Duties
VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY
Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties (include but are not limited to):
Clinical
- Has advanced knowledge of contemporary Physical Therapy across multiple areas of practice gained through completion of rotations within the various PT clinics or outside facility experience, and the demonstrated ability to apply this advanced knowledge to provide clinical guidance to Staff Physical Therapists, residents, and PT interns.
- Provides clinically appropriate treatment programs for client evaluation and treatment, within this Veterans Administration Health Care System, with great autonomy.
- Performs and interprets tests and measures to assess normal parameters of physiological functions, as well as, pathophysiological, pathomechanical, electrophysiological, ergonomic, and developmental deficits of bodily systems to determine diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention.
- Develops, coordinates, and implements highly specialized treatment programs within his/her assigned clinic, based on best practices for patient/client management, to relieve pain, restore or enhance performance, and maximize independence in functional abilities.
- Mentors and assists other physical therapy staff in the management of highly complex medically impaired patients/individuals with pelvic impairments via consultation or co-treatment.
- Demonstrates competence in treating both males and females with pelvic floor dysfunction. A minimum of 25% of this clinician's time is devoted to the practice of this specialty service.
- Demonstrates clinical expertise in evaluation, interpretation, and treatment utilizing Biofeedback and specialty stimulation equipment such as Pathway CTS 2000 Continence Evaluation and Training System. Serves as a mentor/trainer to other staff in utilizing these devices.
- Demonstrates the ability to interpret and assimilate diagnostic testing from other disciplines related to pelvic dysfunctions including Urology, Gynecology, Gastroenterology, and Physical Medicine & Rehab. Demonstrates skill in educating other staff in the utilization of this specialized information for effective client care.
- Plans and implements a comprehensive treatment regimen designed to maximize the function of the client with pelvic floor dysfunctions, including but not limited to pelvic/related pain, urinary/fecal incontinence, pre- and post-partum, and weakness/dysfunction of pelvic floor structures.
- Demonstrates advanced manual therapy skills especially for the lumbar, sciatic, hip, and pelvis.
Educational
- Serves as a subject matter expert and educational liaison for pelvic floor dysfunction/women's health and comprehensive rehabilitation areas to medical center staff, patients, families, visitors, students, and volunteers.
- Provides in-service to staff on various topics relating to patient care or safety factors.
- Attends scheduled in-service education opportunities as provided in-house or off-station.
- Assists in providing educational experiences for Rehabilitation staff and students, assesses their performance providing feedback and makes plans for improvement in identified areas of deficiency.
- Responsible for participating in patient care audits and ongoing quality assurance activities throughout the Physical Therapy/Rehabilitation Department, including establishing criteria and monitors to be reviewed as well as planning remedial action to correct deficiencies.
Administrative
- Attends and participates in scheduled and appointed professional division/program committee meetings, management workshops, conferences, and seminars.
- Establishes priority of objectives and evaluates existing programs, conducts need assessments prior to establishment of new programs.
- May conduct formal and/or informal clinical research, is aware of ongoing relevant research and keeps abreast of current professional publications on related Physical Therapy areas.
- Coordinates, develops, and maintains appropriate contacts with staff, consultants, and other services in regard to program development. Implements program changes as indicated, promotes new programs in a timely manner.
- Assists inpatient coverage for absent staff members to ensure continuity and quality of care.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, with weekend/holiday Acute Care rotation.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
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 probationary period.
- Subject to background/security investigation.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
- 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.
- English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
- Education and Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
- Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
- Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
- Doctorate degree in physical therapy.
NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org.
- Licensure: Individuals hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Non-licensed PTs, who otherwise meet the basic requirements in this standard, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate PT at the GS-11 grade level under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a)(1)(D) for a period not-to-exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such PT provide care only under the supervision of a PT who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.
Grade Determination:GS-13 Physical Therapist (Clinical Specialist)
- Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.
- Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years -OR-
- Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS -OR-
- Completion of a fellowship program -OR-
- An additional advanced degree in a related field
- Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs):
- Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy.
- Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy.
- Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
- Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
- Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area
References: See VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G12
Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
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:
- License
- Resume
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
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
- License
- RECOMMENDED: Write to the KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities) on a separate document. KSAs can be found in the announcement under qualifications.
- Resume
- 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 03/10/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12702672.
- 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.