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's 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 Veteran Readiness and Employment 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. If Converted-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-09, GS11, GS-12. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Hours may very based on duty location after selections have been made Compressed/Flexible: Per agency guidelines. Telework: Eligible per agency policy Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Remote: This is not a remote position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Recent Graduate); 38544A, 38543A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Required for the full performance level (GS-12) of the position. Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. This is a Bargaining Unit position.

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
• Recent Graduates may be converted to a career ladder position up to GS-12.
• Not to exceed 1 year using the excepted service appointing authority provided by 5 CFR 213.3402(b).
• Upon conversion to the competitive service from these programs, the employee is not required to serve a probationary period in accordance with 5 CFR 315.802

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/09/2024. RECENT GRADUATE REQUIREMENT: You must have obtained one of the following qualifying degrees, certificate, career or technical education programs: associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctoral, or technical/vocational degree or certificate (which may include Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Job Corps, Climate Corps, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps) 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 (certification and/or career/technical program) was completed. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification requirements as noted below. BASIC REQUIREMENTS: To qualify for the Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (VRC) position, candidates must meet the following basic requirements: a. Education. Successful completion of a master's degree (or higher) in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation services, clinical rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, career counseling or social work from an accredited college or university (MUST SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS). The Degree title must match. AND b. Internship or Experience Requirement. The required (1) supervised internship or (2) post-master's degree experience is described as follows:(1) Supervised Internship: The education described above must have included a supervised internship in rehabilitation counseling or case management specialization. The internship must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs. OR (1) Grandfathering Provision. VRCs employed in VBA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certifications that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:(1) VRCs who are grandfathered into the GS-0101 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level of a career ladder or changed to a lower grade within the occupation or placed in a supervisory or managerial position.(2) VRCs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not be extended or reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard.(3) If VRCs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation OR (2) Experience: One-year post-master's degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. Effective July 28,2023, VA Handbook 5005 was updated to change the VBA qualification standard for Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) in the GS-0101 series. All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement and Additional Requirements described below, to qualify. Minimum Qualifications for this GS-0101-09 Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor position: To qualify for the GS-09 grade level, you must meet the basic requirements as described above. Conversion Eligibility Requirements for Completion of Pathways Recent Graduates Program: (1) Facilities may noncompetitively convert a Recent Graduate who is a U.S. citizen or national to a competitive service term or permanent position when the Recent Graduate meets all of the following requirements: (a) Successfully completes at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all the requirements of the Recent Graduates Program. The 1-year period allows the completion of the trial period upon conversion; therefore, no further probationary and/or trial period following conversion is required. (b) Demonstrates successful job performance consistent with the performance appraisal program that results in a rating of record (or summary rating) of at least Fully Successful or equivalent and a recommendation for conversion by the first-level supervisor. (c) Meets the OPM Qualification Standard for the competitive service position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.

Education

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 Denver Regional Benefit Office 155 Van Gordon St Lakewood, CO 80228 US
• Name: GHOST Continental District
• Email: [email protected]