The Vocational rehabilitation specialist is assigned to the Behavioral Health Care Line, but is under the clinical and administrative supervision of the Supervisor of the Vocational Rehabilitation Program. This position is a full performance level Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist, but a trainee level, GS 9 may be considered who will work towards full performance level, GS 11.

Duties

The primary purpose of this position is to serve as an entry-level / mid-level Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (SE) trainee in Abie Abraham VA Medical Center (Butler, PA). The incumbent is given a variety of developmental assignments in order to broaden skills and provide experience for progressively more complex assignments. The incumbent continues to gain experience and to develop their knowledge, skill and abilities through the completion of more complex assignments and the exercise of increasing authority and responsibilityThe Vocational rehabilitation specialist carries out all duties related to attaining and maintaining competitive employment for veterans living with severe and prolonged mental illnesses who are assigned to his /her caseload through the Supported Employment Service in the Veterans Industries Program. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Finds suitable employment opportunities, monitors placements, promotes successful adjustment. Employer contacts can occur through direct consumer involvement, or advocacy on behalf of the clients, based on the veteran's treatment plan objectives. Develops strategies to engage clients who may be reluctant to actively pursue employment or risk a reduction of benefits. Supports clients in all work related tasks, including but not limited to: transportation, on the job training, dealing with co-workers and supervisors, ongoing and follow along supports, and compliance with specification of appropriate clinical support(s). Maintains day-to-day contact with potential employers, placement personnel, or other likely placement resources. Evaluates the results of the program and makes sound professional arguments for recommended changes. Reports program progress to the Vocational Rehabilitation Services supervisor or the Supported Employment Trainer/Mentor, in accordance with established procedures. Networks in the local community with businesses and employers that have a job lead which are directly related to the interests and desires of the veteran. Pursues employment contacts and supports clients in the community a minimum of 60 percent of the workweek. Negotiates with employers, when appropriate, to provide reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of clients, based on performing a worksite analysis. Facilitates relationships between clients and co-workers so as to enhance the client's job satisfaction and build natural supports in the workplace. Troubleshoots problems in the workplace that may require a vocational rehabilitation specialist to support the client through a situation related to work performance or co-worker/supervisor relationships. Assignments might include cases where the only means of vocation would be for the veteran to produce a good or service from his/her home. In this instance, the specialist must determine the need for the product and be able to assist in marketing the product. Helps the employer understand the nature of the client's limitations while maintaining a positive impression of the client's capacity to succeed. Reports program progress to the supervisor of Veterans' Industries in accordance with established procedures. Participates in team treatment and administrative meetings to be aware of any clinical concerns and shares strategies, progress, and needed support with other members of the treatment team. Contributes actively to the vocational rehabilitation strategies and supports the plans for all rehab clients served by the team. Communicates strategies developed to the treatment team. Participates in employment-related training opportunities as offered and recommended by the supervisor. Meets with the supervisor or participates in an appropriate supervisory arrangement, including telephone conferences, to receive clinical/administrative supervision and support in the implementation of vocational rehabilitation specialist duties within the context of the clinical team. Based on referrals from a professional staff member, determines the vocational goals and objectives of the client. 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: Mon - Fri, 8:00 - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not available Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehab Specialist/PD04866A Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Selective Placement Factor: The position requires that the incumbent must possess a valid state driver's license.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/22/2024. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7. 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: Specialized Experience: You must have 1-year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Demonstrate knowledge theoretical concepts and practice of vocational rehabilitation. Experience in job development, marketing and securing jobs. Knowledge of the program objectives of local, state, and federal agencies. Communicate with a variety of professional occupations. Articulate the support needed by the veteran with psychosis to individuals on multi disciplinary treatment teams. OR, Education For GS-09: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a master's degree or two(2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major study directly related to vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. OR, Combination of Education and Experience For GS-09: Do you possess equivalent combination of graduate education and specialized experience, as described above. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience directly related to the work of the Vocational rehabilitation specialist position and education as described above. Example, an applicant with 6 months of appropriate specialized experience equivalent to GS-07 (50% of the experience requirement for GS-09) and 1 year of successfully completed graduate education (18 semester hours), as is describe above, (50% of the education requirement for the GS-09) would qualify for a GS-09 position. For GS-11 you may qualify based on your specialized experience You must have 1-year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organizationand/or education as described below for a GS-11. Specialized Experience: You must have 1-year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 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 have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree with a major study directly related to vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. OR, Combination of Education and Experience : Do you possess equivalent combination of graduate education and specialized experience, as described above. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience directly related to the work of the Vocational Rehab Specialist and education as described above. Example, an applicant with 6 months of appropriate specialized experience equivalent to GS-09 (50 % of the experience requirement for GS-11) and 2 years of successfully completed graduate education (36 semester hours), as is describe above, (50 % of the education requirement for the GS-11) would qualify for a GS-11 position. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer ServicePartneringTherapy and Counseling 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: Although the typical work of a vocational rehab specialist is primarily sedentary, this position is different because it calls for the incumbent to actually be able to attend the work place with the veteran for a limited period of time and, if necessary, perform the job duties to demonstrate and reinforce them to the veteran. Therefore, lifting up to 50 pounds, bending, stooping, kneeling, reaching above the head, standing for long periods or walking long distances and performing repeated motions may be required. It will all depend on the veteran's needs, preferences, and job availability. Excessive standing 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

Note: 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address VA Butler Healthcare 353 North Duffy Road Butler, PA 16001 US
• Name: Paula Schubele
• Phone: 850-710-0150
• Email: [email protected]