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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-8. At the GS-7 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-8. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds.

Duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Interviews applicants to determine eligibility for HUD VASH and assess Veteran's housing preferences and needs;
• Provides services to support Veterans seeking permanent housing;
• Meets with HUD VASH social workers weekly to update them on the Veteran's progress towards housing;
• Establishes working relationships with the PHA entities and landlords in the community;
• Provides information to Veterans about the leasing process, application materials, and deadlines;
• Monitors community housing supply and demand to inform Veterans and homeless program staff of available units;
• Performs other duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved

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 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
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Basic Requirement: The following are basic requirements for appointment as a Social Work Associate in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which all applicants must meet.

Basic Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in major fields of study such as: social welfare, sociology, psychology, public administration, philosophy, education, anthropology, history, economics and/or English. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) ~AND~

To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level, applicants must meet one of the following:

Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) year of experience as a social welfare worker or social work assistant in a voluntary, public, social, or health agency. Examples of qualifying experience include assisting with case management related tasks; working with a multi-disciplinary team; applying knowledge of community resources and local, State, and Federal benefits; and utilizing personal computers and software programs for communication, reports, and the maintenance of accurate statistics. NOTE: Qualifying experience must have been of a quality and scope to enable applicants to perform assignments typical of the grade level for which considered. For GS-7, applicants must have had 1 year of experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the next lower grade (i.e., GS-06) in the Federal service. (CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.) ~OR~

EDUCATION: You must have successfully completed one-full academic year of graduate level education with a major study in social sciences. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~

COMBINATION: You must have an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience as described above may be used to meet total qualification requirements. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

To qualify at the GS-8 level, applicants must meet the following:

Specialized Experience: Two (2) years of experience as a social welfare worker or social work assistant in a voluntary, public, social, or health agency. One (1) year of this experience must have been in a medical setting and equivalent to the next lower grade in Federal service. Specialized experience includes providing assistance and service support as prescribed by social workers in conjunction with patients' treatment plans; interviewing patients; handling referrals to social and health facilities; obtaining and compiling data; organizing mental health and medical treatment needs; and assisting with local, state or federal benefits and referrals for food, shelter, transportation, etc. 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.
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SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR (SCREEN-OUT) - A Selective Placement Factor (SPF) has been identified for this position. Selective Placement Factors (SPF) are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for the position. Applicants who do not meet the SPF are ineligible for further consideration.

The SPF for this position is: a current, valid state-issued Driver's License. (Note: We may not accept pictures. Please Do Not submit a copy of your license. This requirement will be verified if interviewed.)


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

• Intervention
• Oral Communication
• Patient Care
• Psychology
• Teamwork

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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; religious; 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.

Physical Requirements: Activities involve walking, standing, bending, climbing stairs, and carrying light items. The Social Work Associate is expected to provide case management and supportive services, to include early interventions, in Veteran's homes and community settings. This position requires the operation of a government-owned vehicles in support of official VA duties, including transporting veterans, supplies, or staff as needed. The incumbent must possess and maintain a valid drivers license. Some light physical activity is necessary when organizing materials for landlord engagement events.

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. 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.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

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.