Duties
Major duties include but not limited to the following:
- Receives and interprets requests or instructions for occupational therapy procedures.
- Completes a preliminary review/examination of patient data (including medical history), compiles and organizes pertinent information, and develops/presents a patient profile to be used in assessing patient's status and ascertaining patient's need for therapy services.
- Plans and implements specialized treatment program and applies occupational therapy procedures to patients under the general supervision of an occupational therapists.
- OTA will utilize more complex therapeutic techniques and interventions, utilizing problem-solving skills to maximize patient's functional status.
- May carry out or oversee the work of lower graded assistants to accommodate requests.
- Secures the confidence and cooperation of veterans during treatment.
- Interacts with the patient and family to explain therapy procedures, discuss treatment plans and motivate veterans and family members to comply with indicated regimens and post-discharge activities.
- Assist with or renders treatment based on patient needs.
- Assists with or independently renders specialized occupational therapy treatments and procedures based on assessed needs of the patient.
- Monitors and records veteran's condition during treatment.
- Take appropriate measures to sustain patient's condition during treatment and take appropriate action when deviations in veteran's condition are recognized.
- Records veteran's response to treatment and ensures that this is made part of the permanent medical record.
- Prepares and maintain appropriate equipment and supplies required for these treatments.
- Maintains a work safe environment to include non-technical maintenance of equipment, safety checks, cleaning, stocking supplies, and general upkeep of the occupational therapy department area.
- Screens, advises, and assists veterans through the occupational therapy regimen.
- Adapts and adjusts occupational therapy procedures as needed.
- Assists therapist in development of comprehensive specialized treatment plan that includes long- and short-term goals.
- Independently modifies or adapts therapeutic interventions for simple and complex cases with a wide range of diagnosis and disabilities, specialized treatment approaches with general supervision of the occupational therapist.
- Makes modifications within the scope of the established treatment plan to reflect the changing needs of the veteran and his or her sociocultural context.
- Modifies intervention environment, tools, material, and activities in response to each veteran's response to treatment.
- Adapts the technical procedures and approaches involving new and unusual treatment and rehabilitation objectives to meet the individual veteran's needs.
- Identifies and recommends complex adaptive and assistive devices and durable medical equipment.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Work Schedule: Full-time, 7:00 am - 3:30pm, days vary
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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:
- Citizenship. Citizen of the United States.
- Education. Applicants must have an associate's degree in occupational therapy from a college or university accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
- Certification. OTAs must have written documentation that they have passed the entry-level certification examination for OTAs administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
- Licensure. OTAs must hold a full, current, and unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a State, Territory, a Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia.
- English Language Proficiency. OTA candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 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::
GS-8 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-7). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
- Ability to implement delegated assessments.
- Ability to provide reports of observations and patient performance.
- Ability to use complex therapeutic techniques and interventions, utilizing problem-solving skills to maximize patient's functional status.
- Ability to modify therapeutic interventions for simple and complex cases with a wide range of diagnoses and disabilities.
- Ability to recommend complex adaptive and assistive devices and durable medical equipment.
- Ability to consult with health care practitioners about the patient's treatment plan and the occupational therapy scope of practice and services.
Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve as a full performance level OTA. OTAs at this level receive minimum guidance from the OT and seek guidance for more complex patients and specialized treatment procedures. They contribute to the screening, evaluation and re-evaluation process by administering delegated assessments and reporting observations and patient performance to the OT. OTAs plan, coordinate and administer occupational therapy treatment for prevention, remediation and rehabilitation of diverse diagnoses in all practice areas to both individuals and groups as well as develop and implement new programs. They recommend and modify assistive devices and instruct patients on their care and use to ensure optimal performance. OTAs independently provide patient education on areas of occupation, assistive devices and orthotics based on patient's and families' level of cognition, cultural and/or behavioral variables. OTAs collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to make recommendations for the patient's rehabilitation, reintegration and disposition needs. They develop, participate in and ensure compliance with quality improvement activities through participation in medical center/section committees as delegated.
References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G22- Occupational Therapy Assistant Qualification Standard.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08.
Physical Requirements: A Handbook 5019/1, Part II, Pre-Placement Physical Examination and Evaluation.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
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:
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)
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
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 03/14/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12694219.
- 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.
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account,
https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
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.