Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist

Veterans Health Administration • Anchorage, AK

13d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is in the Mental Health Service, Health Care for Homeless Veterans Service. The specialist provides vocational assessments, pre-vocational counseling and guidance, rehabilitation plans, progress notes, accurate records and documentation, time studies, shipment preparation and receipt, and data for reports and research. Duties vary by grade; the duties described are for GS-9.

The specialist determines clients’ vocational goals, objectives, and training needs based on referrals, interviews, and assessments. They evaluate whether clients have the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to meet their goals, and assess the likely success of training based on its requirements and the client’s abilities.

The specialist oversees and assists veterans in Compensated Work Therapy settings, including work oversight, training on special equipment, and maintaining a safe and therapeutic work environment. Through groups, classes, modeling, coaching, and counseling, the specialist helps veterans improve functioning, job readiness, and self-esteem. They may use behavior modification and counseling strategies with more severely handicapped clients.

The role includes visiting community companies to monitor clients in Transitional Work Experience placements, maintaining community and employer contacts, identifying job and small-business opportunities, and referring clients to placement opportunities. When placements require accommodations, the specialist analyzes the worksite, evaluates environmental demands, and ensures the setting accommodates clients’ limitations. The specialist also counsels clients through workplace transitions, helps employers understand clients’ limitations while supporting their potential, arranges professional assistance when needed, and adjusts the work environment or training to support successful rehabilitation. The specialist serves on facility- and service-level committees and task forces as requested and may work in other areas as needed.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling is available. Telework is ad hoc only; this is not a virtual position. The position has no authorized relocation or recruitment incentives and no approved Critical Skills Incentive or authorized Permanent Change of Station.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Meet the Individual Occupational Requirement through qualifying education in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or a related field, or qualifying specialized experience.
• For GS-7, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5, or qualifying education (one full year of graduate education or a bachelor’s degree with Superior Academic Achievement in a related major), or an allowable combination of education and experience.
• For GS-9, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7, or a qualifying master’s/equivalent graduate degree, two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. in a related major, or an allowable combination of education and experience.
• Current federal employees and certain former federal employees must meet the applicable time-in-grade requirement: 52 weeks at GS-5 for GS-7 consideration or 52 weeks at GS-7 for GS-9 consideration.
• Complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Submit transcripts when relying on education to meet qualification requirements.
• Meet pre-employment requirements, including a physical examination, background/security investigation, and online onboarding.
• Register with Selective Service if required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel requirement.
• Serve a one-year probationary period or two-year trial period, as applicable.

Responsibilities

• Assess clients’ vocational goals, objectives, knowledge, skills, abilities, and training needs.
• Analyze training requirements and on-the-job demands to estimate clients’ likelihood of completing a program successfully.
• Oversee veterans in Compensated Work Therapy settings, including work activities, special-equipment training, and maintenance of a safe and therapeutic work environment.
• Use groups, classes, modeling, coaching, counseling, and, when appropriate, behavior modification to improve clients’ functioning, job readiness, and self-esteem.
• Visit companies to monitor veterans’ progress in Transitional Work Experience placements in community competitive employment settings.
• Maintain community contacts and day-to-day contact with employers, placement personnel, and other placement resources; identify job and small-business opportunities.
• Refer clients to placement opportunities and evaluate worksites and environmental demands to determine and arrange necessary accommodations.
• Counsel and guide clients through workplace transitions and help employers understand clients’ limitations while supporting their potential for success.
• Help clients resolve personal or adjustment problems and arrange professional services when needed.
• Adjust the work environment or client training to promote successful rehabilitation.
• Prepare rehabilitation plans, write progress notes, maintain records and documentation, conduct time studies, prepare outgoing shipments, accept incoming shipments, and provide data for reports and research.
• Serve on facility- and service-level committees and task forces as requested and function in other areas as needed.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package; eligibility depends on position type and other factors.
• Potential credit for job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service when calculating annual leave accrual, subject to request and approval before appointment.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed