SOCIAL WORKER OR PSYCHOLOGIST - DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY

Department of the Air Force

Air Force Materiel Command

Summary

Veteran's preference does not apply to DHA recruitment.

Click on "Learn more about this agency" button below for more information.

The primary purpose of this position is to provide a full range of professional social work services within operational Air Force squadrons. Serves as a member of a multidisciplinary Integrated Operational Support team directly supporting the Line of the Air Force mission. Build resiliency, enhance human performance and improve unit mission effectiveness.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

This public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in selection.

Duties

Observes and participates in unit activities in order to identify psychosocial stressors and barriers to optimal human performance.
Develops and implements program initiatives, executing strategies to mitigate psychosocial stressors and risks to optimize Service members and mission performance.
Provides psychological consultation, education, and training to military commanders/senior leaders, other MH professionals, and medical staff.
Conducts psycho-diagnostic assessments and provides evidence-based psychotherapy services.
Management of operational clinical services, resource allocation, and agency partnerships.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship is required
Males must be registered for Selective Service, see Legal and Regulatory Guidance
Must have actively practiced as a licensed independent practitioner within the past two years.
For more information on Acq Demo please go to DoD AcqDemo Homepage http://acqdemo.hci.mil/ and Fact Sheet http://acqdemo.hci.mil/faq.html
Relocation costs or other incentives may be available and considered by the organization.
Selectee is expected to be granted with and/or maintain the appropriate security clearance required for the position.
Employee must maintain current certifications
This position may require drug testing, and the candidate may be subject to passing a drug test upon selection.
Must maintain active, full, independent clinical privileges through completion of all required yearly clinical competencies to the full scope of their clinical field and at an independent and unsupervised level for the duration of employment.
Must provide evidence of current adult clinical practice within the past two years as an independent Licensed Professional Counselor or a Licensed Clinical Social Worker to the host installation MTF.
Disclosure of Political Appointments
All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.
This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur.
Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period.
Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
This position has been designated as Key/Emergency Essential (E-E). In the event of a crisis, selectee must perform the Key/E-E duties until relieved.
This position cannot be vacated during a national emergency or mobilization. Requires the incumbent be removed from military recall status.
Must have passed the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) or provide evidence of an examination determined by the Director of the DHA as equal in scope, intent, and content to the NCMHCE.
Must possess and maintain a current, active, full, and unrestricted license to practice as a Licensed Professional Counselor independently, which includes diagnosis and treatment.

Qualifications

Experience requirements are described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Professional and Scientific Positions

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least 1 year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the next lower broadband NH-02, equivalent to the next lower grade GS 11 or equivalent in other pay systems. Specialized experience is professional knowledge of clinical counseling practices, principles, theories, and administrative requirements to apply them in a clinical or occupational setting and medical documentation; knowledge of a full range of psychiatric disorders and ability to provide treatment to patients. NOTE: Due to the use of 120-day rosters, this period of experience may be completed within 120 days of the closing date of this announcement.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
1, Professional knowledge of clinical counseling practices, principles, theories, and administrative requirements to be able to apply them in a clinical or occupational setting and medical documentation.
2. Professional knowledge of evidence-based treatments for a full range of psychiatric disorders to plan and provide treatment to patients.
3. Knowledge of diagnostic issues related to psychiatric disorders IAW the most current version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association.
4. Knowledge of military organizations and culture and the unique stressors upon workers in an operational military workplace.
5. Knowledge of and proficiency in (at minimum 1 preferably 2) evidenced-based treatment modalities used for the treatment of trauma-related disorders such as Cognitive Processing Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing.
6. Knowledge of social services delivery systems to ensure effective program management and communication.
7. Knowledge and skill in administration, scoring, and interpretation of select psychological and psycho-social screening measures to properly assess patient's needs. Understanding of behavioral risk management and the ability to engage appropriate protections as needed when the risk of harm to self or others is present.
8. Skill and ability to provide guidance and consultation services to medical professionals and military leaders and facilitate referrals to military or community ability to engage appropriate protections as needed when risk of harm to self or others is present.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

0185 - SOCIAL WORKER: Completed a Master of Social Work degree from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. Must have completed a master's-level practicum or two years post-Master of Social Work degree experience that qualified for taking the independent licensure exam.

0180 - PSYCHOLOGIST: Master's Degree or higher in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Must have passed the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination (NCMHCE) or provide evidence of an examination determined by the Director of the DHA as equal in scope, intent, and content to the NCMHCE. To verify if an exam outside the NCMHCE meets DHA requirements, a request for review will be routed through the AFMED Clinical Quality Management office. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts.

Additional information

This public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in selection.

This job announcement may close at any time - apply now!

This is an acquisition demonstration project position NH-03 equivalent to a GS-12 to GS-13.

Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here.

If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

Your responses to the questionnaire may be compared to the documents you submit. The documents you submit must support your responses to the online questionnaire. If your application contradicts or does not support your questionnaire responses, you will receive a rating of "not qualified" or "insufficient information" and you will not receive further consideration for this job.

Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

APPRAISALS/AWARDS: Hiring Managers use objective methods and consider previous performance appraisals and awards in the selection process. Current Federal Civilian employees should list any relevant performance related rating and/or awards in your resume.

Required Documents

The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. Applicants who do not submit required documentation to determine eligibility and qualifications will be eliminated from consideration. Other documents may be required based on the eligibility/eligibilities you are claiming. Click here to view the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide and the required documents you must submit to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming.

Online Application: Questionnaire
Resume: Your resume may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 10 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume is illegible/unreadable. Additional information on resume requirements can be located under "How To Apply".
Transcripts/Registration/License: If qualifying on education/position requires education, you must submit copies of your transcripts and if required for the position, submit an active, current registration/license.

ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Active duty members applying for a civil service position without submitting a valid certification memo or DD Form 214 with their application will render the member ineligible for the position. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:

Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
Branch of Armed Forces
Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
Expected character of service/discharge and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander.

Note: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form 214 must be submitted upon receipt.

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

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/11/2026

To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13000843

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the application questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Application button at the end of the process.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Your Resume. If you submit more than one resume, only the most recent will be reviewed. The "most recent" is considered the resume with the latest timestamp.

Resumes may not exceed two pages. The two-page resume ensures the most relevant experience is reviewed and considered, which is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Additional information on how to complete or update your resume may be located here.
For qualification determination your resume must contain hours worked per week and dates of employment (i.e., month/year to month/year or month/year to present). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as insufficient, and you will not receive consideration for this position. If you are a current Federal employee or previous Federal employee, provide your pay plan, series and grade, i.e. GS-0301-09. Current Federal Civilian Employees may list any relevant performance related rating (given within the last three years) and/or incentive awards in your resume.
Do NOT include photographs, inappropriate material, inappropriate content, nor personal information such as age, gender, religion, social security number, etc., on your resume. If the resume you submit contains such information you will not be considered for this vacancy.
Your name, first and last, MUST be included on your resume.

2. A complete Application Questionnaire
3. Additional Required Documents (see Required Documents section). Ensure all submitted documents contain your full name.
4. Help recruiters find you. Make your resume and profile searchable, which means recruiters may contact you about possible jobs. Additional information may be located here.

OPTIONAL DOCUMENTS:
Performance Appraisals for Current Federal Civilian Employees - Most recent performance appraisals (dated within last 3 years) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable.
Awards for Current Federal Civilian Employees - List any awards received within the last 3 years on the resume.
Note: Applicant must not submit award Notification of Personnel Actions (SF50s).

PLEASE NOTE: It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and/or uploaded, (i.e., resume) is received, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. You may verify your documents have been processed with your application package successfully. You can access your USAJOBS account to do so by clicking here. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.

Human Resources WILL NOT modify or change any answers submitted by an applicant.

Agency contact information

Air Force Test Center Recruitment

Email: AFTC.Enterprise.Recruiting@us.af.mil

Address: AF Test Center
6437 6th Street
Bldg 430, Rm 119
Hill AFB, UT 84056
US

Next steps

Once your application package is received an acknowledgement email will be sent.

If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application.Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility and qualifications for consideration. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

If you do not provide an email address, you are responsible for checking status updates and notifications in USAJOBS. Hard copy notifications will not be sent to you.

Additional locations

Arnold AFB, TN

FEW vacancies

Hill AFB, UT