Staff Psychologist

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval – award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. 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. United States Citizenship: Non‑citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: (1) 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. For the purpose of meeting this requirement – the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently – APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist. Therefore – an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA – there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology). (2) Have 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. (b) The specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally‑accredited institution – with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. (4) Internships: (a) 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. (b) New 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. (c) VHA 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. (d) Applicants 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. Once board certified – the employee is required to maintain board certification. (e) Applicants 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 at 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". Grade Determinations: Staff Psychologist – GS‑11 (Entry Level). Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. Staff Psychologist – GS‑12 (Developmental Level). Experience: 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. Staff Psychologist – GS‑13 (Full Performance – Level). Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist – with at least one year equivalent to the GS‑12 grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: GS‑11: 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: 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS‑13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS‑11 to GS‑13. Duties VA Careers – Psychologist: – Total Rewards of an Allied Health Professional. The Psychologist with the Mental Health Service with primary assignment of the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MH RRTP). The Psychologist provides a full range of behavioral and mental health services utilizing appropriate instruments and structured interviews – generates psychological reports when needed – serves as authoritative source of information in the use and interpretation of tests to make differential diagnosis and provides mental health and substance use disorders and co‑occurring medical and psychosocial condition – in consultation with a multidisciplinary treatment team. The Psychologist provides these services primarily to Veterans assigned to the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) track of care within MH RRTP. Duties include, but are not limited to: Provides direct clinical care to include individual and group therapies – discharge planning and assessment – to assigned Veteran resident of the MH RRTP SUD track – consistent with approved clinical privileges and type of hospital appointment. Provides evidence‑based interventions – which may include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use Disorders (CBT‑SUD) – to assigned Veterans. Functions effectively within a multidisciplinary treatment team. Develop effective working relationships with patients, team members, and relevant hospital employees. Consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Respond to requests for patient treatment services. Supervise psychology trainees and unlicensed staff in the provision of mental health services – as assigned. Actively participate in psychology service and/or facility committees – as assigned. Ensure work is in compliance with standards and expectations of Joint Commission and other relevant accrediting bodies. Assist program leadership in accreditation preparation and continuous readiness activities as requested. Other duties may be assigned. Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM. Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Lacey Adkins at Lacey.Adkins.gov – the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more 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 offer 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 the 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% in contributions by VA insurance; Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 93048-A/93049-A/93050-A. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Physical Requirements Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre‑placement examination. Exceptions: A pre‑placement examination is required for any occupation or assignment that requires the operation of a government‑owned or leased motor vehicle to properly carry out assigned duties. Examinations may also be required for any occupation or assignment that requires a pre‑placement examination by virtue of another policy, regulation, or statute. #J-18808-Ljbffr