Clarification from the agency

Open to all current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs (Agency - VHA, VBA, NCA) Employees. Facility employees will have FIRST consideration.

Under direction of the primary RCAT, they responsible for the daily planning and implementation of recreation programs, services and activity interventions on specific units and areas with coverage needs including: Community Living Centers (CLC), Mental Health (MH), Creative Arts, Adaptive Sports and rec hall. These activities include but are not limited to unit-based formal/informal and community settings. Incumbent is responsible for the coordination, scheduling and completion of activities relating to Veteran's programs, including pet visitation, community outings, special events and other opportunities as indicated. Duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Supervise and assist with activities sponsored by volunteer groups for the service and will complete any forms as necessary and appropriate.
• Orient all new service volunteers, to the service facilities and services using the current published volunteer handbook and guidelines. Provides them with required orientation training and guidance.
• Plans and assists the details of special events and federal holiday programming.
• Schedules and publicizes recreation activities, ensuring maximum effectiveness in attracting and motivating participants and in providing the widest possible range of activities in terms of interests and needs.
• Coordinates the activities schedule with the RCAT to ensure compliance with standards of practice and facility requirements.
• Arranges for supplies and services needed to accomplish scheduled recreation activities for Recreation Therapy Service.
• Sets up the recreational area in preparation of the activity and provide area supervision and instruction as needed. Maintaining the recreation activity areas, offices, outdoor activity areas by performing periodic on-site inspections and reporting problems.
• Maintains all recreational equipment in a safe working condition, requesting repairs when indicated and reporting possible safety hazards in keeping with VA regulations.
• Documents recreation participation and progress of patients toward achieving their goals under the supervision of RCAT. Captures workload through encounters.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Sunday - Thursday, Tuesday - Saturday; 7:30pm; 11:30am - 8:00pm; 8am- 4:30pm; 9:00-5:30
Telework: This position is not eligible for telework.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Recreation Assistant/PD70809-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI):Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/26/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

• For a GS-6 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5.

The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

In addition to the Time-in-Grade Requirement, applicants must also possess the Individual Occupational Requirement as described below.

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT:

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above)

Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:

• Group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities.
• Teacher's aid in elementary school recreation or physical education program, with emphasis on development of general recreational skills and abilities.
• Aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service.
• Aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities.
• Summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, and boating and fishing areas (e.g., demonstrating camping techniques and park safety, conducting nature tours, and overseeing farm animal areas provided for children).
• Sales or stock clerk in a recreation supplies and equipment shop.
• Aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance of inventory control and accountability for such property in a recreation facility.
• Aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities.

In addition to the Time-in-Grade requirement and Individual Occupational Requirement, applicants must have the specialized experience as described below.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as follows: working with a wide range or programs and activities in physical fitness, rehabilitation and/or recreational activities; Utilizing standard methods to plan and coordinate recreation activities and proposing adaptations to procedures, planning and scheduling and other logistical details. Possessing a familiarity with the physical and mental capabilities, emotional and psychological considerations, and interests for medical facility patients. Maintaining recreational materials and equipment needed for games, crafts and sporting events. OR,
• Education (GS-06): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have six (6) months of graduate education (i.e., 9 semester hours) in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position (e.g., recreation or physical education). NOTE: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) OR,
• Combination (GS-06): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education as described above. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.)

AND

• ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

Combining Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. Determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Clinical Data Collection/Documentation
• Communication
• Patient Care
• Technical Competence

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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Preferred Experience: Experience with recreation therapy or therapeutic recreation, experience working with veterans; Tai Chi or Yoga Certifications; experience planning recreation and/or leisure activities; volunteer management

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.

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 make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees). You will not be contacted for additional information.

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

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF-50 showing your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade
• Award 50's do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time-in-grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF-50's include:
  • Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or
  • Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or
  • SF-50's at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Next steps