This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/586735600. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Travel is Required - valid unrestricted drivers license is required
Incumbent may at times transport Veterans in the provision of Vocational Services and must pass a driving physical.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist position is located at St. Cloud VA, in the Mental Health Service Line, within Vocational Rehabilitation Services program; assigned vocational rehabilitation duties throughout the hospital, its clinics, and within the community.
12/09/2020 to 02/26/2021
$46,499 - $73,943 per year
Salary Range listed is GS-7 Step 1 thru GS-9 Step 10
GS 7 - 9
2 vacancies in the following location:
No
Not required
No
Permanent
Full-time - Monday-Friday 8:00a.m. to 4:30p.m., evening and weekends may be required.
Competitive
9
No
No
CBSY-10984344-21-GLH
586735600
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Current excepted service federal employees.
Current federal employees of this agency.
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
Open to current permanent employees of this agency, and all other status candidates. Federal employees from agencies other than the Department of Veterans Affairs and other status applicants will be referred on separate certificates.
This is an Open Continuous Announcement. The first review/referral of applications will occur 15 business days after the opening of this announcement; after this date applicants will be reviewed as they are received.
VRS may be assigned to Transitional Work, Supported Employment, or Community Based Employment Services programs within Compensated Work Therapy (CWT).
Primary Purpose: The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) provides therapeutic services to Veterans
whose employability or job adjustment is impaired by physical, mental, emotional or other disability, or by
lack of basic education or job skills. The focus of services will be to promote optimal occupational
functioning of Veterans within the community by utilizing appropriate interventions that achieve the
vocational goals on the Veteran's Individual Employment Plan (IEP).
The VRS will independently carry out a wide range of cases involving special procedures. These
cases may require more intensive and extensive knowledge of disabilities or of other employment
handicaps, and of occupational information, in relation to the more complicated problems involved in the
training and job placement of the severely handicapped. They apply highly specialized knowledge of the
situation, the skill requirements, and the job demands, to estimate the probable success that the
handicapped individual will have in completing a training program and in being placed in employment in a
particular occupation.
The VRS also works closely with members of the interdisciplinary team including Physicians, Vocational
Rehabilitation Counselors, Therapists, Social Workers, and other care providers within the facility and in the
community.
MAJOR DUTIES:
The VRS determines the vocational goals and objectives of the Veteran based on referral from a
professional staff member and by interviewing the Veteran. The VRS also determines the areas of vocational
interests, and decides what services such as job seeking skills training, resume development, or interview
skills training the Veteran may require in order to successfully obtain suitable employment. Training
need determinations are difficult, as requirements that meet the Veteran's vocational goals and objectives
are not available in standard vocational or training programs. Determinations require the VRS to analyze
mental and physical disabilities or other handicaps, in terms of the practical effects of such handicaps on
motivations, adjustment to training, and difficulty in employment placement.
The VRS counsels and guides Veterans through difficult transition in the adjustment to employment. Will
help the employer or site supervisor understand the nature of the Veteran's limitations while maintaining a
positive impression of the Veteran's capability of success. The specialist evaluates the results of the program, professionally advocates for recommended changes and reports program progress in accordance with established procedure.
The specialist is typically involved in more difficult emotional and economic problems. Great skill and knowledge are required to encourage and motivate the individual to become self-sufficient. Cases can become long-term, and the VRS may be the primary point of contact between the Veteran and the agency during these periods of time that can continue for several years, particularly for those participating in Supported Employment.
The VRS may coordinate with various resources to locate potential employment and training (TW) sites in the
community that will be specifically suitable from the standpoint of the particular needs and problems of the
individual. The established programs require significant modification to accommodate the Veteran's severe
limitations. The specialist finds suitable employment opportunities, monitors placement, and promotes successful adjustment. The incumbent is knowledgeable about the impact of work efforts on various forms of disability income and of the available resources to minimize and manage risks to the Veteran. If the Veteran agrees to disclose, the incumbent helps the employer to understand the nature of the Veteran's limitations while maintaining a positive impression of the Veteran's capability to succeed. The specialist may handle difficult placement cases. Some cases will require substantial modification to environmental demands. Cases demand considerable ingenuity and persuasiveness on the part of the specialist to meet the limitations.
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: Monday- Friday 7:30a.m. - 4:00p.m.
Position Description/PD#: PDOCA-90457-A and PDOCA-90468-A
Travel is Required - Disregard the note below, valid unrestricted drivers license is required
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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview.Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/26/2021 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/10984344.
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/586735600. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
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OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?
Since 1924, the St. Cloud VA Health Care System (VAHCS) has delivered excellence in health care and compassionate service to central Minnesota Veterans in an inviting and welcoming environment close to home. We serve over 38,000 Veterans per year at the medical center in St. Cloud, and at three Community Based Outpatient Clinics located in Alexandria, Brainerd, and Montevideo.
http://www.stcloud.va.gov/