Recreation Therapy Assistant

Summary This position is located within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Department of Veteran Affairs Health Administration Phoenix VA Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ. The purpose of the position is to develop, plan, organize, implement, conduct, monitor, and evaluate a wide variety of recreational therapy interventions and programs for patients with an array of physical and/or mental health conditions. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION NOTE: This announcement has been extended to close on September 25, 2026. Applicants who previously applied do not need to re-apply. Duties include but are not limited to the following: Carrying out a full range of Therapeutic Recreation programs and interventions inclusive of recreation treatment modalities and general recreation (diversional) activities. Working with patients who have a variety of illnesses, diseases and/or disabling conditions with varying degrees of impairment. Working with patients on an individual basis, in small groups or in large groups depending on the patient's physical and mental status and individual needs for treatment. Completing and maintaining patient records. Coordinating and assisting in implementing program elements, (e.g. Tai Chi, Yoga, Pet Therapy, Creative Writing, Pool Therapy and Arts and Crafts Festivals, etc). Applying diverse treatment plans for patients whose physical and mental condition requires the application of nonstandard in addition to standard treatment procedures and approaches. Performing other related duties assigned. Work Schedule: Full Time, 40 hours a week, Five 8-hour shifts, days off are determined by the needs of the service. Schedule to be discussed during interview. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in Federal service. Specialized experience which has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Recreation Therapy Assistant position. Qualifying specialized experience include work as an assistant to one of the specialized therapies such as occupational, physical, manual arts, corrective, or educational therapy; or experience gained as an assistant or aid in patient care, social work, or psychology where the duties involved actual participation in physical medicine and activities of a hospital or clinic. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR Education Substitution: You must have successfully completed one-half year (9 semester hours) of graduate education or an internship with course work that is directly related to the position of a Recreation Therapy Assistant. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without transcripts. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Possess a combination of directly related graduate level education and specialized experience. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without transcripts, and experience must be documented in the resume. Physical Demands: The Recreation Therapy Assistant position requires significant physical activity throughout the workday. Duties frequently involve loading and unloading wheelchairs and adaptive sporting equipment, sometimes requiring lifting, carrying, and maneuvering items of various recreational items. The assistant may also be needed to facilitate activities such as exercise groups. In addition, the role requires frequent walking throughout the facility, including escorting or pushing Veterans to and from designated areas. This position involves considerable standing, bending, lifting, walking long distances, and moving equipment or supplies between locations. Stamina, strength, and flexibility are essential to perform these physical tasks safely and efficiently. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education IMPORTANT: 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 Information Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at