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Occupational Therapist Clinical Education Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Raymond G Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
This job announcement has closed

Summary

Incumbent functions as the NMVAHCS Occupational therapy Clinical Education Coordinator. The Incumbent possesses advanced knowledge of contemporary Occupational Therapy across multiple areas of practice, and demonstrates the ability to apply this advanced knowledge to provide clinical guidance to staff therapists within the department. The Incumbent also performs work consistent with a staff therapist.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/11/2025 to 06/23/2025
Salary
$106,527 to - $138,486 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Albuquerque, NM
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSX-12742561-25-JW
Control number
838560700

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Duties

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Clinical:
The Occupational Therapist Clinical Education Coordinator develops and administers clinical training programs for occupational therapy students, occupational therapy assistant trainees, associated health trainees, facility staff and/or occupational medicine and rehabilitation therapy disciplines. These assignments occur at active, affiliated VA facilitates where specialized occupational therapy treatment programs are provided.
Ability to coordinate and maintain academic agreements and assignments for student affiliations with universities, colleges and other academic organizations
Demonstrates advanced knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice, and the demonstrated ability to apply this advanced knowledge to provide clinical guidance to Staff OTs.
Ability to balance responsibilities and to work with great autonomy.
Designs, conducts and evaluates educational experiences for Occupational Therapy students, associated health trainees, and other personnel assigned to occupational therapy for training.
Arranges and serves as an instructor for staff in-service training programs.
Serves on curriculum committees of colleges and universities and has substantial input into the course content for occupational therapy students.
1. Seeks and maintains communication and positive community relations with the Academic Coordinators of Clinical Education (and the faculty, students, and NMVAHCS clinical alumni) of schools who have established Clinical Education contracts with NMVAHCS. Reaches out and solicits participation from interested schools not yet on contract and facilitates the process. Incumbent is responsible for maintaining these relationships and ensuring all contracts are active.
2. Initiates and maintains positive communication with each student, assistant trainees and associated health trainees referred to our clinics prior to, during, and after their clinical education experience.
3. Develops a NMVAHCS clinical alumni connection and maintains contact in order to preserve positive community relations, staff recruitment, research, and other opportunities as they present.
4. Assigns students/ assistant trainees/ associated health trainees to clinic(s) and places them under the supervision of a Clinical Instructor attempting to best match the clinician's and student's teaching/learning style, forte, clinical preferences, etc.
5. Serves as an active liaison between the student/ assistant trainees/associated health trainees and the Clinical Instructor for issues that require mediation, schedule adjustments, assistance with arranging learning opportunities outside the clinic (i.e. observation of surgery, etc.), and related needs.

As Clinical Educator:
Plans, arranges, advertises, and coordinates continuing education and vendor demonstration opportunities for our rehab staff, students, and related internal & external customers through inviting guest speakers and/or presenting on own. Topics will reflect staff needs, interests, best practice, clinical development, and will be aligned with organizational strategic plans.
With input from clinical staff and other stakeholders, recommends and makes available multimedia patient education tools (anatomical charts, healthy posters, anatomical models, multimedia, etc.) that would better enable patients to acquire information related to their disease, rehabilitation/recovery, and maintenance of healthy living.
Works with clinical staff to develop patient/family support groups reflecting topics of interest. Surveys rehab staff and internal & external customers to identify educational opportunities. iv. Presents on related topics to professional rehab groups, students, faculty, professional Associations, and staff.
As a Staff Therapist:
Performs functions of a staff therapist at any time, or as directed, when not consumed with tasks & responsibilities as Clinical Educator Coordinator. Routinely plans and provides patient evaluation and treatment which requires application of highly specialized skills and knowledge to accomplish complex objectives.
Has thorough understanding of pathology of physical and psychological disabilities; can interpret a wide variety of functional levels.
Independently develops and implements occupationally therapeutic treatment using judgment to modify treatment based on changing medical conditions or due to complexity of disabilities.
In implementing treatment program, involves patient's social, economic and functional wellbeing.
Works effectively with treatment team and other staff in coordinating patient's total care.
Clinically supervises Occupational Therapy Assistants, aides, and volunteers who are assigned to the section. Revised 05/2025

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-1630
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • 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).

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. The authority to set requirements is provided by 38 U.S.C. ยง 3 7402(b)(14).

  • Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.
  • Education/Experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
    • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy AND two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR
    • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy AND two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR
    • Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.
Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.
  • Certification. Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
  • State Licensure. Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.
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).

Grade Determinations:
Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist), GS-13
  • Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled and one of the following:
    • A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area. This time must be within the past five years;
    • Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA;
    • Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area; or,
    • An additional advanced degree in a related field.
  • Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
    1. Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice.
    2. Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners.
    3. Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation, interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization.
    4. Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice.
    5. Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization.
    6. Ability to implement, revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization.

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

Physical Requirements. Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job considering their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.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/.

Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.

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