Psychologist

Overview Accepting applications Open & closing dates Opening and closing dates06/15/2021 to 07/15/2021 Service Excepted Pay scale & grade

GS 00

Salary $92,143 to $119,787 per yearSalary subject to locality based on final duty station Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Duties SummaryThe incumbent serves as a Readjustment Counselor at a Vet Center in the Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) providing direct counseling services, outreach, referral, and follow-up care coordination to eligible individuals. In this capacity, the incumbent functions as a member of a small multi-disciplinary team of 4 or more members, inclusive of Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselors, other mental health professionals, outreach workers and office managers.ResponsibilitiesThis is an OPEN CONTINUOUS announcement - Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. The first list of eligible applicants will be made as a vacancy becomes available, but no earlier than 10 days after the opening of the announcement. The incumbent will be responsible for providing services to eligible individuals who are experiencing a variety of military related psychological and psychosocial problems. Incumbents must possess the knowledge and experience to independently employ therapeutic modalities of individual, family, couples, and group intervention to enhance the readjustment of Veterans, active duty Service members, and their families. Functions and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Intake screening and assessment: Complete all readjustment counseling intake procedures, including an assessment of risk for self-harm, military history and military related psychosocial stressors, and assess family readjustment stressors and document identified behaviors or symptoms.Readjustment counseling goal setting and service planning: Develop and periodically update an individualized readjustment counseling service plan that reflects a course of therapeutic and psychosocial interventions, including identification of achievable goals and measurable outcomes.Direct readjustment counseling service provision: Incorporate complex multiple causation in differential psychosocial assessment and direct service delivery to eligible Veterans, including making psychosocial and psychiatric diagnostic inferences within the clinical scope of practice.Risk assessment and crisis intervention: Conduct timely assessment of Veterans in crisis to identify immediate needs, evaluate risk, and initiate safety planning as appropriate.Care coordination: Links the Veteran with other community services, resources, and opportunities to maximize the Veteran's independence, health, and well-being.Coordinating readjustment counseling and outreach: Maintain active coordination with Vet Center outreach workers to ensure seamless referral to Vet Center services for those individuals engaged in the community at outreach events that may require follow-up readjustment counseling.Team cohesion and coordination: Actively participate in staff meetings designed to promote team building and staff development.Documentation/administrative responsibilities/consultation: Document all clinical interactions with eligible individuals and episodes of care coordination on their behalf as required by policy.Other duties as assignedWork Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Some evenings and weekends requiredFinancial Disclosure Report: Not requiredNOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by: Social Worker, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Marriage & Family Therapist, and Psychologist.Travel Required25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position. Supervisory status No Promotion Potential 13 Requirements Conditions of EmploymentYou must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this jobDesignated and/or random drug testing may be requiredSelective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959You may be required to serve a probationary periodSubject to a background/security investigationMust be proficient in written and spoken EnglishSelected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process QualificationsBasic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.Education: Candidates must meet one of the following: Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed, ORHave a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: a.) the re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and b.) the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed, ORHave a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.Internships: Candidates must meet one of the following: Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed ORNew VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern ORVHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement ORApplicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed ORApplicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program.Licensure: Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Exception: Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.Grade Determinations:GS-11 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.GS-12 Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies.Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties).Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, and collaboration.GS-13 Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must have at least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health.Knowledge of clinical research literature.References: VA Handbook 5005/103, Part II, Appendix G18, dated February 7, 2018.Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting 15-44 lbs, walking and standing up to 4 hours, kneeling 1-2 hours, Operation of motor vehicle, both eyes required, depth perception, ability to distinguish colors, hearing (aid permitted), glasses and prosthesis allowed, able to hear whispered voices, and emotional and mental stability; Environmental factors: outside and inside, electrical energy, working closely with others, protracted or irregular hours of work, and repetitive computer use. EducationIMPORTANT: 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 informationThis job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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. 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. If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application. How You Will Be EvaluatedYou 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, résumé, 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. Background checks and security clearanceSecurity clearance Not Required Drug test required Yes This job is open to Federal employees - Competitive service Current or former competitive service federal employees. Federal employees - Excepted service Current excepted service federal employees. Internal to an agency Current federal employees of this agency. Clarification from the agency This job announcement is open to Current VA and/or Federal employees ONLY; US Citizens should apply under CBZY-11138007-21-AA This job is also open in another announcement to: The public