Staff Psychologist
Location: White River Junction Vermont
Description: Department Of Veterans Affairs is employing Staff Psychologist right now, this vacancy will be placed in Vermont. Detailed specification about this vacancy opportunity please give attention to these descriptions. Vacancy Identification Number (VIN): 889392
To fulfill President Lincoln's promise - "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orpha! n" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.
Note: 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 12 to GS-13. The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidateÂ's education and experience and recommend the grade and step at which the candidate will be placed. The salary is based on the grade and step approved for the selected candidate.
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.
KEY REQUIREMENTS
Must pass pre-employment examination
Must be proficient in written and spoken English
Designated and-or Random Drug Testing required
Background and-or Security Investigation required DUTIES:
The incumbent serve! s as a Staff Psychologist for the Mental Health and Behavioral! Science Service (MHBSS) specializing in the provision of outpatient psychotherapy services in the Specialized Mental Health Clinic (SMHC) through the use of telemental health. This position reports to the Lead Psychologist/Associate Chief of the MHBSS (a psychologist). Responsible for the provision of outpatient psychotherapy in-person as well as through telemental health. The incumbent will be knowledgeable and skilled in the delivery of evidenced-based psychotherapies (EBP) including those EBPs usedfor PTSD and depression. Services are recovery-oriented, patient-centered, and evidence-based meeting a wide range of psychological, social, emotional, behavioral,and interpersonal concerns of patients. These services contribute significantlyto the health and well-being of the veterans served by this agency. Decisions are made exercising wide latitude and independent judgment.
Clinical Responsibilites include but are not limited to:
- Provide a range! of therapeutic interventionsincluding short and long term psychotherapy, individual and
- Provide a full range of psychotherapeuticservices including psychosocial assessment, individual, group and couplestherapy
- Perform psychosocial evaluations for thefull range of mental conditions.
- Consultwith multidisciplinary staff on a wide variety of patient care issues.
- Primaryassignment is to the general outpatient mental health service in the provisionof evidenced-based psychotherapies
- Independently provide psychological services at all levels of complexity and consult with peers and supervisors as
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA p! sychologist are
prescribed by: Public Law 96-151 codifi! ed in Title 38, U.S.C. § 7402. To qualify for appointment, all
applicants for the position of psychologist in VHA must meet the following:
a. Citizenship.
Citizen of the United States.
b. Education.
(1) Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the
American Psychological Association (APA). The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with
the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
AND
(2) Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that has been
accredited by APA. Exceptions :
(1) 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
th! e VHA Central Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern and
(2) VHA facilities who offered full one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are
considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement.
c. Licensure.
Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral
level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (e.g., Puerto Rico), or the District of
Columbia.
(f) Physical Requirements.
See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
(g) English Language Proficiency:
Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
GRADE DETERMINATIONS:
GS-12
(a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements at the GS-11! level, at least 1 year of experience
as a professional psycho! logist equivalent to the next lower grade level. Individuals assigned as GS-12
psychologists may be in the process of obtaining licensure at the independent practice level. If
unlicensed, the individual must be supervised by a licensed psychologist and the experience and
supervision must meet the standards for psychology licensure. In addition, the candidate must
demonstrate the following KSAs:
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, a wide range of professional psychological theories and
assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.
2. Ability to develop coherent treatment strategies.
3. Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.
(c) Assignment. At the GS-12 level, unlicensed psychologists practice under the supervision of a
licensed psychologist, but with less need for consultation than at the GS-11 grade leve! l. They may be
assigned to any program area.
GS-13
(a) Licensure. Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral
level in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (e.g., Puerto Rico), or the District of
Columbia.
(b) Experience. In addition to the experience requirements at the GS-12 level, at least 1 additional
year of experience as a psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level. In addition the candidate
must demonstrate the following KSAs :
(c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
1. Knowledge of, and ability to apply, advanced professional psychological theories and techniques
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.
4. For supervisory assignments
a. Ability! to provide supervision in areas related to behavioral health and social services provision in
order to accomplish the organizational goals and objectives.
b. Ability to provide fair, principled and decisive leadership for a work environment that promotes
shared accountability.
(d) Assignments. This is the full performance level for staff psychologists. At this level
psychologists are licensed at the doctoral level to practice independently in the provision of
psychological services consulting with peers and supervisors as appropriate. They are assigned to any
VHA program and setting, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology,
rehabilitation medicine, geriatrics, Vet Centers, and the VHA National Center for Organizational
Development.
1. Staff Psychologists diagnose mental disorders, conduct psychological and/or neuropsychological
assessment! s, treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities and provide adjunctive interventions
for treatment of medical disorders. Among the modalities provided are individual, family, and group
psychotherapies, and other interventions such as biofeedback, psychological hypnosis, and
environmental interventions. They consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care
issues. Staff psychologists may be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities.
References: VA Handbook 5005/15 Part II Appendix G18, http://www.afgenvac.org/hybrid-handouts/5005_15.pdf
PLEASE NOTE: 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 (particularly positions with a positive education requirement.) Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accr! editing institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Ap! plicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. 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.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) and/or documentation related to your active duty service which shows dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), or dates of impending separation.
Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must ! also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veterans Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. For more information, please review the information for disabled Veterans in the application checklist or visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/vetpref/index.aspx .
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. BENEFITS:
Working for the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, thrift savings plan, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. In addition to traditional "dollars and cents" benefits, we offer a range of benefits to help balance work and life. For more information please visit us at http://www.va.gov/JOBS/Job_Benefits/benefits.asp .!
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Lea! ve: 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. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.
OTHER INFORMATION:
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
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If you were eligible to this vacancy, please email us your resume, with salary requirements and a resume to Department Of Veterans Affairs.
If you interested on this vacancy just click on the Apply button, you will be redirected to the official website
This vacancy starts available on: Thu, 09 May 2013 02:51:59 GMT