Summary The Recreation Therapy Assistant is located in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation service line of the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS). The purpose of the position is to develop, plan, organize, implement, conduct, monitor, and evaluate a wide variety of recreational therapy interventions and programs for patients with an array of physical and/or mental health conditions. Responsibilities Administration of Programs Serve as the recreation therapy assistant for the assigned patient care area/program(s). Responsible for carrying out a full range of Therapeutic Recreation programs and interventions inclusive of recreation treatment modalities and general recreation (diversional) activities, as defined and assessed or assigned by the Recreation Therapist and/or Supervisory Recreation Therapy Program Manager. Independently develop and implement diversional programs. These interventions address assessed patient needs, utilizing appropriate motivational and leadership approaches, and are implemented in both clinical and community settings. Work with patients who have a variety of illnesses, diseases, and/or disabling conditions with varying degrees of impairment. At times work independently with patients and be responsible for minimizing all potential risks and following safety policies and procedures. Assure patients are appropriately dressed for prescribed outdoor activities; observe safety precautions in the use of tools and equipment; record attendance and participation in projects or activities; and report patient reactions and responses. Patient care areas may include Sub-acute & Acute Rehabilitation, Medicine, Psychiatric, Community Living Center, Dementia Special Care Unit, Hospice Unit, Day Treatment Program, Domiciliary, Substance Abuse Treatment, PTSD Treatment, Blind Rehabilitation, clinics, and inpatient units. Work with patients individually, in small groups, or in large groups depending on physical and mental status and treatment needs. Perform other duties as assigned. Community Programs Drive and/or escort patients to community activities; provide instructions on expectations and observe patients for unpredictable behavior. Physically assist individuals with physical disabilities (ambulatory or non-ambulatory) when getting into and out of vehicles and navigating community environments. Recreation Space and Resource Management Assist in maintaining Recreation Therapy Department activity areas, offices, fishing areas, and outdoor activity areas by performing periodic on-site inspections and reporting issues. Manage all supplies and equipment used in assigned area(s)/program(s), including inventory, storage, issuing, servicing, and repair. Volunteer Recruitment and Supervision Solicit support and involvement of volunteers in specialized programs. Follow up on activities involving these individuals or groups to confirm participation, determine supply needs, and address other activity-related details. Directly supervise volunteers, Veteran work-study students, and Incentive Therapy patients who support program activities. Work Schedule: 40 hours a week, Five 8 hour shifts, days off are determined by the needs of the service. Schedule to be discussed during interview. Sunday - Thursday Tuesday - Saturday Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Recreation Therapy Assistant/PD144760 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: A pre-placement physical examination is required. 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 identification 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, 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, 08/19/2026. 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. A Quality Ranking Factor has been requested by the facility to help determine which of the basically qualified applicants are likely to be better qualified for this position. The Quality Ranking Factor for this position is: Experience performing work related to recreation or recreational therapy, including leading, facilitating, or organizing group activities designed to promote physical, cognitive, or psychosocial well-being. This includes documented experience conducting recreational programs, assisting with therapeutic interventions, or supporting structured group activities in clinical, community, or wellness settings, as well as experience or certification as a Certified Activities Director or comparable competence in activity program coordination and leadership. NOTE: To receive credit for this experience, please ensure detailed information is included in your resume. Quality Ranking Factors are skills, knowledge, abilities, or other worker characteristics which could be expected to result in superior performance on the job. Quality ranking factors will not be used for screening, but may be used as ranking criteria. Applicants with higher proficiency levels may rank above those with lower proficiency levels on a quality ranking factor. 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: 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 patient care, social work, or psychology where the duties involved actual participation in physical medicine and activities of a hospital or clinic. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level, you must have successfully completed six months of graduate-level education (generally 9 semester hours) in coursework that is directly related to the work of the Recreation Therapy Assistant position. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above the GS-5 level only when it is directly related to the work of the position. Transcripts (official or unofficial) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and directly related graduate-level education that equals at least one total year. Only graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position may be used to meet the specialized experience requirement at the GS-6 level. Preferred Experience: Preferred experience includes leading recreational or therapeutic programs, providing strong customer service, and demonstrating knowledge of exercise, fitness, or wellness activities. Experience facilitating group activities and engaging participants in structured recreational or therapeutic settings is highly desirable. Certification as a Certified Activities Director, or previous performance of duties requiring equivalent competencies in activity program coordination and leadership, is also strongly preferred. Driver's License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license. 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 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for 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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
