Psychologist

Veterans Health Administration • Citrus Heights, CA

9d • Onsite

About The Position

The Psychologist provides Vet Center readjustment counseling services to eligible Veterans, active duty Service members, and their families. The position requires the knowledge and experience to independently use individual, family, marriage, and group therapeutic interventions to support readjustment. The incumbent completes intake and risk assessments, develops and updates individualized counseling service plans with clients, provides counseling, and conducts risk assessment and crisis intervention. The position’s full performance level is GS-13, and the actual selection grade may range from GS-11 to GS-13.

The work schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; the tour of duty may change depending on facility location. This is a permanent, non-virtual position, and telework is not available. The position may be eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to individual eligibility and approval. The job requires a doctoral degree in psychology, qualifying internship training, and a full, current, unrestricted doctoral-level psychology license, subject to the stated temporary graduate psychologist exception.

Federal employment conditions include U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, security screening, a pre-employment physical, seasonal influenza vaccination, and service of a one- or two-year trial period. Applicants must submit a transcript with their application.

Requirements

• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-, PCSAS-, or CPA-accredited graduate program, with a specialty consistent with the assignment; specified alternative doctoral-degree and re-specialization pathways are accepted.
• Successful completion of a qualifying professional psychology internship, subject to the stated accreditation and alternative pathways.
• Full, current, unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; qualifying non-licensed applicants may be appointed temporarily as graduate psychologists under licensed supervision for up to two years.
• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception under VA policy.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• For GS-12: at least one year of professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS-11, plus the specified knowledge, skills, and abilities in psychological treatments and assessments, treatment strategy design, and clinical procedures; research-related abilities apply to staff psychologists with specified research duties.
• For GS-13: at least two years of professional psychologist experience, including at least one year equivalent to GS-12, plus the specified ability to apply treatments across patient populations, provide professional advice and consultation in psychology and behavioral health, and knowledge of clinical research literature.
• Submit a transcript with the application.
• Complete required background/security investigation, online onboarding, acceptable identification verification, and pre-employment physical examination.
• Participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Responsibilities

• Establish a therapeutic relationship with eligible individuals and complete required readjustment counseling intake procedures, including assessment of self-harm risk and psychosocial functioning.
• Use intake and assessment information to identify presenting clinical focus areas and develop readjustment counseling service plans.
• Develop and periodically update individualized counseling plans with clients, including therapeutic and psychosocial interventions and outcome measures.
• Provide individual, group, marriage, and/or family readjustment counseling in accordance with each client's plan.
• Maintain effective therapeutic relationships with eligible clients in accordance with professional ethics.
• Conduct risk assessments during initial assessment and periodically throughout counseling as required and appropriate.
• Work with individuals identified as being at intermediate to high risk to develop safety plans addressing precipitating life stressors and client-identified safety procedures.
• Provide crisis intervention and support to clients and family members.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program reimbursement, subject to eligibility and approval, up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on qualifications or VA needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and paid federal holidays.
• Possible credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Potential childcare subsidy for eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility requirements.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree