Occupational Therapist

Summary

Is assigned to the Occupational Therapy Section within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS). May provide services in the main facility, the domiciliary, or associated outpatient clinics. Services may include, but are not limited to, managing complex upper-extremity musculoskeletal conditions; ADL programs; Amputee Clinic; power mobility and manual wheelchair programs; telehealth services; CLS services; and CBOC OT programs.

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Duties

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30 Day Hiring Model:

The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a streamlined 30-Day Hiring Model designed to accelerate hiring while maintaining the highest standards of merit-based selection. This improved process reduces traditional hiring timelines by integrating early coordination, faster assessments, and efficient pre-employment actions. Applicants can expect a more transparent, predictable, and efficient hiring journey from announcement to entry on duty.

What Applicants Can Expect:

• Expedited Candidate Review Once the announcement closes, Human Resources will quickly review applications, issue certificates of eligible candidates the day after the announcement closes and refer applicants for hiring manager consideration.
• Quick Interviews & References

HR may arrange interviews and will request references within 3-5 days after being referred to the hiring manager.

• Streamlined Pre-Employment Requirements: Following a tentative offer, applicants should be prepared to complete required steps, such as fingerprinting and background check, credentialing, and medical examination within 3 days of the offer.
• Clear and Timely Communication: Applicants will receive clear communication at key milestones, including referral, tentative offer, and onboarding instructions

After meeting pre-employment requirements, candidates will receive a final job offer and start date. Onboarding tasks may continue after starting, with HR ensuring timely completion for a smooth transition into VA service.

If selected, applicants should be prepared to come onboard within 30 days of the announcement closing.

Duties include but not limited to the following:

• Practices independently and provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment to Veterans across assigned program areas within VHA.
• Performs detailed examinations using standardized and non-standardized assessment tools to evaluate functional abilities, occupational performance, rehabilitation needs, and potential for improvement.
• Selects, provides, and modifies occupational therapy interventions of varying complexity to support safety, wellness, independence, and participation in meaningful daily activities.
• Uses motivational strategies to support patient engagement and adapts equipment and therapeutic procedures to meet complex treatment needs.
• Evaluates patients upon referral, determines individualized treatment plans, and makes referrals to interdisciplinary professionals or specialty clinics such as mobility clinic, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, MOVE, prosthetics, and podiatry when clinically appropriate.
• Provides specialized evaluation and intervention related to assistive technology, wheelchair seating, and durable medical equipment.
• Evaluates DME needs, recommends home modifications, selects appropriate equipment for home exercise programs, self-care tasks, mobility, and transfers, and determines safe and effective strategies for functioning in the home environment.
• Reviews medical documentation from external providers to determine appropriateness of occupational therapy consults and follows established clinical triage and scheduling guidelines.
• Maintains timely and thorough clinical documentation, including care plans, initial assessments, progress notes, and specialty protocols.
• Develops and implements patient education materials based on current evidence and provides in-service education and clinical training programs for staff, students, and trainees.
• Designs and evaluates educational experiences in occupational therapy subject matter and serves as a Clinical Instructor and role model for occupational therapy students.
• Provides instruction and evaluation for students from accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs during clinical affiliations.
• Demonstrates skills and professional behaviors that support student learning and serves as a clinical instructor and role model within the Occupational Therapy section.
• Participates in interdisciplinary rounds as a clinical liaison and collaborates with team members across the continuum of care to support coordinated, Veteran-centered treatment.
• Maintains timely and complete clinical documentation in accordance with VHA and service requirements.
• Ancillary administrative assignments may be completed occasionally when advanced specialized knowledge is not required.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm.

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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 :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education and/or Experience. The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist;
  • Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field;
  • Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.
• 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.

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.

Note: 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.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 :

Grade GS-9: None beyond the basic requirements.

Grade GS-11:

• Experience/Education.
  • Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled; OR
  • Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field OR
  • Doctorate in occupational therapy.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
  • Knowledge of occupational therapy practice.
  • Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment.
  • Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.
  • Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated.
  • Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing.
  • Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.
  • Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice.

Grade GS-12:

• Experience. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
  • Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice.
  • Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits.
  • Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments, treatment plans, activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients.
  • Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
  • Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training.

Preferred Experience:

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: 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: 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 for 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.