Staff Psychologist

Veterans Health Administration • Marion, IN

10d

About The Position

The Staff Psychologist provides psychological assessment, consultation, treatment, research, collaboration, and education and training services in the assigned clinical areas. The role serves patients with less complex conditions and problems, consulting with a supervisor regarding more complex cases. Assessment may involve interviews, psychological testing, or both; the psychologist selects appropriate procedures, oversees administration and scoring, interprets results, documents findings in the medical record promptly, and incorporates findings into treatment planning.

The psychologist uses therapeutic techniques suited to patients’ needs, including individual and group psychotherapy, family or marital counseling, and other appropriate interventions. The position includes training and use of psychosocial rehabilitation techniques. The psychologist may develop and implement a research program, submit protocols for required review and approval, keep current with professional research, and present or publish findings or theories. The position collaborates with VA and community entities and programs, including those serving Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom, substance use disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, mental health, homelessness, and community-based outpatient care.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling and ad hoc telework may be available at the supervisor’s discretion. This is not a virtual position. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to program eligibility and approval; awards may be up to $200,000, with an eligibility period of one to five years. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized. The full performance level is GS-13; selection may be at GS-11 through GS-13.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-, PCSAS-, or CPA-accredited graduate psychology program, with a specialty consistent with the assignment; alternatively, an eligible accredited doctoral re-specialization, or a qualifying regionally accredited doctorate awarded between 1951 and 1978 with a primarily psychological dissertation.
• Successful completion of an eligible professional psychology internship consistent with the assignment, subject to the listed exceptions and alternatives, including the applicable board-certification provision for certain non-accredited internships.
• Full, current, unrestricted doctoral-level license to practice psychology in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia. Eligible GS-11 or GS-12 non-licensed applicants may receive a supervised temporary graduate psychologist appointment for up to two years, subject to the stated conditions.
• GS-12: At least one year of professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS-11, plus the specified knowledge and abilities in psychological treatments and assessment, treatment strategy design, adoption of clinical procedures, and research activities/tasks as applicable.
• GS-13: At least two years of professional psychologist experience, including at least one year equivalent to GS-12, plus knowledge and ability in psychological treatment across patient populations, professional consultation in psychology and behavioral health, and clinical research literature.
• Meet VA background/security, onboarding, identification, pre-employment physical, drug-testing (if selected for a testing-designated position), and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Maintain required board certification if applicable; failure to maintain it may result in removal from the occupation and potentially termination.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period and receive written certification for continued employment after the period.
• Complete all application requirements specified in the announcement.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as an outpatient psychologist providing evidence-based psychotherapies.

Responsibilities

• Provide psychological assessment and consultation for patients in assigned clinical areas.
• Interview and/or test patients; select suitable assessment procedures, oversee administration and scoring, interpret results, document findings in the medical record, and contribute findings to treatment planning.
• Consult with a supervisor about more complex patient cases.
• Provide psychological treatment using appropriate therapeutic techniques, including individual and group psychotherapy, family or marital counseling, and other interventions as clinically appropriate.
• Use psychosocial rehabilitation techniques in day-to-day patient treatment after training.
• Collaborate with VA and community entities and programs, including those related to OEF/OIF, substance use disorder, PTSD, mental health, homelessness, VCLC, and VA Northern Indiana Health Care System and its community-based outpatient clinics.
• Develop research hypotheses and designs and take responsibility for preparing and implementing a research program, when applicable.
• Submit research protocols for review and approval by the Committee on the Protection of Human Subjects and the Medical Center Research and Development Committee.
• Stay current with research by attending professional conferences and reading professional publications; present or publish findings or theories.
• Provide education and training.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program student loan reimbursement, subject to eligibility and approval, with awards up to $200,000 and eligibility periods of one to five years.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type and eligibility.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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