Clarification from the agency

This job announcement number is open to the Public - U.S. Citizens. | ALL Current and Permanent EMPLOYEES of VA and other Federal Agencies, APPLY TO THE INTERNAL job announcement no. CBSU-12985979-26-LS (link/click in box below). | Due to a critical staffing shortage, 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference for this job announcement. | **NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.**

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This Social Worker serves at the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care | Veterans Affairs. The incumbent performs and is responsible for a combination of clinical and administrative duties including but not limited to:

• Assessing the patients understanding of his/her diagnosis and proposed treatments.
• Conduct psychosocial assessment using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network distress thermometer with all new oncology patients in active treatment.
• Conduct social work transplant evaluations for all bone marrow/stem cell transplant candidates.
• Assisting the Veteran cope with the diagnosis of cancer.
• Providing education/instruction regarding self-relaxation and other coping strategies.
• Facilitating a variety of oncology support groups.
• Assessing treatment options considering a Veteran's financial, familial and other pertinent circumstances.
• Inter and Intra agency collaboration with Veteran's cancer care involves multiple entities.
• Provision resources and referrals (i.e. transportation to/from appointments).
• Educating Veterans about resources and referrals.
• Counseling individuals, couples, and other significant others as well as making referrals to mental health providers.
• Linkage to appropriate cancer support groups and educational programs.
• Facilitating communication between treatment team providers, Veteran and significant others.
• Facilitating familial discussion about illness, healthcare and life changes.
• End of life planning/preference designation of care with use of Advanced Directives and LST goals and preferences note.
• Discharge planning; inpatient and outpatient placements into residential care facilities, skilled nursing facilities, and alternative options.
• Addressing the impact of cancer on an individual's overall level of functioning (intimacy, body image, living as a survivor with uncertainty of remission).
• Advocating for home hospice or home health upon request of the Veteran.
• Assist in the obtainment of adaptive equipment that may Increase Veteran's safety at home.
• Provide coverage for programs within team.

Work Schedule: Full-time | Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
Telework: Ad-hoc ,as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 554-57997-0
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.
• 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 identification 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

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.
Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.

Education. Have a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Graduates of schools of social work that are in candidacy status do not meet this requirement until the School of Social Work is fully accredited. A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work. Verification of the degree can be made by going to http://www.cswe.org/Accreditation to verify that the social work degree meets the accreditation standards for a masters of social work.

Licensure. Must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

GRADE DETERMINATION | GS-12.

Experience and Education. One (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Experience must demonstrate possession of advanced practice skills and judgment, demonstrating progressively more professional competency. Candidate may have certification or other post-master's degree training from a nationally recognized professional organization or university that includes a defined curriculum/course of study and internship, or equivalent supervised professional experience.

Examples of specialized experience at the GS-11 include, but are not limited to: assessing and documenting identified behaviors or symptoms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or intimate partner violence; use of clinical social work skills; maintaining patient privacy and confidentiality per policies, handbooks or directives; acting as an advocate with appropriate community service providers and agencies when it serves the best interest of the patient and family members/caregiver; independently assessing the psychosocial functioning and needs of patients and their family members, identifying the patient's strengths, weaknesses, coping skills, and psychosocial acuity.

In addition the candidate must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

1. Knowledge of program coordination and administration which includes consultation, negotiation, and monitoring.
2. Knowledge and ability to write policies, procedures, and/or practice guidelines for the program.
3. Ability to supervise multidisciplinary staff assigned to the program.
4. Skill in organizing work, setting priorities, meeting multiple deadlines, and evaluating assigned program area(s).
5. Ability to provide training, orientation, and guidance within clinical practice.

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).

Preferred Experience: Medical social work experience, transplant evaluation experience, experience working with end of life issues, group therapy experience, hospice or palliative care experience.

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

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Typically, the employee sits comfortably while working. However, there may be some light exertion required when walking, standing, bending, or climbing stairs, carrying of light items such as papers, books, small objects, or driving an automobile. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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.