Summary The incumbent serves as a Recreation Therapy Assistant (RTA) who provides a variety of diverse and multi-faced clinical duties to facilitate the attainment of the Recreation Therapy Service's mission at the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center. RTA performs a crucial role in supporting the primary recreation therapist or creative arts therapist in carrying out treatment services for Veterans (inpatients and outpatients) with complex medical, physical, behavioral and/or mental deficits. Responsibilities Independently planning, implementing highly specialized and diversified treatment for patients whose physical and mental condition requires the application of nonstandard and standard treatment procedures and approaches. Interventions include one on one and small group activities, both on and off station. Makes frequent and extensive changes in procedures and approaches if needed to enable the patient to overcome disabilities and continue treatment. Incumbent modifies programs and adjusts schedules based on patient care priorities and specific needs that arise on a daily basis. Able to work independently due to the varied work schedules and patient programming need. Strict adherence to policies and procedures concerning safety, security, patient rights and welfare, privacy and comfort are required. The incumbent provides the equipment, materials, instruction, encouragement, or counseling necessary to promote a positive and therapeutic activity. Utilizes knowledge of various illnesses and disabilities to provide programming that is appropriate to the needs, interests and abilities of the population served. Drives patients to community activities; gives instructions on expectations and observes patients for unpredictable behavior. Physically assists individuals with physical disabilities (ambulatory or non-ambulatory) in getting into and out of the vehicle and around in the community environment. Authors daily treatment notes in the patient medical record documenting the implementation and effects of the intervention such as but not limited to: identifying procedures provided, duration, frequency, outcome, progress/regress, goals, objectives, and response to recreation therapy treatment to provide the primary therapist and treatment team information needed to evaluate interventions and plan of care. Secures the confidence and cooperation of veterans. The incumbent explains the benefits of the recreation therapy intervention. The incumbent persuades and motivates patients and family members to participate in treatment plans and comply with indicated regimens and post-discharge activities. The incumbent discusses with the patient and family the goals for treatment. Instructs, motivates, and assists patients to learn and improve functional activities. Work Schedule: Tuesday- Saturday 11-7:30pm. Must be flexible, tour maybe subject to change based on agency needs. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Therapy Assistant/PD671-04011-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/06/2026. 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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05. 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. 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. This position has Selective Placement Factor (SPF): You must possess the following to be considered for this position: Independently plans, organizes, and implements recreational activities to the needs of patients. Selects the most appropriate interventions. Judges the aptitudes and potentials of patients receiving treatment and determines when patients have advanced sufficiently to be given more difficult activities. Identifies changes in behavior and notifies treatment team. Documents on patient participation. ~AND~ Has experience facilitating recreation activities. Independently plans, organizes, and implements recreational activities to the needs of patients. Selects the most appropriate interventions. Identifies changes in behavior and notifies treatment team. Documents on patient participation. 0636 Series has (IOR) Individual Occupational Requirement that must be met: Do you possess the qualifying specialized experience include work as an assistant to one of the specialized therapies such as occupational, physical, manual arts, corrective or educational therapy; or experience gained as an assistant or aid in a patient care, social work, or psychology where the duties involved actual participation in physical medicine and activities of a hospital or clinic? In addition to the SPF and IOR, 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-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: plan and carry out highly specialized and diversified treatment for patients whose physical or mental condition presents major obstacles to achievement of therapeutic goals, modify treatment procedures and approaches to treating the patient based on judgement, determining trial programs to see which is the best suited on individual needs, utilizes a broad practical knowledge of treatment techniques, utilizes knowledge of various illnesses and disabilities to provide programming that is appropriate to patient needs, collaborate with unit recreational therapist, persuades and motivates patients, inventories storage, infection control and maintenance of all recreation equipment and supplies. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Interpersonal Skills Technical Credibility Teaching Others Teamwork Attention to Detail Technical Competence 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: Work involves regular and recurring physical exertions such as prolonged walking or standing, sitting, bending, moderately lifting 15-44 lbs., pushing 5 hours a day, driving motor vehicles, or moving supplies. The work is primarily very active in nature with some sedentary work involved when performing administrative tasks. Physical demands may include but are not limited to assisting patients in transferring to/from their wheelchairs, assisting patient by pushing them in their wheelchairs. The physical set up for certain activities requires the incumbent to lift and/or move tables, chairs, and equipment. Work could be performed inside and outside. 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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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.
