Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

Full Job Description

The incumbent serves as a Vocational Development Specialist (VRS) in the Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program in the Mental Health Care Line.

The VRS provides a wide range of rehabilitation services that meet individual patients' needs; promote recovery from substance abuse, mental illness and homelessness; and enhance independence and community integration and employment.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/20/2026.

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. Maintain a current valid driver license.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 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.

OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.

Such education must be in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position.

OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond graduate level.

Preferred Experience: Familiarity working with individuals seeking vocational rehabilitation services with a goal of competitive employment.

Familiarity and skill in evidence-based practices is important for this role, while working in a Veteran Centric environment.

Knowledge of the current labor market and it's trends is essential to the function of the incumbent.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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 of this position involve listening, reading, observing and evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior and writing reports.

Using office equipment such as, but not limited to, computers, telephones, fax machines, photocopy machines and driving throughout the catchment area.

Some work is performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to the communicable disease common to the homeless population. Strenuous physical activity is not required.

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/.

Major Duties:

Duties to include but not limited to: Provides extensive vocational rehabilitation services to patients with a history of homelessness, substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, and physical disabilities.

Patients participating in CWT will present such significant impairments or disabilities that severe limitations in motivation, training, placement, and adjustment exist.

These impairments will necessitate a close examination of each case by the specialist and require the application of special ways and means (strategies) to resolve these problems.

CWT is designed to provide rehabilitation services to the chronic mentally ill: substance abuse, psychiatric disorders, and dual diagnosis (serious psychiatric disorder and substance abuse).

The disabling conditions are severe and complex, and present significant limitations in physical abilities with extensive deficiencies in psychosocial, educational and vocational functioning.

The specialist will provide vocational development services that are goal directed; focused on positive outcomes; and respect the basic rights, dignity, and safety of each veteran.

Utilizes case management procedures to provide rehabilitation services.

Coordination and integration of identified health care services requires the specialist to be aware of the unique and complex needs of the patient.

Case management will consist of the following activities: assessment and reassessment of individual needs, goals, and preferences; resource assessment and management; outreach and support to encourage patient participation in the services required; coordination and assistance in crisis intervention and stabilization; liaison with community supports and programs; referrals to appropriate VAMC clinics and programs for necessary care; utilization of vocational rehabilitation programs such as VA-Vocational Rehabilitation and DES-Vocational Rehabilitation; community linkages; transportation, legal and financial concerns; enhancement of functioning in daily living activities; and review and monitoring of the services provided with documentation (treatment plan and progress notes) of progress toward individual goals.

Provide aftercare and follow-up services to CWT graduates to ensure continuous support in adjusting to success, and handling the full range of social, living, personal, financial, and vocational issues.

Keeps abreast of current rehabilitation methodology, counseling techniques, and related professional literature and participates in continuing professional education.

Provides in-service training for Mental Health staff, and presents educational lectures to other Mental Health programs.

Maintains current occupational/career information such as career development, occupational trends, work-site modifications, educational and job training sites in the community.

Provide consultation services required by patients referred to CWT. The specialist will determine required assistance, inform referral source of findings, and develop a plan of action.

Complete all required documents (electronically or hard copy): admission assessments, efficiency reviews, treatment plans, progress notes, discharge summaries, exit surveys, correspondence, and other necessary forms or documents.

Functions within the guidelines and regulations of Compensated Work Therapy. The incumbent is under the supervision of the CWT Program Supervisor.

Clinical supervision should be minimal since the specialist is expected to function with a high degree of professional autonomy.

The specialist is expected to seek consultation when the need for collaboration arises or unusual problems are confronted, but is primarily guided by the expertise accumulated through training, experience, and reference to related professional literature.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30am-4:00pm EST Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Telework: No. Per Executive order No telework is authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist/PD25128A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized