Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet time-in-grade and specialized experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement, 11/14/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your specialized experience and/or education as described below: For GS-9: Specialized Experience: An applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program; identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; recognizing problem areas needing special attention; providing therapeutic services to Veterans whose employability or job adjustment is impaired by physical, mental, emotional or other disability of by lack of basic education, job skills, or other disadvantaged background condition utilizing appropriate interventions that achieve the vocational goals of the VR treatment plan; OR, Education: See Education Tab. OR, Combination: See Education Tab. For GS-11: Specialized Experience: An applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities identifying, evaluating and making effective use of resources to serve individuals with disabilities recognizing problem areas needing special attention developing, marketing and experience in securing jobs identifying participant strengths, interest, skills, barriers, limitations, and needs identifying and arranging long-term supports to help Veterans maintain employment identifying successful program operations can be used for improving similar programs utilizing a variety of fact-finding techniques in order to resolve issues; OR, Education: See Education Tab. OR, Combination: See Education Tab. Driver’s License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver’s license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver’s license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver’s license. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Education and Training Interpersonal Skills Technical Competence Vehicle Operation 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. Note: 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. 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. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required. A portion of time (40%-60% of time) is spent travelling by government vehicle to meet with Veterans or employers in the community or other external partners who contribute to the workforce system. The stress related to providing services to Veterans in emotional distress or who may be demanding and uncooperative, can be more significant than that of most sedentary positions. 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/.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist position (VRS) position is located within Behavioral Health Service Line, Social Work and Vocational Rehabilitation Division at the VA SORCC in White City, Oregon. The Supported Employment program falls under the umbrella of the VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Services – Compensated Work Therapy program.