Summary This position is located in the Mental Health Service at Eastern Colorado Health Care System - Valor Point VA Domiciliary in Lakewood, CO. The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist is responsible for providing a wide range of duties related to attaining and maintaining competitive employment for Veterans. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Providing therapeutic employment services to Veterans, including job skills training, employment support, job development, and placement services Collaborating with interdisciplinary team members (case managers, social workers, psychiatrists, etc.) to coordinate holistic care and ensure alignment of vocational goals with treatment plans Developing individualized vocational assessments using established therapeutic tools to identify Veterans' strengths, interests, and employment needs Supporting Veterans with major barriers to employment (e.g., homelessness, serious mental illness, substance use disorders) in obtaining and maintaining competitive, community-based jobs Assisting with job-seeking skills, resume writing, interview preparation, and application processes to enhance job readiness Monitoring Veterans' employment progress, providing feedback and support throughout the job search and employment retention phases Identifying barriers affecting the vocational process and coordinating interventions or treatment adjustments with the care team as needed Utilizing evidence-based job development strategies, including job carving, rapid engagement, and direct employer engagement Maintaining and expanding relationships with community employers and employment agencies to create job opportunities for Veterans Offering ongoing employment support post-placement, including negotiating work site accommodations, resolving work-related issues, and fostering natural workplace supports Facilitating transition planning for discharge from Valor Point DCHV RRTP, including housing search assistance, financial literacy support, and savings plan development Conducting individual and group sessions that promote employment readiness and life skills (e.g., weekly employment and financial skills groups) Documenting all assessments, service delivery plans, progress notes, and discharge summaries in the CPRS and NEPEC systems within established timelines Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 08:00 a.m. to 04:30 p.m. 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 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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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) Qualifications Minimum Requirement: The following are minimum requirements for appointment as a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which all applicants must met. Specialized Experience (GS-09): You must have one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (i.e., GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Qualifying 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. (CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.) OR, Education (GS-09): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related. The major study must be in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. NOTE: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) OR, Combination (GS-09): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education as described above. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e., 18 semester hours) may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-09. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Education and Training Interpersonal Skills Technical Competence Therapy and Counseling IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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. 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; religious; 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. Physical Requirements: Physical Requirements: Routine physical demands are minor; however, the complexities of the program and treatment required by the Veterans can create extremely stressful situations. The incumbent will be required to drive a Government Vehicle (GOV). The work is primarily sedentary but involves regular travel to community locations such as employer sites, transitional housing, and outreach events. These duties may require walking, standing, and navigating varied environments. The incumbent must be able to operate a government-owned vehicle and maintain readiness for field-based activities. Occasional lifting of light materials, such as laptops or outreach supplies, may be 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/. 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: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. 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.
