Social Worker

Full Job Description

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Superintendent, Mescalero Agency, Branch of Human Services, in Mescalero, New Mexico.

You will plan, develop, implement, and monitor the agency's child protection services within the Mescalero reservation.

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Professional and Scientific Positions and Individual Occupational Requirements for GS-0185: Social Work Series).

BASIC REQUIREMENT FOR ALL GRADES: Masters Degree: Social Work. Must fulfill all of the requirements for the MASTERS DEGREE in social work in a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: In addition to meeting the basic qualification requirement, applicants must have the following: GS-09: Qualifying is one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service.

This experience includes, but is not limited to, work involving: 1.) applying professional knowledge of the principles and practices of social work; 2.) recommending direct services to individuals, families, and groups; 3.) educating or assisting with instruction, training, and guidance or providing consultation and technical assistance on social work related questions and services.

(Your resume must support this experience.) OR 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree.

GS-11: Qualifying is one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service.

This experience includes, but is not limited to, work involving: 1.) applying professional knowledge of the principles and practices of social work; 2.) providing direct services to individuals and families, and groups; 3.) educating or providing instruction, training, consultation and/or advice on social work related questions and services; 4.) interprets and applies specialized program knowledge and skill of the Social Services Program; 5.) serve as a case manager of assigned cases; 6.) maintains a formalized case management system which documents the workflow of case services with individual case plan.

(Your resume must support this experience.) OR 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of graduate level education and appropriate specialized experience that together meet the qualification requirements of this position.

Graduate Education: Graduate education must be related to the occupation and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.

Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Merit Promotion candidates must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the announcement closing date.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date. Major Duties:

• Works in conjunction with the Supervisory Social Worker in program planning developing, and monitoring of child protection services.
• Serves as an Awarding Official Technical Representative for Social Service and Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) contracts and grants.
• Provides critical protective services to children, vulnerable adults, and the elderly to include protective service investigations, conducting risk and safety assessments, and case management services.
• Arranges for foster care placements, institutional placements, and out-of-home placements based on the outcome of a protective service investigation.
• Provides technical assistance in the development of protective service teams.
• Assists in reviewing, researching and responding to incoming ICWA notices within a regulatory timeframe.
• Enters all received ICWA notices into the Bureau’s case management system on a regular basis.
• Reviews and consolidates received ICWA reports and seeks clarification from tribes as needed.
• Assists with policy development surrounding all subcomponents of a Human Services program.