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***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-10. At the GS-09 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-10. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.

Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Addresses the complex needs of veterans with spinal cord injury, patients with amputations, paralysis, neurological disorders, orthopedic conditions, behavioral health, psychiatric diagnoses, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular diseases, and Veterans with multiple diagnoses.
• Provides in-service trainings to educate veterans, staff, and volunteers on program needs, changes and policies.
• Records workload through encounters; inputs scheduling data into the computerized patient record system (CPRS);
• Implements recreation programs, including required basic activities and those additional activities through available resources and desirables in terms of participant interests and needs.
• Coordinates with clinical staff to assist in activity preference assessment.
• Plans and assists the details of special events and federal holidays.
• Coordinates with VASDHCS public affairs and Volunteer Services and other as needed to arrange and plan events within the facility.
• Schedules and publicizes recreational activities, ensuring maximum effectiveness in attracting and motivating Veterans and in providing the widest possible range of activities in terms of interests and needs.
• Coordinates and manages the monthly/daily activity schedule to ensure compliance with standards of practice and facility requirements.
• Ensures safety of all patients and staff during programs, through infection control practice, basic life support certification, disruptive behavior reporting and deescalating behavior training.
• Coordinates referrals to the appropriate clinical discipline via the primary or supervising therapist when a skilled clinical intervention and/or evaluation is needed.
• Seeks volunteers (including Incentive Therapy, Compensated Work Therapy, Volunteer Work Study and others as needed) services for activities which could not be scheduled without such assistance.
• Interviews and selects volunteers and provides them with required orientation, training, supervision and management. In order to meet all program needs, provides transition training to outstanding volunteers to permit them to serve in new and different areas of the specialty field.
• Accounts for all funds involved and makes recommendations for improvements in funding and other support services. Annual purchase card training will be mandatory and provided.
• Provides guidance and leadership to the center staff on the various activities, modifications, adaptions, expansions, or otherwise changing plans and procedures for such activities as developments require.
• Arranges for supplies and services needed to accomplish scheduled recreation activities for Recreation Therapy Service.
• Requests funds and make purchases.
• Develops periodic program plans and projected annual budget needs with supporting data for inclusion in overall program plans formulated at higher organizational levels.
• Ensures that program emphasis is on those activities most appropriate to the interests and needs of the population served.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the following requirement(s):

GS-09 REQUIREMENTS:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in the Federal service that has given me the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Recreation Specialist, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of qualifying specialized experience for this position is: Planning, organizing, coordinating, supervising, or evaluating community, industrial, outdoor, institutional, or other recreational programs; Planning, establishing, or evaluating a recreational curriculum for junior college or higher academic levels; Instructing in the principles and techniques of recreational program planning and management; and/or Serving in a leadership role in the programs and activities of local, regional, and/or national recreational organizations. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. OR

EDUCATION: Successful completion of a master's or equivalent graduate degree or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related, that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Recreation Specialist position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR

COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet total experience requirements for this grade level. This education and experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Recreation Specialist position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

GS-10 REQUIREMENTS:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: One(1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of a Recreation Specialist, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Examples of qualifying specialized experience for this position are: Planning, organizing, coordinating, supervising, or evaluating community, industrial, outdoor, institutional, or other recreational programs; Planning, establishing, or evaluating a recreational curriculum for junior college or higher academic levels; Instructing in the principles and techniques of recreational program planning and management; and/or Serving in a leadership role in the programs and activities of local, regional, and/or national recreational organizations. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. OR

EDUCATION: Successful completion of two and one-half (2 1/2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Recreation Specialist position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR

COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year and one-half) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet total experience requirements for this grade level. This education and experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the Recreation Specialist position. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

AND

In addition to the requirements above, you must also meet the following Selective Placement Factor (SPF)

This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. (Your resume must reflect the experience as stated in the SPF)

The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience in an inpatient or outpatient health care setting.


You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Financial Management
• Patient Care

How you will be evaluated

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. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.