Applicants pending educational/certification/licensure completion requirements may be referred & tentatively selected but can't be hired until all requirements are met
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Citizenship Must be US citizen Non-citizens only appointed when it's not possible to recruit qualified US citizens
English Language Proficiency Must be proficient in spoken & written English
Education Have doctoral degree in psychology from graduate program in psychology accredited by American Psychological Association, Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System or Canadian Psychological Association when program was completed Specialty in which applicant is retrained must be consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area Term "specialty area" refers to specific specialty areas recognized by accrediting body & not to specific job duties that may require special skills Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or 2 or more combination specialty areas PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, & school psychology. VHA doesn't have any jobs that require a school psychologist skills so applicants w/ school psychology degrees aren't eligible for appointments. Strictly for purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas, w/ exception of school psychology
OR
Have doctoral degree in any area of psychology & successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of approved internship completed as part of re-specialization program), that meet following conditions: re-specialization program must be completed in APA or CPA accredited doctoral program; & specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area
OR
Have doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from regionally accredited institution, w/ dissertation primarily psychological in nature
AND
Internships Have successfully completed professional psychology internship training program accredited by APA or CPA at time program was completed & specialty which applicant is retrained must be consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area
OR
New VHA psychology internship programs in process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable to fulfill internship requirements, provided such programs were sanctioned by VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology & VHA Office of Academic Affiliations when individual was intern
OR
VHA facilities that offered full-time, 1 year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151, pre-1979 are considered acceptable to fulfill internship requirement
OR
Applicants who completed internship not accredited by APA or CPA when program was completed can only be considered eligible for hire if they are currently board certified by American Board of Professional Psychology in specialty area consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area
NOTE Employee is required to maintain board certification once board certified
OR
Applicants who have doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from regionally accredited institution w/ a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill internship requirement by having equivalent of 1 year supervised internship experience in site specifically acceptable to candidate's doctoral program If internship experience isn't noted on applicant's official transcript, applicant must provide statement from doctoral program verifying equivalent of 1 year supervised internship experience was completed at site acceptable to doctoral program
NOTE Psychologists who meet revision requirements & who were employed by Department of VA prior to implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met qualification standard requirements
Licensure Hold full, current & unrestricted license to practice psychology at doctoral level in State, Territory or Commonwealth of U S or District of Columbia
Exception Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet eligibility requirements may be given temporary appointment as "graduate psychologist" at GS11 or GS12 grade for period not to exceed 2 years from employment date on condition psychologist provides care only under supervision of psychologist who's licensed Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination temporary appointment
Loss of Credential Psychologists who fail to maintain required licensure must be removed from occupation, which may result in employment termination Employees may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified & if opportunity placement exists at appointing officials' discretion
Board Certification Persons hired to psychology positions in VHA who completed internship not accredited at time program was completed must be board certified by American Board of Professional Psychology in specialty area consistent w/ applicant's assigned employment area Board certificate must be current & applicant must abide by certifying body's requirement for continuing education
Loss of Credential Once board certified, psychologist must maintain full, valid & unrestricted board certification to remain employment qualified Psychologists who fail to maintain required board certification must be removed from occupation, which may result in termination of employment Employees may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified & if opportunity placement exists at appointing officials' discretion
Grade Determinations Candidates must possess following grade determination requirements in addition to basic requirements
GS11 Experience None beyond basic requirements
GS12 Experience At least 1 year professional psychologist experience equivalent to GS11 grade Unlicensed Psychologists must practice under supervision of licensed psychologist but w/ less intense supervision than at GS11 grade level
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills & Abilities KSAs Candidates must demonstrate following KSAs plus GS-12 experience
1) Knowledge & ability to apply range of professional psychological treatments/assessment methods to various patient populations
2) Ability to design/implement effective treatment strategies
3) Ability include new clinical procedures
4) Ability conduct research activities, eg design/implement clinical research projects, staff psychologists w/ specified research job duties
5) Ability perform scholarship & research basic research tasks & execute w/ established research team, including research participant relations & documentation, data acquisition, maintenance & collaboration
GS-13 Experience At least 2 years professional psychologist experience w/ at least 1 year equivalent to GS-12 grade
KSAs Candidates must demonstrate following KSAs in addition to experience
1) Knowledge/ability to apply professional psychological treatments to patient population ranges
2) Ability to provide professional advice/consult in psychology/behavioral health related areas
3) Clinical research literature knowledge
Preferred Experience: Experience providing range of treatment services to patients w/ substance use & co-occurring disorders, including but not limited to: individual, family & group psychotherapy, experience using motivational interviewing skills & techniques & abstinence based interventions & harm reduction approaches to SUDs
Reference please visit ttps://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ for qualification standards information
Vacancy full performance level is GS-13. Applicants may be selected for grades GS-11s-GS-13s for this vacancy
Physical Requirements:
Lift/carry <15 lbs, use computer equipment, sit, walk, stand, bend, carry papers, books, laptop/other items, rapid mental/muscular coordination, climb/descend stairs & complete,
Pass & maintain Basic Life Support certification