Social Science Technician (PERM) Job

Vacancy No. IHS-24-PX-12254990-DE Department Indian Health Service
Salary $39,576.00 to $51,446.00 Grade 5 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/28/2024 Close Date 12/31/2024
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Sacaton, AZWadsworth, NV


Summary

This position is being re-advertised to solicit additional applications. Applicants who applied previously need not reapply unless submitting updated and/or missing information.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

The IHS is required by law to give absolute preference to qualified applicants who meet the Secretary of the Interior's definition of Indian for appointment to vacancies within the IHS in accordance with established IHS policy as outlined in the Indian Health Manual Part 7, Chapter 3. The IHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Duties

The Social Science Technician position serves as an adolescent residential staff worker providing direct supervision of residents for the Desert Vision Youth Wellness Center in Sacaton, Arizona or Wadsworth, Nevada. The facilities are a co-ed, open continuous enrollment residential treatment center. This position reports to the Supervisory Nurse onsite.

  • Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in an inpatient program for Native American adolescents with substance abuse problems.
  • Assist in basic substance abuse instruction and education in accordance with patient treatment plans.
  • Keep written records in accordance with treatment center policies and procedures.
  • Provide guidance and instruction in group activities, personal health and hygiene, courtesy, and etiquette to adolescent patients.
  • Assist patients with homework assignments from school classes and treatment sessions.
  • Provides transportation to airport, hospital, and/or other treatment activities as directed. Work a 12-hour compressed schedule including nights and weekends.
**This position is being announced concurrently under Excepted Service Examining Plan/Merit Promotion Plan (ESEP/MPP) procedures. Please review vacancy announcement number IHS-24-PX-12254989-ESEP/MP; for eligibility requirements. NOTE: Applicants must apply separately for each announcement in order to be considered.**

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Must pass pre-employment examination.
Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

Confidential Financial Disclosure Form required.

Measles and Rubella immunization required for selectees born after 1957 and seasonal influenza immunization is required for all staff working in Indian Health Service health care facilities.

COVID-19 vaccination is required for all selectees prior to entrance on duty.

On-call hours or standby duty may be required.

A valid driver's license is required for this position.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.

Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-0102-05:
  • Your resume must demonstrate at least (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Providing physical and psychological care for clients in a residential treatment facility, or related setting, to prevent and treat social problems like substance abuse, dysfunctional family, trauma-related emotional disturbances, etc. Knowledge of chemical dependency and co-occurring disorders is highly desirable. Prior experience in the following fields may be found qualifying: teacher's aide, paraprofessional, social work assistant, human services assistant, behavioral health technician, residential aide, substance abuse technician, nursing assistant or medical assistant.
OR
  • Completion of a full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position.
OR
  • Possess a combination of education and experience when combined fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Note: (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 (1) year of specialized experience. Determine your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the 1 year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine your 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 must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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/.

Additional information

Per IHS policy (SGM 21-04) IHS selectees to positions located in Federally operated hospitals, health centers, and clinics must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before entry on duty or have IHS approve a medical or religious exemption. If an exemption is approved then wearing a face mask and regular testing for COVID-19 will be required. Your Human Resources Specialist will provide a list of documents acceptable as vaccination proof and instructions on how to submit your vaccination documentation or how to request a medical or religious exemption, if needed.

Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement.

Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment and/or Relocation Incentives and/or Permanent Change of Station may be authorized and is subject to availability and service unit determination and approval. If offered, you will be required to sign a one (1) year service agreement. Failure to fulfill the service agreement will result in repayment of the incentive.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:
For IHS - https://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/
For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps

This position has no promotion.

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.

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.

If you meet the minimum qualifications requirements for this position, your application will be evaluated and rated under Category Rating selection procedures. Once the application process is complete, a review of your qualifications will be conducted to determine if you are qualified for this job. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The quality categories are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within each of these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-preference eligibles.

Please note that if, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your category rating can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

To determine if you are qualified for this position, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against the qualifications as defined in the qualifications section of this vacancy announcement and your responses to the assessment questions. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume (your resume must state specific duties that relate to this position) and your responses to the assessment questions will be evaluated against the duties you provided in your resume, along with your submitted documentation to determine your ability to demonstrate the following.

  • Attention to Detail
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Intervention
  • Oral Communication


The following links below provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities. If you are a Veteran, qualified CTAP and ICTAP eligible, or an individual with a disability, please refer to the following links below for additional guidance. CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Workforce Restructuring Career Transition website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Click here to view vacancy questions: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12254990. All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 08/09/2024, to be considered.

Required Documents

Resume: You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume. If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed, annual salary, and description of job duties. Include name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number.

Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements:

  • Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records. For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432. Refer to BIA-4432 link: https://www.bia.gov/sites/default/files/dup/assets/public/raca/online_forms/pdf/1076-0160_INDIAN-PREF_Expires-10.31.24_508.pdf. When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.
  • Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy). To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf) along with the appropriate supporting documentation. For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: http://www.fedshirevets.gov.
  • Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/ctap_guideline.pdf.
  • Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application. You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
  • Licensure, Certifications: Applicants should list their license/certifications on their resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable. Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 08/09/2024

The first Cut-off date for receipt/referral of applications to be considered for available vacant positions will be 5 days after the JOA open date. Certificates will be issued every 5 days until the position is filled.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. See required documents below.

  1. Click 'Apply' to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account.
  2. Follow the prompts to upload your resume and/or supporting documents.
  3. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly. .
  4. Complete the assessment questions.
  5. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package
For additional questions please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found here: http://www.ihs.gov/jobs/index.cfm?module=search&option=faq.

Agency contact information

Chelsea Banteah
Address
Desert Visions Regional Treatment Center
198 S Skill Center Rd
PO Box 458
Sacaton, AZ 85247
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJobs account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJobs that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line occupational questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation. You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJobs Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration. We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement.

If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, researches emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats.

~ ~ ~ Indian Health Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer ~ ~ ~


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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