The Rehabilitation Counselor is assigned to VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Services at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. The counselor serves Veterans with mental health, physical, or psychosocial disabilities affecting employment, independence, or personal adjustment. Working with an interdisciplinary team, the counselor provides assessment, counseling, case management, and rehabilitation planning to support employment, independent living, and personal goals.
The Rehabilitation Counselor is assigned to VHA Vocational Rehabilitation Services within the Syracuse VA Medical Center and is under the clinical and administrative supervision of the Vocational Rehabilitation Service Team Leader. Rehabilitation Counselors work with Veterans who experience functional impairments and disabilities associated with mental health, physical, and/or psychosocial challenges that affect employment, independent living, or personal adjustment.
They use a variety of professional counseling and clinical modalities to promote optimal functioning, independence, personal adjustment, adaptation to disability, community reintegration, and recovery.
Working with an interdisciplinary team, Rehabilitation Counselors provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation counseling services, including assessment, counseling and case management, development of rehabilitation plans, and assistance in attaining and maintaining employment, independent living, and personal goals.
Major duties include, but are not limited to: Provides vocational and personal adjustment counseling, therapeutic rehabilitation interventions, and case coordination to Veterans with psychiatric, physical, and psychosocial disabilities to achieve competitive employment, educational, and independent living goals.
Conducts biopsychosocial assessments using medical records, disability documentation, observations, and interviews with Veterans and their support systems to generate personal, vocational, and educational histories. Synthesizes assessment information to develop case conceptualizations and make clinical recommendations for treatment planning and provision. Determines the clinical need for, and capacity to benefit from, therapeutic and rehabilitation services.
Develops patient-centered treatment plans using SMART (Specific, Measurable, Agreed upon, Realistic, and Time-based) goals. Evaluates Veterans' abilities and disabilities and monitors and records progress toward goals and objectives. Selects, administers, and interprets psychometric and vocational instruments to measure transferable skills, aptitudes, interests, values, preferences, and work resilience.
Customizes vocational exploration activities, including informational interviews and labor market research, to identify self-determined rehabilitation needs and goals. Ensures fidelity to evidence-based and evidence-informed vocational and professional counseling practices. Facilitates job placement by teaching job search skills, resume and application development, interview skills, and basic computer skills.
Coordinates job search clubs to help Veterans improve self-directed job search activities. Uses clinical counseling techniques to help Veterans develop soft skills (e.g., personal hygiene, cooperation with co-workers, and following instructions) that enhance job satisfaction and foster natural supports in the workplace. Applies a working understanding of military culture to assist Veterans returning to the community, including community-based work.
Serves as a consultant to interdisciplinary treatment teams and other clinical staff on Veterans' vocational rehabilitation needs. Communicates with community health care professionals and employers to share useful information about the Veteran. Completes clinical charting and participates in professional peer reviews. Receives guidance and advice from supervisors and senior staff as needed.
Promotes employment programs to community employers to establish relationships that create work opportunities for Veterans with significant behavioral, physical, emotional, and/or cognitive impairments. Provides job development, job coaching, retention, and education services for Veterans with disabilities and the employers who hire them. Conducts job analyses to identify essential functions and develop reasonable accommodations.
Coordinates vocational programming services, which may include work restoration and resilience treatment, transitional work placement and compensation, financial benefits counseling, benefits protections, supported employment, and assistive technology. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-hoc as determined by the agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
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/.
Shameka.Olivier@va.gov · 2547600514
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $61722 – $97087/yr.
This position is eligible for telework.
Applications close on 2026-11-16.
There are 2 openings for this position.
This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-11-05 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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