Vocational Rehab Counselor
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Job Location:
Anchorage, AK - USA
Yearly Salary:
$ 61722 - 135657
Posted on:
18 hours ago
Vacancies:
1 Vacancy
Job Summary
Summary
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling and case management services to disabled veterans and other eligible individuals. The primary emphasis of the Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Program is to assist Veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for find and sustain employment.
- Perform initial rehabilitation evaluations entitlement assessments rehabilitation planning problem-solving and adjustment counseling.
- Provide case management including the coordination of all rehabilitation services case documentation and employment services; and as necessary the administration and interpretation of vocation testing.
- Provide services for employer consultation employment development and placement career counseling and vocational planning and assessment.
- Combine data from diagnostic tests and medical records to give a comprehensive picture of strengths weaknesses capabilities and interests to help patients find a suitable employment or independent living objective.
- Partner with Vet Centers career centers local Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialists Local Veterans Employment Representatives VA employment programs and others to provide job search and placement services
- Provide information and assistance with the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program through individual and group therapy sessions.
- Conduct counseling using a variety of approaches including tele-counseling depending on the needs of the Veteran.
- Partner with administrators at schools Vet Centers military bases and federal state and local agencies to determine the individual needs of service members and Veterans and to provide the essential assistance.
Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
- Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation.
- Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
- A probationary period may be required for employees and supervisors.
- A complete application package MUST contain a resume and transcripts.
- Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
Qualifications
To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements by the cut-off date and/or closing date of this job opportunity announcement 03/17/2026.
This position is covered by a single agency qualification standard VA Handbook 5005/157 part II appendix F2 dated July 28 2023.
NOTE: Applicants must meet both the Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience as stated below.
1. BASIC REQUIREMENT:
- Supervised Internship: The education in paragraph 1a must have included a supervised internship in rehabilitation counselling or case management specialization. The internship must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.
- Experience: One-year post-masters degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities.
- VRCs who are grandfathered into the GS-0101 occupational series may be reassigned promoted up to and including the full performance level of a career ladder changed to a lower grade within the occupation or placed in a supervisory or managerial position.
- VRCs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not be extended or reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard.
- If VRCs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation they lose protected status and must meet the full qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
A. Creditable Experience. Creditable experience must have required the use of KSAs associated with current professional vocational rehabilitation counseling practice. Creditable experience can be obtained through employment as a VRC. This may be demonstrated by providing direct rehabilitation counseling services to individuals with disabilities in the context of a professional counseling relationship which may include vocational rehabilitation and personal adjustment counseling case management assessment or rehabilitation training and employment services coordination.
In addition to meeting the basic requirements applicants must meet the specialized experience listed below:
To qualify at the GS-09 grade level: None above the basic requirements listed above.
To qualify at the GS-11 grade level: Applicants must have completed at least 1 full year (52 weeks) providing professional vocational rehabilitation services equivalent to the next lower grade level of GS-09 in a federal state and/or private setting.
Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience that reflects the management of vocational rehabilitation counseling or case management workload involving persons with a wide variety of disability conditions (e.g. mental health physical cognitive visual/auditory substance abuse).
OR In addition to meeting the basic educational requirements applicants may substitute experience with successful completion of 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education or a Ph.D. (or equivalent doctoral degree) in rehabilitation counseling or counseling psychology as described above.
To qualify at the GS-12 grade level: Applicants must have completed at least 1 full year (52 weeks) at the GS-11 or equivalent of professional management of vocational rehabilitation counselling or case management workload involving persons with a wide variety of disability conditions (e.g. mental health physical cognitive visual/auditory substance abuse) in a federal state and/or private vocational rehabilitation setting. Note: This is the journey (or full performance) level for this occupation.
Specialized experience is defined as: professional vocational rehabilitation counseling work in delivery of service to adults with disabilities; providing case management that involved determining entitlement ranges from simple to complex; AND direct delivery of vocational rehabilitation services to adults with disabilities in rehabilitation programs other than those in correctional facilities.
There is no substitution for work experience for the basic educational requirement nor the GS-12 grade level.
4. MODIFICATIONS OR WAIVERS: Management officials who are delegated the authority may modify or waive the specific requirements of this standard in accordance with chapter 2 section D paragraphs 8-12 of this part.
Note: 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 you document including volunteer experience.
Education
The required education under this single-agency standard is the successful completion of a masters degree (or higher) in rehabilitation counseling rehabilitation services clinical rehabilitation counseling counseling psychology mental health counseling career counseling or social work from an accredited college or university. VBA Top Jobs video: Please refer to the Qualification section of this announcement for the requirements specific to this position. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Awarded/Conferred masters degree is required and must be reflected on transcripts submitted at the time of application. Transcripts (unofficial and/or official) must show evidence of a supervised internship and must also show that the degree has been awarded/conferred and the date awarded.
An unofficial or official copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: 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: information
This announcement is being recruited for the VBA Pacific District. Please see the list of locations above in the Overview section. Vacancies may be available and/or offered at additional Regional Offices or out-based locations.
Applicants can only apply to one location.
This is not a virtual or remote position. Relocation expenses are not approved for this vacancy. Applicants who apply and are selected for locations outside of their local commuting area are responsible for all costs associated with a move to the new official worksite.
Work Schedule: Regular office hours Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Alternate work schedules may be available.
Physical Requirements: Some travel may be necessary on occasion for training meetings or customer interactions.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory qualification and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The full performance level of this position is grade GS-12.
VA supports the use of telework to attract and retain talented individuals in public service increase worker productivity and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for teleworking. Telework eligibility may be discussed during the interview process. Telework is subject to approval by individual supervisors and managers is considered a privilege not a right is subject to approval based on performance and other varying factors and is not guaranteed.
Receiving Service Credit for 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. VA may offer newly appointed federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active-duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used to determine the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment change to lower grade transfer appointment or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicants criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations Security and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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