This position is located at the Western Oregon Service Unit in Salem, Oregon and Warm Springs Service Unit in Warm Springs, Oregon. The purpose of this position is to provide case management/care coordination for patients requiring special health care needs. The incument reports to the Director of Nursing or designee.
A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).
Summary
This position is located at the Western Oregon Service Unit in Salem, Oregon and Warm Springs Service Unit in Warm Springs, Oregon. The purpose of this position is to provide case management/care coordination for patients requiring special health care needs. The incument reports to the Director of Nursing or designee.
A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).
The IHS is required by law to give absolute preference to qualified applicants who meet the Secretary of the Interior's definition of Indian for appointment to vacancies within the IHS in accordance with established IHS policy as outlined in the Indian Health Manual Part 7, Chapter 3.
Review outpatient consultations/referrals to determine if referral meets established criteria of current priority level, monitor for alternate resources available, justification for services requested, and referral request.
Collaborate with the Purchase Referred Care (PRC) department and medical providers to determine medical necessity and appropriateness of referral to make in house referrals when necessary.
Monitor patient status, ensure primary care teams are notified of progress of patient referral and determine if services being delivered as planned.
Respond to insurance providers and third-party agencies to insure maximum reimbursement to minimize I.H.S costs on clinical issues. - Maintain a tracking system for referred patients for admission to other healthcare facilities and perform chart reviews to determine timeliness of requested service to facilitate the return of patients to the service unit.
Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Direct Hire Authority. Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service. Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served, and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same.
This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.
Background Investigation Requirement:
This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.
A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.
Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.
Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.
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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
Individual Occupational Requirements NOTE: Employees currently assigned to positions in this occupational series as of September 2017 will be considered to have met the basic requirements for the position occupied.
Licensure
For all grade levels and positions, applicants must have passed the National Council Licensure Examination(external link). In addition, they must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a professional nurse from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.
Experience
The work experience must have equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. At the GS-9 and above grade level, many positions may require experience in a specialty area of nursing.
In addition to the above requirements, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
Basic Requirements for the GS-9 (or equivalent) Grade Level
In addition to the above requirements, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
Possession of a master's degree in professional nursing; or
At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-7 grade level or above) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, or bachelor's degree in nursing from a professional nursing program. Examples of experience include: Review outpatient consultations/referrals to determine if referral meets established criteria of current priority level; monitor for alternate resources available; justification for services requested; and appropriateness of referral request. Maintain system for tracking referred patients for admission to other healthcare facilities and performs chart reviews to determine timeliness of requested service to facilitate the return of patients to the service unit.
Basic Requirements for the GS-11 (or equivalent) Grade Level
Successful completion of a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree from a professional nursing educational program or related medical science field; OR
At least one full year of professional nursing experience (equivalent to the GS-9 grade level) and possession of a diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, or master's degree from a professional nursing educational program. Examples of experience include: Assisting and planning the coordination of the clinical component of managed care. Provide clinical and administrative recommendations relative to programs, committees and/or services that relate to fee senders and utilization management of patient referrals.
You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.
Education
This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.
Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)
Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit (Western Oregon Service Unit); This position is a Non Bargaining Unit (Warm Springs Service Unit).
Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 1-year service agreement will be required.
This position has promotion potential to the GS-GS-11 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.
You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.
How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants.
There is no "pass/fail" outcome; results are used as part of the overall evaluation process to determine applicant qualifications. However, if you do not take the assessment within the assessment window timeframe you will be found ineligible for this position.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.
You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Attention to Detail
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.
This position will be filled through the Office of Personnel Management's Direct Hire Authority. Category rating and Veterans' Preference will not be considered in evaluating applicants. For more information on Direct Hire Authority, please see OPM Direct Hire Fact Sheet. Your application (resume and supporting documentation) will be evaluated to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications required as listed on the announcement under qualification requirements. To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), you must substantively exceed the basic qualifications and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and any other requirements.
All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of 09/30/2026, to be considered.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records. For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432. Refer to BIA-4432 link: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS
Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application. You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
Licensure, Certifications: Applicants should list their license/certifications on their resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable. Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. .The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:
For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/
For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps
For additional questions please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found here: https://www.ihs.gov/jobs/faq/.
Western Oregon Service Unit
3750 Chemawa Road NE
Salem, OR 97305
US
Next steps
Stay Updated with Text Alerts
You can choose to receive text message notifications about your application status. To enable this feature:
Log in to your USAJOBS account.
Go to your Account Settings and select Notification Preferences.
Check the option to receive SMS/Text Messages.
Text message updates are optional and provided in addition to email notifications. Standard messaging rates may apply.
You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJOBS account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJOBS that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line eligibility questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJOBS Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement.
If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records. For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432. Refer to BIA-4432 link: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS
Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application. You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
Licensure, Certifications: Applicants should list their license/certifications on their resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable. Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside about two (2) hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. .The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:
For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/
For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps
For additional questions please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found here: https://www.ihs.gov/jobs/faq/.
Western Oregon Service Unit
3750 Chemawa Road NE
Salem, OR 97305
US
Next steps
Stay Updated with Text Alerts
You can choose to receive text message notifications about your application status. To enable this feature:
Log in to your USAJOBS account.
Go to your Account Settings and select Notification Preferences.
Check the option to receive SMS/Text Messages.
Text message updates are optional and provided in addition to email notifications. Standard messaging rates may apply.
You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJOBS account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJOBS that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line eligibility questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJOBS Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement.
If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
