Flexible: May be available per local agency guidelines Telework: Yes, per Agency guidelines. This is not a remote position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, GS-12-38542A, GS-11-38543A, GS-9-38544A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: N/A Financial Disclosure Report: Required-Selectee at the GS-12 will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-450, under 5 CFR 2634.904(a) prior to entering on duty and annually thereafter. This is a bargaining unit position. Physical Requirements: The work is performed mainly in an office environment with minimal exposure to injury. Frequent mental and visual concentration for computer usage and reading/assimilating technical information and for observing and recognizing behavioral cues. Requires the ability to receive detailed information through verbal and written communication, including active listening for rapport building and counseling. Alternates walking and sitting throughout workday.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
• Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements [Basic educational requirement, internship requirements, specialized experience and Time in Grade requirements] by the closing date of this announcement, 02/14/2024. QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED This position is covered by a single agency qualification standard, VA Handbook 5005/6, part II, appendix F2, dated June 3, 2004. All applicants must meet the Basic Educational Requirements and Specialized Experience described below, to qualify. BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS Satisfactory completion in an accredited college or university of all the requirements for a master's degree in rehabilitation counseling, including an internship; or a master's degree in counseling psychology or a related field, including 30 semester hours of course work in 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. Total graduate study must have included or been supplemented by a supervised internship. [For master's degree programs without a supervised internship/practicum, substitution is allowed for successful 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.] 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 1 or 2 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: There are no additional qualification requirements at this grade level. GS-11: Basic educational requirement AND Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the Basic Educational Requirements stated above, one year of post- graduate level professional vocational rehabilitation counseling experience, equivalent to the GS-09 level is required. OR In addition to meeting the basic educational requirements, successful completion of 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in rehabilitation counseling or counseling psychology; OR A combination of specialized experience as described in A, and more than two years but less than three years of education as described in B. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond two years by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. NON-QUALIFYING EXPERIENCE: Vocational rehabilitation experience obtained prior to completion of the requirements for the master's degree is not qualifying. If one year of work experience is credited for the Basic Requirement, that year cannot also be used for qualifying at the GS-11 level GS-12: Basic educational requirement AND Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the Basic educational Requirements stated above, one year of post- graduate level professional vocational rehabilitation counseling experience, equivalent to the GS-11 level is required. Specialized experience is defined as post-master's degree, professional vocational rehabilitation counseling work in delivery to adults with disabilities. Cases must have involved determining entitlement ranges from simple to complex. Direct delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to adults with disabilities in rehabilitation programs, other than those in correctional facilities. This experience must be equivalent to the GS-11 level. 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 For a GS-12 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-11 If you are a current VBA employee seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-09 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-12. 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. You may also submit additional SF-50(s) to clearly demonstrate one year time-in-grade as required in the announcement. If the most recent non-award SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate that you possess one year time-in-grade. In this instance, you must provide an additional non-award SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one year time-in-grade. If you previously held a higher grade, you must also submit any SF-50 showing that grade. 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

Transcript are required and must be submitted with your application.

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 Cleveland Regional Benefit Office Federal Building, 1240 East 9th St Cleveland, OH 44199 US
• Name: Rondel Parker
• Phone: 313-596-7215
• Email: [email protected]