INT Chaplain

Veterans Health Administration • East Orange, NJ

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The East Orange VA Medical Center is recruiting a Chaplain in the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Chaplain Service. The Chaplain provides religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and staff, in accordance with their needs, wishes, and voluntary consent. Services may be provided in inpatient and outpatient clinics, domiciliaries, specialty clinics, and other medical facility settings. The role integrates pastoral care into patient services and includes spiritual assessment, counseling, worship, and coordination of religious services.

This is a developmental, entry-level chaplain position. The incumbent works under the direct supervision and guidance of a higher-grade chaplain, especially for complex or non-routine assignments, and collaborates as a member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The Chaplain provides individual and group interventions addressing emotional and spiritual needs; supports patients facing moral injury, spiritual distress, grief, loss, serious illness, ethical concerns, or crisis; and helps ensure patients' free exercise of religion without proselytization or coercion.

The Chaplain also contributes to measurable, outcome-driven, evidence-based pastoral care and staff wellness and development programs. The role includes educating healthcare staff and trainees about recognizing spiritual and religious needs and making appropriate referrals, and coordinating with community organizations when outside resources are needed to meet patients' religious needs. The position is on an as-needed work schedule. Telework is unavailable, and the position is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Master of Divinity degree or equivalent graduate-level theological degree from an institution accredited by CHEA or ATS and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, unless qualifying under the stated grandfathering provision.
• Full and active ecclesiastical endorsement from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's faith group or denomination; endorsement must be dated within the past 12 months and maintained during employment.
• Board certification by BCCI or a U.S. certifying body with a reciprocity agreement with BCCI; certification requiring four units of CPE qualifies.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• GS-09: No experience beyond the basic requirements; demonstrate the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities in spiritual assessment and documentation, care planning, crisis intervention, healthcare-team collaboration, religious freedom, individual and group interventions, service coordination, and communication.
• GS-11: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade; demonstrate the listed knowledge, skills, and abilities in advance care planning, life review and end-of-life preparation, measurable pastoral care programs, counseling on medical and ethical concerns, staff resiliency and wellness, staff education and referrals, and community coordination.
• Submit transcripts if relying on education to qualify; foreign education must be evaluated as described in the announcement.
• Meet pre-employment screening and appointment conditions, including applicable drug testing, background/security investigation, physical evaluation, onboarding, identification requirements, and seasonal influenza vaccination.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as applicable.
• Be able to meaningfully engage with patients and families by walking and moving through the healthcare setting, or use an assistive device; be able to speak and hear (hearing aids permitted) and work closely with others.

Nice To Haves

• Three to five years of experience working as a Chaplain.

Responsibilities

• Provide religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to Veterans, caregivers, families, and staff according to their needs, wishes, and voluntary consent.
• Address the spiritual component of health and wellness across patient-care settings and integrate pastoral care into services.
• Serve as a spiritual advisor and point of contact for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff.
• Conduct religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services under the guidance of a higher-grade chaplain.
• Participate as a member of an interdisciplinary treatment team and maintain liaison with healthcare professionals to exchange information about patients' backgrounds and current conditions.
• Provide pastoral counseling on medical and ethical matters, moral injury, problems of conscience, family or marital difficulties, justice or confinement matters, terminal diagnoses, and crises.
• Develop measurable, outcome-driven, evidence-based pastoral care and contribute to staff development and wellness programs.
• Conduct routine, special, and new-patient visits based on requests and referrals, including friendly visitation, bedside sacraments, and pastoral counseling.
• Educate healthcare staff and trainees about screening for spiritual and religious needs and making appropriate chaplain referrals for complex spiritual distress.
• Coordinate with community organizations to provide spiritual care and meet patients' religious needs that Chaplain Service staff cannot meet.
• Provide clinical chaplain services in specialty areas such as mental health, substance use disorder, hospice and palliative care, grief and bereavement, women's health, cancer treatment, spinal cord and polytrauma, pain, infectious disease, and Whole Health.
• Conduct individual and group interventions to address the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and families.
• Maintain courteous, respectful, cooperative relationships with Veterans, colleagues, management, and community stakeholders, and maintain established program productivity.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• A federal employee benefits package is available; specific eligibility depends on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Prior federal or military service may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level