Nursing Assistant - Community Living Center

Nursing Assistant - Community Living Center The Veterans Health Administration is seeking Nursing Assistants for the VA Community Living Center at the Fort Meade campus of the VA Black Hills Health Care System in South Dakota. This position provides care to Veterans across varied settings, supporting the Community Living Center mission to restore Veterans to their highest level of well-being, prevent health decline, and provide comfort at the end of life. Location: Fort Meade, SD Vacancies: Few vacancies Salary: $38,877 - $63,475 per year Pay Scale & Grade: GS-3 to GS-5 Promotion Potential: GS-5 Work Schedule: Full-time; mix of day and night shifts, 80 hours biweekly with six 12-hour shifts and one 8-hour shift Shift Details: Day shift 6:00am - 6:30pm or 6:00am - 2:30pm; night shift 6:00pm - 6:30am or 10:00pm - 6:30am Compressed/Flexible: Available Appointment Type: Permanent Telework: Not available Remote/Virtual: Not available Travel Required: Not required Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized PCS: Not authorized Drug Test: Required Security Clearance: Not required Position Sensitivity/Risk: Non-sensitive / Low Risk Union Representation: Yes Key Responsibilities: Provide daily personal care, including hygiene, comfort, nutrition, elimination, and skin-integrity support. Deliver safe, individualized care to Veterans with complex medical needs. Assist nurses with treatments, procedures, and routine clinical tasks. Perform basic diagnostic tasks and accurately chart observations. Support patients physical, emotional, rehabilitative, and spiritual needs. Help prevent skin breakdown and promote mobility and comfort. Prioritize and multitask effectively in a fast-paced care environment. Maintain a safe environment and follow established care protocols. Basic Qualifications: Must be a U.S. Citizen. Non-citizens may only be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy. Must be proficient in basic written and spoken English. Must be subject to a background/security investigation. Must pass a pre-employment physical examination or evaluation. Must pass pre-employment drug testing and remain subject to testing requirements for this testing designated position. Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959. Must complete all application requirements and online onboarding requirements. Must provide acceptable identification for employment eligibility verification. Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for Department of Veterans Affairs health care personnel. Basic Life Support certification is required; training is provided. Selected applicant will be required to serve a one-year or two-year trial period. Eligibility: This announcement is open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent federal employees of other agencies, and all U.S. Citizens. Veterans preference does not apply. The two-page resume requirement does not apply to this position. This is an open continuous announcement, and applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis as vacancies become available. Basic Nursing Assistant Experience, Education, or Training Requirement: Six months of general experience demonstrating the ability to acquire the knowledge and skills to perform Nursing Assistant work; or One year of education above high school with courses related to the Nursing Assistant occupation; or Completion of an intensive, specialized, occupation-related training course or program of less than one year as a Nursing Assistant. GS-3 Qualification Requirements: No additional experience or education is required beyond the basic requirements. GS-3 Nursing Assistants are entry-level and closely supervised. GS-4 Qualification Requirements: Must have one year of experience as a Nursing Assistant or in another medical field such as licensed practical nurse, health technician, or hospital corpsman; or Must have successfully completed two years above high school with courses related to nursing care, health care, or an appropriate related field. Must be able to provide a range of patient or resident care and contribute to completion of the nurse care plan and patient recovery. Must be able to observe physical or emotional status and report deviations or problems to a supervisor in a timely manner. Must be able to properly use equipment, materials, and supplies for simple diagnostic and treatment procedures. Must be able to communicate effectively with patients, residents, families, and other health professionals. GS-5 Qualification Requirements: Must have one year of progressively responsible Nursing Assistant experience equivalent to the GS-4 level; or Must have successfully completed a four-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelors degree that included 24 semester hours of health care-related coursework, or possess a bachelors degree. Specialized experience includes functioning as a member of the nursing care team and assisting licensed nursing staff in the full range of nursing care. Must be able to assist in the full range of nursing care for patients or residents with physical and/or behavioral problems under the direction of a Registered Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse, or Licensed Practical Nurse. Must be able to communicate orally with patients, families, interdisciplinary team members, and other personnel. Must be able to serve as a preceptor to new Nursing Assistants by assisting with orientation and assessing practical experience in a clinical setting. Must be able to recognize and react to emergent patient or resident care situations and intervene while waiting for assistance. Education: Transcripts are required if using education to qualify. Applicants using education for basic qualification must provide documentation showing completion of one year above high school related to the Nursing Assistant occupation or completion of qualifying specialized Nursing Assistant training. Applicants using education for GS-4 or GS-5 qualification must provide relevant transcripts. Applicants who are currently enrolled in qualifying education must provide proof of enrollment at the time of application. Education must be from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign education must be evaluated as equivalent to U.S. education by a recognized credential evaluation organization. Physical Requirements: Selected applicant must participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed during the examination or evaluation. Required Documents: Resume Standard Clinical Resume Document uploaded into the restricted resume field Full resume or CV may be uploaded separately into the other document upload field Transcript, if using education to qualify Supplemental document with written responses to Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, recommended if applying at GS-4 or GS-5 Professional certification, if applicable SF-50 / Notification of Personnel Action, if current or former federal employee DD-214 / Statement of Service, if applicable SF-15, if applicable Disability Letter, cover letter, and other supporting documentation, if applicable Benefits: Competitive salary with regular salary increases. 37 to 50 days of paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and federal holidays. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service. Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment. Potential child care subsidy for eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment. Federal retirement benefits, including a traditional pension and 401(k)-style plan with up to 5% VA contributions. Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance options. Eligibility for benefits depends on appointment type and work schedule. Application Deadline: July 24, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET Status: Accepting applications This is an open continuous announcement for Nursing Assistant Community Living Center vacancies at the Fort Meade campus of the VA Black Hills Health Care System. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.5c143e31-5e48-4549-b638-05792d185386