*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until December 29, 2025, or until the position is filled. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be October 28, 2025. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. ***
Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred & tentatively selected, but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
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.
Education.
(1) Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed.
OR
(2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology &, in addition, successfully complete a re- specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re- specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions:
- The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; &
- The specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
OR
(3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.
Internships.
(a) Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed & that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
OR
(b) New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement, provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology & the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern;
OR
(c) VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships (pre- 1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement;
OR
(d) Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. (
NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification.)
OR
(e) Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 & 1978 from a regionally- accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program.
Licensure.
Hold a full, current, & unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
Exception. Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 [(c)(2)(B)] for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.
English Language Proficiency.
Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005.
Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a psychologist prior to the effective date of the qualification standard (2/7/2018) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, & grade held, including positive education & licensure/certification that are part of the basic requirements of the position.
Grade Determinations:
Staff Psychologist, GS-11 (Entry Level)
Experience. None beyond the basic requirements
Staff Psychologist, GS-12 (Developmental Level)
Experience. At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of & ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.
- Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies.
- Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.
- Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties).
- Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship & research execution within the context of an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, & collaboration.
Assignment. Staff psychologists at this level diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological or neuropsychological assessments, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities, provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders, & may conduct research.
Staff Psychologist, GS-13 (Full Performance, Level)
Experience. At least 2 years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least 1 year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of, & ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.
- Ability to provide professional advice & consultation in areas related to professional psychology & behavioral health.
- Knowledge of clinical research literature.
Preferred Experience:
- Extensive experience in working with PTSD, including familiarity with cognitive behavior therapy (CPT) for PTSD, prolonged exposure (PE), written exposure therapy (WET) for PTSD, and other evidence-based protocols (EBPs).
- Proficient in suicide prevention & capable in mental health crisis care.
- Completion of evidence-based protocols (EBPs) training with certification.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13.
Physical Requirements: Must be physically & mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. Normal work of the position requires visual acuity (with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain, corrective lenses are permitted), keen hearing (aid permitted), clear distinctive speech, & manual dexterity. Requires potentially moderate levels of lifting and carrying (15-44 lbs). Occasionally, be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. Must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs. Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment.