Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

Summary The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist is assigned to the Therapeutic Supported Employment Services / Compensated Work Therapy Program, which is located in the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Section of Mental Health Services in the VA Eastern Colorado Healthcare System. The incumbent provides a wide range of vocational services to veteran patients with disabilities of varying type and severity; many of these veterans have multiple disabilities and major barriers to employment. Responsibilities Determines Training Needs / Direct Patient Care Must develop the training program around the residual capacities of the individual. Must exercise much care to see that the program does not result in a training course job which exceeds the severely reduced work tolerances of the individual. Recognize and determine the extent of need and provide for such special training prior or as a supplement to the job training. Receives and responds in a timely manner to referrals of veterans who are interested in vocational rehabilitation services. Performs initial vocational assessments examining work history, previous education and training sources of income, transportation issues, disabling conditions. vocational needs and goals, and other factors. Assesses veteran's vocational functioning on an ongoing basis, while services are being provided. Interpersonal Effectiveness The specialist must have the ability to recognize, respect, and effectively deal with the values and cultural beliefs of the client. Is expected to assess needs commonly related to physical limitations, unique psychological needs, and age associated illness. Must be able to address growth and developmental needs of the patient population served. Collaborates and coordinates with both internal and external customers to develop new training opportunities to address gaps in available training programs and services. May be required to work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team such as the PTSD RRTP, TBI, or MHICM team, etc. Documentation Documents patient encounters in the computerized patient record system (CPRS). Records vocational rehabilitation interventions and the veteran's vocational progress in CPRS. For program evaluation purposes, gathers and electronically submits data required by the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC), in accordance with NEPEC and VA Central Office guidelines. Networks with the Community Initiates contacts with local businesses and governmental agencies that provide work opportunities for veterans. Keeps up-to-date on the local job market. Based on individualized assessment, places veteran in Transitional Work (TW) for evaluative and training purposes or, competitive, Supported Employment (SE). Individualizes placements according to the interests, abilities, and other characteristics of the veterans served. Visits worksites to directly observe performance and to discuss progress with patients and supervisors. Advises worksite supervisors as to possible reasonable accommodations that might improve patients' abilities to work and be productive. Specialist must work with employers and work cultures that may be less than enthusiastic and will require considerable persuasion to convince them of the employee's ability to contribute and be productive. Considers a variety of resources and opportunities that may be beneficial to patients. When appropriate, refers veterans to various resources. For example, refers service connected veterans (who appear to meet the eligibility criteria) to the Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment program at the VA Regional Office. Serves patients who are very difficult to place due to their disability status and / or other factors. Exercises professional skill, ingenuity, and persuasiveness in seeking to help patients develop or reestablish the skills, attitudes, and other characteristics that will enable them to obtain and maintain employment. Communicates with clinical staff members who are providing treatment to the patients served. Coordinates and integrates vocational services with the other treatment being provided. Engages in travel outside the medical center to meet with employers, representatives of community agencies, and veterans participating in vocational training or employment. Maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and skills through participation in appropriate training and continuing education activities. Work Schedule : 0800-1630, Monday - Friday Virtual : This is not a virtual position. Position Description / PD# : Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist / PD00081A and PD00081A Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI) : Not Authorized Requirements 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 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 (). 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year probation period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider : 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. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11 / 03 / 2025. 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 by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9. 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. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) : Education : Undergraduate and Graduate Education : Major study vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position OR, Specialized Experience : Examples of qualifying specialized experience include : Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program. Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention. Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems In addition to the Specialized Experience required for the GS-11, you must possess either the Education or Experience explained below. You may qualify based on your experience and / or education as described below : Specialized Experience : You 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 : Possess the ability to recognize, respect, and effectively deal with the values and cultural beliefs of the client; Documents patient encounters, vocational rehabilitation interventions and the veteran's vocational progress in the computerized patient record system (CPRS); Finds suitable employment opportunities in the community by visiting employment and educational sites. Monitors placement, promoting successful adjustment; Assists veterans in obtaining information about their benefits (e.g., Social Security, service- connected compensation, VA Pension) and counsels them about the effects of work therapy participation or employment on these benefits; Assess needs commonly related to physical limitations, unique psychological needs, and age associated illness; Gathers and electronically submits data required by the Northeast Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC); Initiates contacts with local businesses and governmental agencies that provide work opportunities for veterans. OR, Education : Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, with a major study in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling or other fields related to the position OR a LL.M. (if related). (Transcripts Required) OR, Combination : Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond beyond graduate education directly related to the work of the position and specialized experience, as outlined above. (Transcripts Required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position : Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity / Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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 physical demands of the position are sedentary to light. In addition to performing work in office settings, the position requires that the employee visit patients at TSES / CWT worksites around the Medical Center and in the community. The driving of government vehicles on station and in the community is required. A current, valid state issued Driver's License is required. DO NOT SUBMIT A COPY OF YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE WITH YOUR APPLICATION For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, with a major study in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling or other fields related to the position OR a LL.M. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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 : 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 : 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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.