Summary This announcement is for a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) performing Supported Employment (SE) services within the Mental Health Clinic, under the Behavioral Medicine Service Line of the Marion VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Marion, IL, and its surrounding VA locations. In this role, the incumbent provides vocational rehabilitation services to veterans who are eligible to receive services through the medical center. Responsibilities Determine the vocational goals and objectives of the veteran by accurately obtaining information through interviews and ongoing assessments. Determine the extent to which the veteran possesses the knowledge, skills, or abilities necessary to meet the goals or objectives. Assist veterans in developing and refining skills necessary to secure and maintain employment through group and individual guidance and counseling. Assist veteran in locating appropriate training programs in the community that will be specifically suitable from the standpoint of the needs and problems of the individual. Maintain awareness and fosters community contacts by networking with and maintaining day to day contact with potential employers, placement personnel, or other likely placement resources to develop employment opportunities that might not exist through traditional means of recruitment. Make substantial modifications to environment demands on the most difficult place Counsel and guide veterans through difficult transitions or rough spots in the adjustment to the job. Use Motivational Interviewing techniques to assess readiness for change and continued progression towards veteran's individualized recovery goals. When necessary, help the employer understand the nature of the veteran's limitations while maintaining a positive impression of the Veteran's capability to succeed. Counsel or otherwise helps the trainee resolve personal problems (e.g., family relations difficulties, employer-employee misunderstandings, emotional depression, or financial difficulties). Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Monday - Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehab Spec (SE)/PD011510 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/27/2025. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Basic Requirement: Applicants for this position must meet the basic requirements for this occupational series, as defined in the individual occupational requirement (IOR) established by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). To meet the basic requirement for the Vocational Rehabilitation Occupational series, applicants must demonstrate on of the following: Undergraduate or Graduate degree with a Major in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. You must provide copies of your transcript(s) for verification of education. OR Specialized experienced related to the occupation. Examples of qualifying specialized experience to meet the basic requirement for this occupational series include: Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program.; Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention; Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. Qualification Requirement for GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: At least one of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: serving as the Central Figure (technical advisor) responsible for ongoing orientation and training of the Homeless Services continuum, experience providing employment skills and employment placement services for adults who have serious and persistent mental health diagnoses; experience identifying, supporting, and contracting with employers in the community who are willing to hire adults who have serious and persistent mental health diagnoses; experience assisting vocationally challenged individuals with resume development and interview skills; developing professional relationships with community partners. ; OR Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctor degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M, if related; OR Combination of Experience and Education: Equivalent combination of successfully completed higher level graduate education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for the grade level. Preferred Experience: Minimum of 2 years' experience working with mental health occupation. Driver's License Requirement: This position requires driving a government vehicle to perform the duties of the position; therefore, a current, valid state driver's license is required. Should you be selected for this position, a driver's license verification will be performed with issuing state of your license. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Computer Skills Customer Service Interpersonal Skills Therapy and Counseling Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The physical demands are minimal requiring only moderate amounts of walking, standing, bending or stooping. Incumbents in this position are expected to drive patients within the local commuting area (typically within 30 miles of the facility). Selectee will need to pass a pre-employment driving physical through Occupational/Employee Health to transport Veterans in a government vehicle and must have a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.