Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens, but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.

Videos

Duties:

• The psychologist functions as part of an interdisciplinary primary care team, serving Veterans, primary care providers, and allied Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members. The psychologist will provide services for a wide range of concerns, resolving problems within the primary care service context. Behavioral health visits are brief (generally 20-30 minutes), limited in number (averaged 2-3 visits), and are provided in the primary care practice area. Visits are structured so that the patient views meeting with the team psychologist as a routine primary care service. The psychologist functions within fast-paced primary care teams and can expect to provide a variety of services for on average 5-8 patients per day in addition to consulting as needed with their PACT team members. The primary goals are assisting PACT team members with identification, treatment, and management of mental health and behavioral medicine conditions in the enrolled population.
• The incumbent PCMHI psychologist provides brief functional assessments using assigned templates, brief intervention, education, and consultative services regarding a wide range of mental health and behavioral medicine concerns, upon referral from primary care providers and allied PACT members. The incumbent PCMHI psychologist provides brief, time limited mental health and behavioral interventions face-to-face, via telephone, and via telehealth. The incumbent PCMHI psychologists see patients for an average of 2 to 4 sessions for a broad range of concerns including, but not limited to, mild to moderate depression and anxiety, grief/bereavement, pain, tobacco cessation, alcohol misuse, weight management, coping with chronic illness, stress management, sleep, relaxation training, non-adherence to treatment and other interventions will be provided as clinically appropriate, based on patient need.
• The incumbent PCMHI psychologist uses population based practice management strategies to include conducting brief assessments, based on 30-minute appointments, referring to Mental Health care services as appropriate, and using brief screening tools to track progress and inform care routinely (e.g., PHQ-9, PCL, AUDIT C, etc.). The incumbent PCMHI psychologist provides education to PACT members on behavioral health issues as well as consultation on tips for successful care management, even when there is no direct patient contact. Typical shift will match the primary care clinic's hours (e.g., 0730-1600 or 0800-1630), though occasional evening and Saturday hours (0800 to noon) may be required. When properly credentialed and licensed, the incumbent will operate independently in all areas, consulting with peers and supervisors when warranted.
• The incumbent psychologist will serve as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assist in their formulation of the psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations regarding her/his patients.
• The incumbent PCMHI psychologist will perform others duties as requested or assigned.

Work Schedule:

• Full Time
• 0730-1600 or 0800-1630

Telework: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN10HREDRPSLRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/
Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship
• English Language Proficiency
• Education - Must have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
  • OR, have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully completed are specialization program meeting both of the following conditions:
    • a) specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and
    • b) specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are am applying for;
  • OR, have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.***See Education below
• Licensure: Candidates must hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
  • Exception: Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (c)(2)(B) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.
• Internship: Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
• Experience: In additional to meeting the basic requirements as stated above:
  • GS-11 Level: no additional experience beyond the basic requirement
  • GS-12 Level: at least 1 full year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the GS-11 level
    • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
      • Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.
      • Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies.
      • Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.
      • Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties).
      • Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, and collaboration.
• • GS-13 Level: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. 1) active professional practice that was paid/non-paid employment and/or 2) a full, current and unrestricted license.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
    • Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.
    • Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health.
    • Knowledge of clinical research literature.

*Experience is only creditable for the Psychologist if it is post-doctoral degree experience as a professional psychologist directly related to the duties performed.

Preferred Experience: Primary Care Mental Health experience and/or behavioral medicine experience.

The full performance level of this position if selected as Psychologist is GS 13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS 11 to GS 13.

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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position involve standard office requirements such as using the telephone, retrieving files, writing reports, data entry and maintenance of computer databases, etc. Work is typically performed sitting at a desk and using a computer. This position may require occasional travel. The position requires periods of walking, standing, sitting and bending.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

• NOTE: You must include qualifying specialized experience employment periods in mm/yyyy to mm/yyyy format on your resume and indicate Full-Time or Part-Time (if Part-time, must include # of hours worked per week). AND, if you have held a Government position, that position's grade level MUST be listed on your resume; Failure to include all requirements in your resume will result in disqualification.

Please refer to USAJOBS Help Center - What should I include in my federal resume? for additional information on resume requirements.

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.

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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

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.