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 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-9/11/12. 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, This is a Bargaining Unit position. 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.

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
• 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.
• Recent Graduates may be converted to a career ladder position up to GS-12.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:07/09/2024. RECENT GRADUATE REQUIREMENT: The Pathways Recent Graduates Program is open to recent graduates who are legally permitted to work in the U.S. To be eligible.. 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 (or certification) was completed. (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) 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. 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 (2) Experience: One-year post-master's degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. OR c. 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. 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. 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

This position requires specific coursework and/or a degree to meet the basic education requirement. You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Your transcript(s) must clearly demonstrate the course(s) listed in the qualification requirement section. If the transcript(s) does not clearly demonstrate this you must submit a copy of the course description and/or other documentation demonstrating that the courses are equivalent.

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

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.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Contacts

• Address Chicago Regional Benefit Office 2122 W Taylor St Chicago, IL 60612 US
• Name: GHOST Northeast District
• Email: [email protected]