Social Worker at Vancouver

JOB SUMMARY:

Vacancy Identification Number (VIN) 982207

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincolns promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are Americas Veterans.  

As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the Nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries. VA professionals feel good about their careers and their ability to balance work and home life. VA offers generous paid time off and a variety of predictable and flexible scheduling opportunities.  For more information on the Department of Veterans Affairs, go to http://www.vacareers.va.gov/

Note:  The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.  The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-11.  The Professional Standards Board (a peer-review group) will review the selected candidate’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.

Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are not authorized for this position.

This position will be filled through one of the following professions; Psychologist (Announcement # VS-13-923234-RLC), Social Worker (Announcement # VS-13-923483-RLC), or Readjustment Counseling Therapist (Announcement # VS-13-923926-RLC).  Please apply to the appropriate announcement for your profession.

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:Back to top

The Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center and its affiliated Community Based Outpatient Clinics provide extensive care in outpatient, inpatient, residential, and community settings.  The Primary Care Division Social Worker will provide treatment to Veterans in collaboration with family, interdisciplinary treatement teams, and community members to include; conducting psychosocial assessments for treatment planning, providing crisis intervention services, coordinating community-based services, implementing treatment modalities and providing supportive counseling for individuals, families, and groups.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:Back to top

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: 

• U.S. citizenship -  Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 
• Education - Masters degree in social work (MSW) from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
  

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS:

GS-09 Requirements: None beyond basic requirements

GS-11 Requirements: This is the full performance level for social workers. GS-11 Social Workers are licensed or certified to independently practice social work.  They are assigned to all program areas, including inpatient or outpatient medicine, surgery, mental health, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, and geriatrics.  Employees provide professional, independent social work services in the assigned area.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE FOR THE GS-11 LEVEL: Requires a minimum of one year of post-MSW degree professional social work experience in the field of health care social work. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics associated with current professional social work practice. Experience and education satisfying this requirement must be active professional practice, which is paid/non-paid employment as a professional social worker, as defined by the appropriate state licensing board. Experience must have been obtained AFTER earning a Masters Degree in Social Work.

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 accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.  Applicants 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: The work is sedentary; however, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts, etc. No special physical demands are required to perform the work.

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 Member-4 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.

Country: USA, State: Washington, City: Vancouver, Company: Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.