Summary The incumbent serves as a Chaplain Clinical Pastoral Educator (CPE) performing senior-level clinical assignments for the VHA. The incumbent provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff. Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a Highly Qualified Candidate. Responsibilities Major duties: Serves as a certified Chaplain (CPE) providing comprehensive, religious ministry services and training to Veteran patients and students according to their specific needs. Carries out an education ministry with the CPE Center, which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program. Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, students, other Chaplains, and stakeholders. Manages the daily operations of the CPE Center and develops and implements program policies and procedures. Serves as a certified educator of record for all CPE students for an assigned designated area. Provides administrative oversight and programmatic resources and monitors educational outcomes. Offers students an opportunity to develop and expand professional caring skills in a clinical setting to address a person's spiritual, emotional, and physical needs; and offers students experience with hands-on spiritual care for hospitalized patients. Maintains records for all educator evaluations, student records, center portfolio, and CPE accreditation requirements, which may include off-site CPE satellite and placement contracts. Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and/or spiritual issues. Monitors the CPE Center's program effectiveness and modification of service pattern, which includes research and leadership of clinical teams. Develops and implements methods to measure the effectiveness of the Chaplain educational program. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday 7:30AM to 4:00PM plus on call and some weekend coverage Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 512-24033-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. 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 Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) at https://www.naces.org/members and be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program. Ecclesiastical Endorsement: In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment\Information\and_Resources.asp Board Certification: Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain certified by BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Board Certification that requires 4 units of CPE is qualifying. English Language Proficiency. Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: Chaplain (Clinical Pastoral Educator), GS-12 Experience: At this level, the candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Certification: CPE Educators must be certified by an agency whose CPE units of training are recognized by the BCCI ® or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. CPE Educators must be certified by the same accrediting body as the CPE training program where the position is being filled for the CPE training program to maintain accreditation. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Ability to independently educate all levels of CPE students and plan, organize, and implement all levels of the CPE program. Skill in adhering to all accreditation standards, processes and practices including, but not limited to, timely and professional submission of all required program reports, center portfolio, fees and dues. Skill in written and verbal communication that are articulate, professional and cohesive. Ability to recruit, interview and select students for the CPE program. Knowledge of professional ethics for certified educators and history of CPE. Ability to apply theoretical understanding for and competence in administering and conducting all levels of CPE programs. Knowledge of emerging trends and research in the area of pastoral education. Knowledge of various conceptual frameworks for developing educational curriculum Preferred Experience: None Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12. Physical Requirements: This position requires the Chaplain to meaningfully engage with Veteran patients and family members by walking and moving within the healthcare setting or with the incumbent using an assistive device. The Chaplain is required to speak, hear (hearing aid permitted) and work closely with others. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. 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. 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.
