Clarification from the agency

Open only to current employees of the Albany facility. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Serves as a Rehabilitation Counselor - SE Coordinator with responsibility for coordinating and assisting with the management of a VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Program that provides vocational and educational services. This role provides coordination for the CWT/SE component of VHA Vocational Rehabilitation.

Administrative

• Addresses the complexities of psychosocial rehabilitation factors and timely and high-quality outcomes consistent with statutes, regulations, and policies. Resolves issues associated with specific projects involving best practices and provides leadership and direction on project implementation.
• Coordinates workforce development (vocational, education, and placement of Veterans) services and/or customer service to successfully operate a rehabilitation program. Uses sound judgment and decision-making while initiating and leading interdisciplinary groups of staff to improve customer service while delivering Veteran-focused and outcome-oriented care.
• Provides input and guidance on program evaluations, strategic plans, and policy considerations to the Team Leader as appropriate for all interested VA entities and accrediting bodies.
• Monitors progress towards accomplishment of program goals and examines the benefits of process improvements.
  Provides consultation, coordination, oversight, support, and feedback to staff of their designated program area and student interns on work assignments, time and caseload management, and employment outcomes. Uses effective counseling skills to promote self-awareness, adjustment to disability, enhanced job retention and successful integration to the community and independent living.
• CWT/SE Coordinators: Markets and develops therapeutic work opportunities, provides customer service, and annual SE Program evaluation ensuring successfully operate a rehabilitation employment program. Prepares Memorandums of Agreement for the Voc Rehab Team Leader's approval and signature along with other necessary documentation to facilitate SE placement sites.

Clinical

• Provides a variety of rehabilitation services using counseling practices and evidence based and informed modalities to aid Veterans with severe disabilities in achieving competitive employment, educational, and independent living goals. These rehabilitation services involve personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, and professional counseling practices.
• Provides clinical expertise through the timely application of therapeutic interventions, case coordination, crisis intervention, interdisciplinary team consultation, rehabilitation plan development, and ongoing assessment and job development practices.
• Supports informed decision making while using professional judgment and counseling skills to assist the Veteran in identifying suitable competitive employment and placement opportunities. Conducts a skillful analysis of their abilities, aptitudes, strengths, needs, preferences, disability conditions, and resulting impairments to guide Veterans with severe disabilities and employment challenges in achieving their goals.
• Provide psychoeducational and/or psychotherapeutic groups to facilitate effective job search skills, employer-desired soft skills, work and life skills fostering independence and recovery.
• Consult and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to enhance coordination of care, ensure medical clearance, and provide for optimal timing of further interventions. Synthesize assessment information to identify barriers to employment and their vocational implications. Completes various quality assurance and improvement activities to improve services provided.
• Uses marketing strategies to develop collaborative partnerships/Memorandums of Agreement within the VA and the local business community to enhance employment and/or work opportunities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Ad-hoc, as directed by agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

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.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.
• Driver's License: A current, valid state issued Driver's License is required for this position. You will be required to provide your license at the time of interview and if selected, a clean driving record report from the DMV during the online onboarding process. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid state-issued Driver's License.
• Education:
  • A master's degree in rehabilitation counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a rehabilitation counseling program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). If the applicant's degree was granted prior to July 1, 2017, the program must be accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education. OR
  • A master's degree in counseling or clinical rehabilitation counseling from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). OR
  • A master's or doctoral degree in a related field of study with course content that emphasized rehabilitation, counseling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness, or human development from a college or university accredited by a national or regional accrediting body accredited by CHEA. OR
  • Foreign graduates with a degree acceptable by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC)
• Certification:Current, full and unrestricted certification as a certified rehabilitation counselor (CRC) from the CRCC to practice vocational rehabilitation counseling.
  • Exceptions for Graduate RCs:
    • RC graduates from an approved counseling or rehabilitation counseling program who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and the additional degree requirements for CRC certification by the CRCC, but do not possess the required certification, may be appointed, pending certification, as a graduate RC on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1)(D).
    • Graduate RCs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

GS-12 Grade Determination:
Experience: Completion of one year of professional experience at the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled.
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• Ability to address complexity of psychosocial rehabilitation factors and deliver timely and high-quality outcomes consistent with statutes, regulations and policies.
• Theoretical and practical knowledge of a range of rehabilitation service delivery systems for the administration and management of a clinical rehabilitation program.
• Ability to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups of staff utilizing sound judgement and decision-making to improve customer service while delivering Veteran-focused and outcome-oriented health care.
• Knowledge of applicable accreditation bodies and standards to ensure long-term compliance.
• Knowledge of business administration practices such as managing participant payroll, accounting, billing, marketing, workforce development (vocational, educational and placement of Veterans) services and/or customer service to successfully operate a rehabilitation employment program.

Preferred Experience: Experience with variety of rehabilitation services using counseling practices and evidence based and informed modalities to aid Veterans with mental health and other diagnosis in achieving competitive employment. Experience with adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions and case coordination services, and professional counseling practices. Ability to develop, maintain, and nurture employer relationships. Building Networks in the local community with businesses and employers to locate suitable employment opportunities for Veterans served. Clinical expertise through the timely application of therapeutic interventions, case coordination, crisis intervention, interdisciplinary team consultation, rehabilitation plan development, and ongoing assessment and job development practices.

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

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

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.

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.