Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to open to current, permanent VANTHCS employees, current, permanent Agency Employees, current, permanent Federal Employees, ICTAP/CTAP and Veteran Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) eligibles only.

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• Independently administers and scores neuropsychological assessment instruments, including complex standardized tests of intelligence (e.g., Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale), academic achievement (e.g., Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Wide Range Achievement Test), attention, memory (e.g., Wechsler Memory Scale, California Verbal Learning Test ), speech-language functions, visuospatial/constructional skills, and executive functions (e.g., Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System) as well as cognitive screening tools (e.g., Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status) and extended batteries designed to assess neuropsychological abilities. The instruments used include specialized, complicated neuropsychological assessment techniques, beyond introductory assessment knowledge, requiring more extensive training and skill in administration.
• Maintains an organized filing system of patient data in accordance with VA, Station, Service, and Clinic procedural regulations and ethical principles.
• Properly operates equipment and notifies persons authorized to initiate service of inoperative equipment or the purchasing of necessary supplies.
• Implements research protocols related to data collection, documentation, and analysis. This includes obtaining written informed consent for research projects and accurately entering data into computerized databases.
• Assists in the training of psychology students, pre-doctoral interns, postdoctoral fellows, and research technicians in the proper administration and scoring of neuropsychological assessment procedures, in the adaptation of assessment procedures to meet the demands of special patient populations, and in the policies and procedures regarding psychological assessment within Mental Health.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Psychology Technician/PD07261A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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
• 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)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until July 31, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be March 17, 2026, with subsequent cut-off dates on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/31/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Two years of technical work under the direction of a professional psychologist in a program of professional services, training or research. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Two full years of graduate study in psychology in an accredited college or university (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) .

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

1. Customer Service
2. Problem Solving
3. Attention to Detail
4. Manages and Organizes Information

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.

Note: 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.

Physical Requirements: Applicants must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing, or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant for appointment. The loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Reasonable accommodation may also be considered in determining an applicant's ability to perform the duties of a position. Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to: the use of assistive devices, job modification or restructuring, provision of readers and interpreters, or adjusted work schedules.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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.

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.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

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.