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Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Responsibilities This announcement will remain posted until 11:59 PM ET on the night 50 applications are received or the closing date of the announcement, whichever comes first. VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Staff Psychologist services as the Substance Abuse Disorders (SUD)/ Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) Specialist and coordinates treatment planning and delivery of services that best meet the needs of patients diagnosed with co-occurring PTSD and SUD. The coordination and provision of services for the two conditions should be based on patient needs as well as scientific research on optimal treatment. The SUD-PTSD Specialist may be involved in any of the following types of activities: Active PTSD team and/or SATP team membership with direct interaction with SUD/PTSD specialty services; providing direct, concurrent, clinical care using established evidence-based practices for Veterans with co-occurring PTSD and SUD presenting to the team or other program with the SUD-PTSD specialist is assigned; collaborating with existing PTSD/SATP clinical team members or specialist to provide preventive education and brief interventions for those Veterans who are vulnerable to developing SUD in the future; liaison between the PTSD program and specialty SUD services at the facility; providing Seeking-Safety groups as recommended evidence-based practice; coordinating with existing SUD specialty services to assure that the patient is provided continuing care for SUD, as appropriate and as needed, after treatment for PTSD has been completed; as feasible, consulting with providers throughout the medical center who many directly interact with Veterans presenting with co-occurring PTSD and SUD. Duties are continued in the Education section of this announcement. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Central. Selected candidate must be able to work hours commensurate to the time zone at the facility. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized. Recruitment Incentives. Recruitment incentives may be authorized to full-time, part time[,] or intermittent individuals in their first appointment as a Federal employee or to a newly appointed former Federal employee with at least a 90-day break in service. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator at [email protected] for questions/assistance. Learn more Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Remote: The position is remote work eligible and is on a mid-term extension from return to office requirements. Mid-term extension positions are reviewed every 180 days and do not imply permanent remote-work status. Functional Statement #: GS-11: 54610F, GS-12: 54611F, GS-13: 54612F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. 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). Qualifications VA HPT's pending the completion of education or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Applicants pending license requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate psychologist not to exceed 2 years at the GS-11 or 12 grade levels, depending on years of creditable experience. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: You must be a U.S. Citizen English language proficiency: Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English Education: To be qualified for a GS-0180 Psychologist you must possess 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 Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, 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:(a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and,(b) the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. OR Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature. Internship Requirement - You must have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed; OR, 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 and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern; OR, VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement; OR, 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 Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 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. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program. Licensure: Candidates must hold a full, current, and 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 (a)(1)(D) 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-12 (Developmental Level) Experience: At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11). Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level. GS-13 (Full Performance, Level) Experience: At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the requirements listed above, candidates must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) listed below. GS-11: None beyond basic requirements GS-12: 1. Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations. 2. Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies. 3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures. 4. Ability to conduct research activities, such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties). 5. Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team, including research participant relations, research documentation, data acquisition, maintenance, and collaboration. GS-13: 1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations. 2. Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health. 3. Knowledge of clinical research literature. Preferred Experience: License within discipline Experience providing both PTSD and SUD evidence-based psychotherapies: Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure with trauma populations, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for SUD, Motivational interviewing, and/or Motivational Enhancement Therapy for SUD populations Experience with differential diagnosis of Trauma and Stressor related disorders, anxiety disorders, personality and mood disorders. Experience as a therapist in the VA, including no less than one year of clinical experience providing substance use treatment services. Experience providing additional trauma therapies including Written Exposure Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Experience with personality assessment Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination 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. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.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/. IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Accreditation Information: The 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). Verification of accreditation may be made obtained from https://accreditation.apa.org/accreditedrogramshttps://www.pcsas.org/accreditation/accredited-programs/ orhttps://cpa.ca/accreditation/cpaaccreditedprograms/ NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application. NOTE: If your school was accredited by American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA). at the time of graduation but is no longer listed on the APA Accreditation - Home, CPA Accredited Programs - Canadian Psychological Association, or Accredited Programs - PCSAS website, you must provide documentation of accreditation with your application packet. Duties Continued: In addition to the primary role, this individual may have secondary duties in other behavioral health care settings. These duties may include direct service provision and consultation with medical staff. May coordinate SATP-related programming within the various mental health service line programs. May serve as the representative for Psychology Section on various Psychology Sections, Mental Health Service Line, System, or VISN administrative committees or work groups. May serve as the representative in and accept leadership roles in local, state, and/or national professional organizations specific to Psychology. Diagnoses all mental disorders using the nomenclature of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR). Provides an assessment of each Veteran using the system as set forth in DSM-5-TR. Determines when clinician-administered psychometric testing is necessary and integrate the results of such testing into the report of the examination. Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including the use of psychological testing for patients within VATVCBHCS in areas of special interest/expertise. Performs psychological evaluations for individuals with mental health and medical disorders for purposes of diagnostic clarification and treatment planning recommendations. These evaluations employ a comprehensive diagnosis interview, review of available records, collateral contact when available, as well as objective and cognitive tests when indicated. Provides a range of psychological therapeutic interventions with individuals with mental health and medical disorders utilizing empirically supported modalities when indicated. Provides evidence-based interventions for SUD/PTSD, including CPT, PE, CBT-SUD, MI, MET and/or Seeking Safety. Consults with and serves as a resource for other professional personnel concerning the need for, evaluation of, and development of psychological services in VATVCBHCS. May be asked to assist in the selection, training, and supervision of staff at lower grades within assigned program area, Psychology Section, or VATVCBHCS. May be asked to serve as a clinical supervisor for psychology pre-doctoral interns and doctoral level graduate practicum students in psychology and other related disciplines. May provide staff and student didactic training and consultation as requested in content areas of scholarly and/or clinical expertise. May supervise or train allied health providers in accordance with facility and regulatory requirements standards regarding such training. Actively participates in program evaluation required by the funding initiative for the position. May participate in local quality improvement activities as approved by supervisor. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.