Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. 1st Area of Consideration - current permanent Carl Vinson VA Medical Center employees; 2nd Area of Consideration - current permanent VA Nationwide employees

• Develop recreation therapy treatment plans to address specific needs identified in the assessment process.
• Determines the necessary variation of activities to conform to the disabilities of the patients assigned to participate in recreation activities.
• Explains the work of the RTS and its significance in the rehabilitation process to internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide supervision and assistance to Recreation Therapy Assistants in the department.
• Analyze data effectively to manages workload.
• Attends interdisciplinary team meetings for the development of overall care plans to meet total health care needs of the patient.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, including weekends & holidays; 7:30 am until 4:00 pm or 8:00 am until 4:30 pm
Telework: Ad hoc basis only
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 59969F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education. The following education requirements apply to the recreation therapist
  • Recreation Therapist
    • A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, with a major in therapeutic recreation or recreation/leisure, with an option and/or emphasis in therapeutic recreation. The degree must be approved by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). OR,
    • A bachelor's degree or higher in any field from an accredited college or university and must be a certified therapeutic recreation specialist (CTRS). The degree must be approved by the NCTRC. If hired under this education, the certification cannot be waived.
• Certification.
  • Required Certification
    • Recreation Therapist. Applicants must be certified in recreation therapy as a CTRS by the NCTRC. If hired under paragraph 4b(1)(b), certification cannot be waived.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

Supervisory Recreation Therapist, GS-12

• Experience. At least one year of creditable experience at the next lower GS-11 grade level.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• Ability to provide treatment in complex cases and work with great independence.
• Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.
• Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
• Ability to use evidence-based practices, clinical practice guidelines in a professional area, and to guide the staff in applying these tools.
• Knowledge of organizational theories and strategies to positively impact the overall goals and objectives within the service.
• Knowledge related to administrative functions such as fiscal, material supply, equipment management, and clinical and program management.

Preferred Experience: Prior experience as a supervisor.

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-11. The actual grade at which an applicant will be selected for this vacancy is above the full performance at the GS-12.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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 MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

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.

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:

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

1. Resume - must include the following information for each job listed: Job Title and Duties (be as detailed as possible), Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June2007 to April 2008), full-time or part-time (include hours worked per week) and Education (location, degree earned and date awarded), Supervisor's name and telephone number, Please indicate whether your supervisor(s) can be contacted.
2. Transcript - Copy of transcripts showing the date the degree was conferred.
Applicants will be rated ineligible if not submitted and/or if degree conferred date is not provided.
3. Copy of current certification. Applicants will be rated ineligible if not submitted.
4. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (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