Massage Therapist

Summary This position is located in the Tomah VAMC Whole Health Department to be supervised by the Whole Health Clinical Director. The massage therapist is self‑directed in delivering patient care and independently manages professional responsibilities. The supervisor sets overall objectives and priorities. The therapist coordinates with staff and leadership as appropriate. Work is reviewed for adherence to VHA procedures—technical quality—and alignment with departmental goals. Qualifications United States Citizenship: Non‑citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under the authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74 to serve in a direct patient‑care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English See Chapter 2—section D—paragraph 5a—this part Education: Candidates must complete a minimum 500‑hour massage therapy education program Licensure, Registration, or Certification: Candidates must be currently licensed, registered, or certified to practice as a massage therapist in a state, territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia Acceptable credentials must have required successful completion of a minimum 500‑hour massage therapy education program and pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork Examination) or an equivalent state‑issued examination OR—Candidates must possess and maintain a board certification from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB) Grade Determinations: Health Technician (Massage Therapy) GS‑8—Advanced Clinical Level Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of progressive experience equivalent to the GS‑7 grade level In addition—candidates must demonstrate all the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Skill in providing advanced massage techniques using the appropriate tools, supplies, and equipment based on the needs of the patient Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology relevant to massage therapy within specialty populations Ability to modify massage therapy techniques based on an understanding of specialty populations and various clinical/environments settings Knowledge of teaching methods and learning principles Ability to conduct research and quality improvement activities related to massage therapy Knowledge of complementary integrative health and holistic health principles Preferred Experience: Basic clinical decision‑making skills and the ability to provide targeted medical massage tailored to individual patient needs Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS‑08 The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS‑08 Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019—Employee Occupational Health Service—paragraph 2 Duties This is an Open Continuous Announcement and will remain open until September 30 2026 The initial cut‑off date for referral of eligible applicants will be July 17 2026—subsequent cut‑off dates on the first of each month Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals until positions are filled Standard patient evaluation procedures to develop an individualized treatment plan Apply a variety of evidence‑informed medical massage and bodywork techniques consistent with professional education Provide advanced‑complex massage therapy services for diverse patient populations in multiple clinical environments with limited supervision Provide patient and family education on self‑care techniques relevant to medical massage therapy Mentor other staff in best practices; assist with the clinical supervision of massage therapy students under routine academic oversight and share expertise as a subject‑matter expert within the interdisciplinary care team Document all patient encounters in the VA electronic health record in accordance with established policies—including timely coding and required treatment consent Maintain compliance with mandatory VHA, facility, and professional training requirements and participate in required meetings Take part in quality improvement and research activities related to massage therapy Review referrals to determine appropriateness—redirecting Veterans to other services as needed Work schedule: Monday–Friday; 7:30 am to 4:00 pm or 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): Not Authorized; Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized; Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay—a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade) Paid Time Off: 37–50 days of annual paid time per year (13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment—up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment—full‑time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66 Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contributions; federal health/vision/dental/term life/long‑term care; Telework: Not Available; Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: 00266F; Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized #J-18808-Ljbffr