Staff Psychologist - Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP)

Veterans Health Administration • Lincoln, NE

1d

About The Position

The Staff Psychologist provides psychological assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for mental disorders, substance use, behavioral, and psychosocial concerns. The role delivers psychotherapy and other interventions, provides adjunctive interventions for medical disorders, and consults with providers about medical, mental health, and other patient-care issues. Psychologists administer and interpret tests of ability, aptitude, achievement, interests, personality, cognitive functioning, and mental health.

The position serves patients in multidisciplinary medical and mental health teams and may work in inpatient, outpatient, or specialty-care settings. It includes clinical documentation, supervision and education of staff and trainees, patient and family education, risk assessment and crisis response, quality activities, and possible participation in scientific activity and committees. The full performance level is GS-13; selection may be at GS-11 through GS-13. The position is not virtual, with ad-hoc telework noted.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Doctoral degree in psychology from an APA-, PCSAS-, or CPA-accredited graduate program, with a specialty consistent with the assignment; alternatively, qualifying doctoral degree and completed respecialization program, or a qualifying 1951–1978 doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution with a primarily psychological dissertation.
• Successful completion of a qualifying professional psychology internship, subject to the alternatives and exceptions described in the posting.
• Full, current, and unrestricted doctoral-level license to practice psychology in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; eligible non-licensed applicants may receive a temporary graduate psychologist appointment under the specified conditions.
• For GS-12: at least one year of professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS-11, plus the stated knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• For GS-13: at least two years of professional psychologist experience, including at least one year equivalent to GS-12, plus the stated knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Submit a transcript with the application; foreign education used to qualify requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with the transcript.
• Meet VA employment conditions including background/security investigation, required onboarding and identification procedures, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.
• Selected applicants must serve a one- or two-year trial period.
• Applicants tentatively selected for a testing-designated position are subject to pre-appointment urinalysis; refusal results in denial of VA employment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive psychological assessments and formulate diagnostic impressions using standardized and clinically appropriate methods.
• Deliver evidence-based and evidence-informed psychotherapy for mental health, substance use, behavioral, and psychosocial concerns within granted clinical privileges.
• Administer and interpret psychological tests, including tests of ability, aptitude, achievement, interests, personality, cognitive functioning, and mental health.
• Complete clinical documentation and charting within healthcare-system timelines and quality and accreditation standards.
• Provide clinical supervision to unlicensed staff and trainees, and guidance and education to assigned staff in psychological service delivery.
• Consult with other professional personnel regarding psychological services and treatment planning.
• Educate patients, family members, professional staff, and trainees about mental health conditions and treatment approaches.
• Perform risk assessments for self-harm or harm to others and implement suicide-prevention and crisis-management procedures.
• Contribute as a member of multidisciplinary medical and mental health teams in inpatient, outpatient, or specialty-care settings.
• Participate in performance-improvement and quality-assurance activities relevant to psychological services and assigned clinical programs.
• Abide by ethical principles addressed by psychology licensing boards.
• Support and/or participate in scientific activity.
• May serve on internal and external committees.
• May have administrative responsibilities of limited scope and complexity.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to eligibility and approval; award amount may be up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility criteria.
• 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 may be carried into retirement.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual-leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

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