Occupational Therapist (Clinical Specialist) Job in Chicago, IL

Vacancy No. CAZP-12761290-25-GL Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $117,807.00 to $153,151.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/11/2025 Close Date 7/21/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Chicago, IL


Summary

The Occupational Therapist - Clinical Specialist position is located in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL, and provides direct services, evaluation and treatment to inpatient and outpatient veterans.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from current, permanent, employees of the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Chicago, IL to include CBOC and VCS employees.

Duties

The advanced practice Occupational Therapist (OT) serves a dual role as both Clinical Education Coordinator and Clinical Resource Therapist at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. The incumbent integrates expert clinical care, education leadership, regulatory compliance, mentorship, and program development to ensure delivery of high-quality, evidence-based occupational therapy services across a variety of settings, including acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient clinics, and long-term care.
- Provides advanced-level assessment and treatment for veterans with complex physical, psychological, and cognitive conditions.
- Demonstrates high-level clinical reasoning and autonomy in modifying care plans.
- Maintains strong partnerships with affiliated universities and establishes new contracts with academic institutions.
- Facilitates onboarding, orientation, and structured learning experiences for OT, OTA, and associated health trainees.
- Mediates student-instructor issues and supports additional educational opportunities such as surgical observations or interdisciplinary shadowing.
- Serves on university curriculum committees and influences academic program development.
- Serves as the primary compliance liaison for OT, ensuring all documentation meets standards set by Medicare, Joint Commission, CARF, and VA guidelines.
- Conducts chart audits and documentation training to promote accurate coding, workload capture, and alignment with regulatory expectations.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorize

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
  • All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
  • 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 trial period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • 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).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements: The following are the basic requirements and qualifications for appointment as an Occupational Therapist.

United States Citizenship - Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency Requirement - Per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C., chapter 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.

Education and Experience Requirement - You 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.--OR--
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. The program must be approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations.

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, Puerto Rico, or the District of Columbia

In addition to the basic requirements as stated above, the following criteria must be met to qualify for the Occupational Therapist - Clinical Specialist position at the GS-13 grade level.

GS-13 Grade Level - Education, Experience, Licensure: Completion of one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position 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.
D. An additional advanced degree in a related field.

In addition to the experience requirement, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs.
  1. Knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across multiple areas of practice.
  2. Ability to provide clinical guidance in the advanced practice area to other OT practitioners.
  3. Knowledge of advanced specialized evaluations, interventions and services to independently develop treatment strategies for area of specialization.
  4. Skill in developing protocols and procedures for intervention programs based on current occupational therapy theory, recent research, and practice.
  5. Ability to provide consultation to other health care practitioners and outside groups about occupational therapy scope of practice for area of specialization.
  6. Ability to implement, revise/update evidence based occupational therapy services and programming in area of specialization.
References: VA Handbook 5005/127, Part II, Appendix G14, dated December 13,2019.Physical Requirements: May require medium strength according to the Department of Labor. Medium work entails: exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10-25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Examples of the medium strength required are as follows: Standing, walking, squatting, bending, and sitting; sitting at a desk and using upper extremities to reach, grasp and place papers, charts and binders; reaching, lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling: 1-10 pounds constantly, 1-25 pounds frequently, and 20-50 pounds occasionally.

Education

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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.

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.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Benefits

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.

Review our 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:

  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • PCS Orders
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

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 07/21/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12761290.

  1. 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.
  2. 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

Gemil Lewis
Address
Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
820 South Damen Avenue
Chicago, IL 60612
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.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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