Staff Psychologist (Inpatient)

Veterans Health Administration • Salisbury, NC

14h • Onsite

About The Position

The Salisbury VA Medical Center’s Psychiatry Service is hiring a psychologist to provide primarily clinical services on inpatient mental health units. The psychologist diagnoses mental disorders, conducts psychological assessments, treats mental disorders using a variety of modalities, and provides adjunctive interventions for medical disorders. The role includes assessment and consultation, psychological treatment, research and program monitoring, clinical documentation, and education and training. The psychologist works as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team and collaborates with clinicians from other disciplines. The position may include clinical supervision of psychology students and other trainees, and consultation with medical center staff about Veterans’ psychological characteristics and treatment expectations.

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is not a virtual position; ad-hoc telework is indicated. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to individual eligibility and program approval. EDRP awards may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-, PCSAS-, or CPA-accredited graduate program; alternatively, one of the specified doctoral-degree and respecialization or historical-degree pathways described in the announcement.
• Completion of a qualifying professional psychology internship, subject to the stated accreditation and exception pathways.
• Full, current, and unrestricted doctoral-level license to practice psychology in a U.S. State, Territory, or Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; nonlicensed applicants who meet other eligibility requirements may qualify for a supervised temporary graduate psychologist appointment of up to two years.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• For GS-12 qualification: at least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to GS-11, plus the stated knowledge, skills, and abilities in psychological treatments and assessment, treatment strategy design, adoption of clinical procedures, and applicable research activities.
• For GS-13 qualification: at least two years of professional psychologist experience, including at least one year equivalent to GS-12, plus the stated knowledge and abilities in applying psychological treatments across patient populations, providing professional advice and consultation, and knowledge of clinical research literature.
• For GS-11/12, obtain doctoral-level licensure within two years of appointment; GS-13 candidates must already hold a full, current, and unrestricted doctoral-level license.
• Meet applicable pre-employment requirements, including background/security investigation and physical evaluation; selected applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to pre-employment urinalysis.
• Complete the online onboarding process and all application requirements in the announcement.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as required.
• Demonstrate interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution and collaborative work with staff from other professions.

Responsibilities

• Conduct psychological assessments, including interviews and/or testing, and consult with staff about appropriate evaluations.
• Oversee administration and scoring of psychological assessment procedures; interpret and report findings in the medical record in a timely manner.
• Integrate assessment findings into patient treatment plans.
• Conduct psychological and/or brief/basic neuropsychological assessments and treat mental health problems in an inpatient mental health care setting.
• Apply behavioral health principles and techniques to support patients with health behaviors, smoking cessation, pain management, adherence to recommended treatments, and management of chronic or terminal illness.
• Assist in or develop therapy groups and practices.
• Establish program monitors and outcome measurements using a data-driven quality assurance process.
• Complete required clinical charting and documentation in a timely manner.
• Plan and oversee personal research programs to inform program planning and relevant treatment approaches.
• May provide clinical supervision to psychology students, postdoctoral psychology residents, and psychology interns.
• May train medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, nursing students, fellows, and other graduate or postgraduate trainees.
• Consult with medical center staff and trainees regarding Veterans’ psychological characteristics and appropriate treatment expectations.
• Work collaboratively with clinicians from other disciplines as a member of a multidisciplinary treatment team.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to eligibility and approval, with awards up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment.
• Potential child care subsidy for eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility conditions.
• 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 federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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