Videos

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***

Major duties and responsibilities will include:

• Plans, arranges and manages all aspects of the social and diversionary recreation program, and adjusting according to the veteran's needs and abilities;
• Assists and implements programs coordinated through the Recreation Therapy;
• Provides the equipment, materials, instruction, encouragement, or counseling necessary to promote a positive and therapeutic activity;
• Secures the confidence and cooperation of veterans;
• Explains the benefits of the recreational programs;
• Supports other recreation therapy staff;
• Interacts with the veterans' and their families about goals for treatment;
• Instructs, motivates, and assists patients to learn and improve functional activities;
• Assists with or renders a course of treatment based on the assessed needs of the patient;
• Recognizes abnormalities and brings them to the attention of the treatment team;
• Sets up Recreation Therapy areas for programs and insuring a hazard free environment;
• Writes and submits thank you letters to service organizations or others and submits to the service secretary when appropriate;
• Documents the veteran's condition and responses to programs in the computerized patient record system (CPRS);
• Records workload encounters in CPRS;
• Must pass the Occupational Health Clinic Motor Vehicle Operator Evaluation;
• Performs related duties as required.

Work Schedule: Tuesday - Saturday; 9:30am - 6:00pm; variable shifts, including some holidays, weekends and evenings, fluctuates to meet the needs of the Veterans.
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

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
• 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 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)

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicant(s) must meet the following qualifications:

English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. ~AND~

This position includes aSelective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.

The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Possess a current, valid and unrestricted Regular State issued driver's license is required for this position. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you will be required to provide a copy of your current, valid and unrestricted Regular Driver's License.
~AND~

In addition to meeting theEnglish Language Proficiency and Selective Placement Factor, to qualify for this position, you must also meet one of the following:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: GS-6 - Possess at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities; teacher's aide in elementary school recreation or physical education program; aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service; aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities; summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, boating and fishing areas, etc.; aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance/accountability of inventory control for such property in a recreation facility; or aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title; duties; month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. ~OR~

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Possess the successfully completion of half a year of graduate education (usually 9 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Transcripts required. ~OR~

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Possess an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Experience must be detailed, and transcripts required.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Clinical Data Collection/Documentation
• Communication
• Patient Care
• Selective Placement Factor
• Technical Competence

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such 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; religious; 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.

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as extended periods of standing or walking for prolonged periods of time and over rough, uneven, or rocky surfaces; frequent bending, crouching, reaching, stooping, and stretching or similar activities to set up and take apart equipment and apparatus; recurring lifting of moderately heavy items such as bowling and sports equipment and repositioning patients; and pushing or pulling heavy objects. The work may require specific physical characteristics and abilities such as above-average agility and dexterity to perform intricate therapeutic procedures. The recreation assistant must be able to push wheelchair patients on level and inclined ground. The recreation assistant must be physically able to drive the station vehicles and pass the Occupational Health Clinic Motor Vehicle Operator Evaluation. The work environment includes clinics, wards, offices, conference rooms and the community. The work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks and discomforts that require special safety and health precautions, e.g., working regularly with patients and in situations where there is risk of exposure to contagious diseases, odors and/or flammable gases. The recreation assistant is required to wear protective clothing such as gown, gloves and a mask to prevent disease and the spread of infection and to follow appropriate policies and procedures related to Infections Disease and Standard Precautions. The recreation assistant is exposed to patients with a variety of disabilities and illnesses that include physical, cognitive, and /or psychiatric conditions. Many patients encountered are emotionally disturbed and may demonstrate assaultive/aggressive behaviors secondary to chronic schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unaffected mental disorders, dementia's, delirium, adjustment disorders, etc. The recreation assistant drives a van or wheelchair bus with patients in the community. The recreation assistant is exposed to weather conditions and medical emergencies. Electrical and mechanical equipment requiring normal safety precautions are operated periodically. Toxic and flammable chemicals (lacquer, glue) are also used and require precautionary measures.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).

Your responses to the assessment questionnaire will be reviewed along with the information provided in your resume and supporting documentation to determine if you are qualified for the position. If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered and/or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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.

Candidates who apply under All U.S. Citizens announcements will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The categories are defined as follows:

• Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
• Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
• Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
• Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.

Application of Veterans' Preference: Category rating and selection procedures place those with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Preference eligible applicants that meet the eligibility and qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category (except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher).

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.