Clarification from the agency

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

Videos

VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY

Major Duties include but are not limited to:

• Involves the patient, family, significant others, and pertinent health care staff in the treatment process by ongoing communication through demonstration, instruction, team conferences, and chart documentation as appropriate to each patient's treatment goals.
• Assesses patient's learning needs, and plans and implements appropriate patient education programs, involving the patient, family, and significant others in the instructional process.
• Functions as a mentor in a wide variety of medical conditions and provides specific instruction and training to students and other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Provides instruction to patient and family in these areas as appropriate to their roles and level of understanding.
• Exercises originality in solving problems not covered by theses guides, making innovative adaptations and modifications of treatment plans and procedures to meet the varying needs of patients, and advises all other health care team members and students in this regard for patients with orthopedic/neurologic conditions.
• Professional and administrative management of an assigned area in a large physical therapy service or a rehabilitation service with multiple therapy related disciplines, including but not limited to the Physical Therapy (PT), Occupational Therapy, and Kinesiotherapy.
• Manage staff, maintain effective interdepartmental relations, and cooperate with other services to accomplish the medical facility's mission and goals.
• Develops performance standards, assures the program area is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements, designs and implements orientation and training programs for staff, and develops and maintains systems to monitor the performance of staff activities.
• Develops local policies and procedures relative to their assigned area.
• Responsible for determining resource needs, allocating resources, ensuring proper utilization in productivity, efficiency, and cost effectiveness of the operation.
• Formulates objectives and priorities and implements plans consistent with the long-term interest of the service or facility, capitalizing on opportunities and managing risks. Individuals at this level would generally be found at a highly complex facility.

Work Schedule: M-F 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Telework: ADHOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 71275-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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.
• Education and/or Experience. The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:
  • Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.-OR-
  • Master's Degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.-OR-
  • Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.
• PLEASE NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university.

Foreign Graduates - Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements if they have a current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.

• State Licensure. Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license to practice physical therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.
• English Language Proficiency. Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English.

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).

Grandfathering Provision. All licensed PTs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

• Employees grandfathered into the GS-0633 occupational series as PTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation.
• PTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard.
• PTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard and must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
• If PTs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:

GS-14 Physical Therapist (Service Care Line Manager)

Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. Advanced knowledge of evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in multiple professional areas.
2. Skill in managing interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution in dealing with a range of employees, discipline lead(s), and administrators.
3. Ability to translate extensive rehabilitation knowledge into local policy development.
4. Ability to effectively supervise staff by providing clinical and administrative oversight. This includes ability to manage resources, evaluate employees and assign work.
5. Ability to collaborate with strategic planning committees at local, VISN or national levels for new ventures addressing patient care delivery systems, facilities management, system reorganizations, etc.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14
.
Physical Requirements: Day to day work involves moderate lifting and carrying (15- 44 pounds); use of fingers; both hands required; walking (2-3 hours); standing (2-3 hours). Work may be alone and closely with others.

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.