Summary

Employee is a Licensed Occupational Therapist who serves as the Certified Hand Therapist in the Occupational Therapy Section of PM&R Service at the Bay Pines VA Healthcare System (Lee County Health Care Clinic). Incumbent is a Clinical Specialist who serves as the subject matter expert and as a consultant to Occupational Therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty area of Hand Therapy. Incumbent is certified by the (HTCC).

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Duties

Duties include but are not limited to the following:

Incumbent coordinates, develops or over-sees the development of the Hand Therapy Clinic for all patients referred to Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services. Serves as a resource to co-workers in area of Hand Therapy.
b. Employee works closely with the Plastic Surgeons in the Bay Pines VAHCS to develop protocols for the treatment of patients undergoing Xiaflex injections/manipulations for Dupuytren's Disease.
c. The incumbent functions as a Hand Therapist Clinical Specialist in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services under the general supervision of the Occupational Therapy Supervisor. Assigned responsibilities fall primarily in the following areas: techniques for highly complex cases in hand rehabilitation, including but not limited to: arthroplasty, contractures, fusions, ligament/tendon repairs, nerve compression syndrome, and RSD/CRPS.
In the capacity of a Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist within an interdisciplinary care team, the incumbent performs clinical, consultative, teaching and research functions related to assigned team according to principles of cooperative team organization and administration.
The incumbent serves as a point of contact as a clinical specialist for the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services department at this facility, throughout the VISN, and to Veterans Medical Facilities throughout the nation.
Serves as the Hand Therapy subject matter expert and consultant to Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Services and other medical center staff. In this role, incumbent offers expertise in evaluating and treating patients in the specialty areas of Hand Therapy that are
beyond the general practices of Occupational Therapy.
The incumbent uses evidence-based practices to review incoming referrals for appropriateness and independently evaluates patient's problems to determine their occupational therapy needs using standard tests and measurements adapting and modifying treatment plans to meet the needs of patients.
The incumbent demonstrates a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application.
The incumbent plans a treatment program with measurable goals, based on evaluative findings and within the boundaries of the individual prescription. Incumbent modifies the program according to changing patient needs and terminates the treatment program when all goals have been met.
Independently administers standard occupational therapy treatment in the specific area to which he/she is assigned but may be rotated to other clinic areas depending on staffing/patient needs.
The incumbent provides accurate written and/or verbal documentation of patient status and progress, treatment program plans and patient response to treatment.
The incumbent independently schedules patient visits throughout the day allowing for adequate individual treatment time as well as necessary time for conferences and any administrative tasks.
The incumbent represents OT/PM&RS at interdisciplinary team meetings and provides in-service training to hospital staff as needed. Incumbent exhibits a thorough understanding of the rehabilitation field with all its constituents to combine the difference-related disciplines into an effective team and deliver rehabilitation in its holistic approach.
Compiles and submits statistical data required documenting patient attendance,therapist workload and Quality Assurance measures. The supervisor is generally apprised of work performed through quality management reports, audits, and meetings.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30AM to 4:00PM
Telework: AD-HOC
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
You may be required to serve a probationary period.
Subject to background/security investigation.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
Education and/or Experience. The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:

(a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.

(b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field; NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.
or
(c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy. AND

Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.
Certification. Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an Occupational Therapist.
State Licensure. Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.
English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met:
Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist), GS-13

Education, Experience, and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, applicants must have completion of one year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Experience at the GS-12 level includes independent practice and comprehensive assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools. OTs select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, instrumental IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. OTs demonstrate a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures) AND directly related to the position being filled being filled AND one of the following:
- (a) A minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the advanced practice area. This time must be within the past five years;
- (b) Certification in an area recognized by the AOTA;
- (c) Completion of a fellowship/residency or advanced degree program in the advanced practice area; or(d) An additional advanced degree in a related field.

Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- (a) Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice.
- (b) Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners.
- (c) Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluation, interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization.
- (d) Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice.
- (e) Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization.
- (f) Ability to implement, revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization.

Preferred Experience:

1). Certified Hand Therapist
2). Experience with the following diagnoses related to the upper extremity; arthroplasty, contractures, fusions, ligament/tendon repairs, nerve compression syndrome, RSD/CRPS
3). Ability to work closely with Plastic Surgeons to follow set protocols as well as to develop hand clinic protocols for the treatment of upper extremity dysfunction.
4) Ability to act as the hand therapy subject matter expert and consultant for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

References: VA Handbook 5005/127, Part II, Appendix G14. Occupational Therapist Qualification Standard, VHA, 12/13/2019.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.This Position being recruited for is above full performance level GS-13

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds); moderate carrying (15-44 pounds); straight pulling (0.5 hours); pushing (0.5 hours); reaching above shoulder; walking (5.3 hours); standing (5.3 hours); repeated bending (5.3 hours); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid ma be permitted).

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.
Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
Resume
SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
Transcript

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

Cover Letter
Other (3)
Professional Certification

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/20/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12926879.

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Agency contact information

David Califano

Phone: (561) 884-1870
Email: david.califano@va.gov

Address: CW Bill Young Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
10000 Bay Pines Boulevard
Bay Pines, FL 33744
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Occ Therapist (Clinic Special) Job in Lee County, FL