This position is located within the Mental Health Integrated Care Community within the VA Black Hills Health Care System. The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) works within the Vocational Rehabilitation team and serves programs that are responsible for utilizing contemporary vocational rehabilitation practices to provide individualized job finding and job retention services to patients with significant barriers to employment.
Major duties include: Interviews potential program participants and analyzes information gathered to determine vocational interests and the necessary services that need to be provided to the participant Analyzes the impact of mental and physical disabilities on motivations, accommodation needs, and difficulties encountered in employment placement.
Documents all interactions and progress notes with the participant into the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Develops extensive external professional relationships and networks with community employers, agencies, and educational institutions as an active participant in the community, to assist program participants Collaborates with established programs to provide modifications to accommodate the program participant's barriers Engages participant in activities such as resume development, job seeking training, and interviewing skills instruction Provides support and encouragement to participants including assistance with submitting resumes, completing applications, and job interview preparation Provides ongoing support to participants following placement Facilitates employer understanding of the nature of the client's limitations while maintaining a positive impression of the client's capability to succeed Other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Telework: This position may be authorized for telework.
Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist/PD20132A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers.
This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community.
This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. To receive credit for your education when a master's degree has not been achieved, your transcripts must show evidence of progress through a set curriculum, i.e., it is part of a program leading to a master's or higher degree and not education consisting of undergraduate and/or continuing education courses that do not lead to an advanced degree.
An academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 academic year of full-time study. This determination is made based on normal course loads for a full year of study in the graduate program.
If that information cannot be obtained from your transcript or other official documentation, 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended.
When academic credit is expressed in contract months, units, or other terms that differ from conventional semester or quarter hours, it is the responsibility of the applicant to provide an interpretation of such credits from the appropriate institution in order to equate them to the semester or quarter hours specified in the standard.
To credit combinations of education and experience, HR staff will first determine the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Next, HR staff determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Finally, HR staff will add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.
For example: An applicant has 6 months of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 and 2 years of graduate level education. The applicant meets 50 percent of the required experience but none of the required education since he or she does not have any graduate study beyond two full years of graduate level education. Therefore, the applicant meets only 50 percent of the total requirement and is not qualified for the position.
(The applicant's first two years of graduate study are not qualifying for GS-11.) 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/.
natasha.koontznewbourn@va.gov · (612) 467-1206
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $74678 – $97087/yr.
This position is eligible for telework.
Applications close on 2026-10-26.
This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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