Clarification from the agency

Open to all US Citizens. 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 position serves as a Chaplain professional providing complete religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Serves as a primary resource, spiritual advisor and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Conducts religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services.

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Leads and offers prayers and religious services for Veteran patients, patient families, staff, and community.
• Conduct rituals in front of groups of people.
• Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff.
• Provides counseling services to patients and staff.
• Conducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are critically ill.
• Ministers to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned veteran patients.
• Provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families.
• Serves as a fully recognized member of an integrated multi-professional treatment team.
• Collaborates with treatment team professionals to discuss the recommended course of action, and other informed advice to attain the necessary therapeutic goals for the patient.
• Serves as professional clinical chaplain in specialty clinics.
• Maintains records and appropriately documents chaplaincy care services.
• Provides pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters.
• Develops measurable, outcome-driven, and evidence-based pastoral care; and creates staff development and wellness programs.
• Provides appropriate education and training to other healthcare staff and trainees.
• Coordinates with the appropriate VHA Chaplain Service officials and adheres to the department's guidelines.
• Maintains cooperative relationships with Medical Center personnel and individuals and groups in the community.
• Engages community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff.
• Administers ordinances, rites or sacraments; prepares and delivers sermons; arranges for the atmosphere and symbolism of worship; and conducts funeral services when needed.
• Provides pastoral care involving initial interviews, visits to the various units of the institution, and bedside ministry.
• Conducts spiritual assessments to identify patients' strengths and needs and creates plans for care in response to the moral injuries and spiritual distress of patients that enhance the Holistic Treatment of veteran patients.
• Provides crisis intervention and stabilization as required.

• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• This position is not a Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
• May be required to attend conference at other facilities or other VA sites on occasion.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.

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.
• May be subject to satisfactory completion of our credentialing process.
• 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.

• 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.

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: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Education: Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains (see paragraph d) is acceptable.
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement: In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint.
• Board Certification:
  • Certification: Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved certifications found on the National VA Chaplain Service SharePoint. Note: Provisional or Associate or other status as a candidate for board certification does not meet the board certification requirement for the FPL GS-11 or above.
  • Exception for Non-Board-Certified Chaplains:
    • Non-Board-Certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements, may be given a temporary appointment as a Chaplain under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2) not to exceed 2 years.
    • Non-Board-Certified Chaplains must provide proof of completion of 4 units of CPE as required by an approved board certifying body.
    • Non-Board-Certified individuals may only provide care under the supervision of a certified Chaplain at or above the FPL.
    • Non-Board-Certified individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until certification is obtained. Temporary appointments of non-board-certified Chaplains may not be extended beyond 2 years or be converted to a new temporary appointment.
• Failure to Obtain Board Certification: In all cases, Chaplains must actively work to meet requirements for board certification starting from the date of their placement into the occupation. At the time of appointment, the HR Office staff in collaboration with the supervisor will provide the employee with the written requirements for board certification, including the time by which the board certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming board certified by the deadline. Failure to obtain board certification during this time may result in separation from employment.
• Loss of Credential: Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain any of the required certifications (board certification, ecclesiastical endorsement, or when applicable a specialty certification) of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

• Knowledge of spiritual assessments to identify patient strengths and needs and documenting services provided.
• Ability to use the information of the spiritual assessment to create care plans in all dimensions of pastoral care.
• Ability to provide crisis intervention and stabilization.
• Skill in health care team collaboration to create and update treatment plans to address spiritual issues.
• Ability to ensure free exercise of religion for patients and staff.
• Knowledge of individual and group interventions to address spiritual and emotional needs of patients and families; providing referrals for continuity of spiritual care.
• Skill in the coordination of religious services respecting the faith tradition of individual patients.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in writing with persons of varied backgrounds

• Knowledge of advance care planning to educate, inform, and counsel patients and families.
• Skill in guiding patients in verbalizing and expressing values through life review, oral history, and end of life preparation and documentation.
• Ability to develop pastoral care programs that are measurable, outcome-driven and evidenced based within the department guidelines.
• Skill in counseling on medical and ethical issues, terminal diagnoses or crises, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties, and justice or confinement matters.
• Ability to support the development of staff resiliency and develop programs for staff development and wellness by providing spiritual and emotional support.
• Ability to educate and equip health care staff and trainees screening for spiritual and religious needs of patients and the importance of appropriate referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress.
• Knowledge of community needs to coordinate with community organizations to provide comprehensive spiritual care, utilizing outside community resources to meet the religious needs of patients that cannot be met by chaplain staff.

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.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred based on Veterans' Preference.

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.