Clarification from the agency

This position is open to all current, permanent Federal Employees. *If you are NOT A CURRENT,PERMANENT Federal Employee please apply to vacancy CBSU-12701410-25-SG open to the public.*

Videos

VA Careers - Psychologist: https://youtube.com/embed/77qHlLw9Xck
Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf
Psychologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Psychology-Career-Flyer.pdf

Essential Program Management and Supervisory Responsibilities

• The incumbent has full administrative, program management and development, and supervisory responsibilities for multiple complex mental health programs.
• The incumbent is responsible for oversight of strategic planning, development and implementation of policies and procedures, management of programmatic resources, and monitoring outcomes and key metrics for the programs under his/her direction.
• Responsibilities include first line authority/ supervision of assigned staff, clinical consultation and guidance, day-to-day program management, and administrative functions that are complex in scope and that constitute a significant programmatic element of the VA SLC HCS. Supervision includes both face-to-face and remote communication via tele-conferencing.
• The incumbent works closely with supervisors of the assigned teams/programs, Mental Health Service leadership, and VISN leadership to ensure that overall treatment of patients is delivered in the most thorough, efficient, and effective manner and that current goals are in line with Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention and VISN goals.
• The incumbent has responsibility for development of staff competencies and performance as well as promotion of working relationships and an effective treatment environment.
• The incumbent interacts with Human Resources and facility leadership in all aspects of staff hiring, performance evaluation, and disciplinary action.
• The incumbent works closely with IT and administrative staff to ensure staff have appropriate support and resources.
• The incumbent implements process improvements to maximize efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
• Treatment programming, staff development, and environment of care are managed at a level that meets or exceeds required accreditation standards.

Education/Staff Development

• Is involved in the Psychology Training Program and may serve as a member of the Training Committee.
• Is involved in the training of psychology trainees, medical students, medical and psychiatric residents, and nursing students.
• Ensures that newly hired staff are trained and orientated to the VASLCHCS and Mental Health Service programs and SOPs.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Serves as primary mental health provider for a relevant panel of Veteran patients.
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions, including individual therapy, group therapy, psychoeducation, and care coordination to assigned patients.
• Provides psychological consultation to non-psychologist providers on a wide variety of patient care issues.

Research/Program Evaluation

• Oversees the establishment of program monitors and outcome measurements using data-driven quality assurance processes.
• Plans and oversees the completion of research projects designed to provide information regarding
  program planning and relevant treatment approaches.
• Presents outcome data and research results at VA and regional or national scientific or professional meetings.

Work Schedule: M-F, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vha.elrsprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year).
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: May be available on an ad-hoc basis as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60162-0
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. Psychologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• Education.
  • Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term "specialty area" refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; therefore, an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology) -OR-
  • Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re- specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re- specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions:
    • The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and,
    • the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
    • NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. [Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards.] - OR -
  • Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.]

AND

• Internships
  • Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed - OR -
  • 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 the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern - OR -
  • VHA facilities that offered full-time, one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96- 151 (pre- 1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement - OR -
  • Applicants who completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. (NOTE: Once board certified, the employee is required to maintain board certification.) - OR -
  • Applicants who have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally- accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature may fulfill this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program. If the internship experience is not noted on the applicant's official transcript, the applicant must provide a statement from the doctoral program verifying that the equivalent of a one- year supervised internship experience was completed in a site acceptable to the doctoral program.
  • NOTE: Psychologists who meet the requirements of this revision and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the requirements of this qualification standard.]
• Licensure. Hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Board Certification. Persons hired to psychology positions in the VHA who completed an internship that was not accredited at the time the program was completed must be board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirement for continuing education.
• Driver's License Requirement: A current, Valid State issued Driver's License is required for this position.

Grade Determinations:
Senior Psychologist Program Manager, GS-15

• Experience. At least four years of experience as a professional psychologist, with at least one year equivalent to the GS-14 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • Skill in managing and directing the work of large, complex organizational units and in applying effective management practices.
  • Skill in persuasion, negotiation, and motivation to negotiate multiple program policies.
  • Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees and other managers using advanced consultation and problem solving skills.
  • Skill in the application and analysis of measurement tools to systems issues.
  • Ability to balance responsibilities in a complex environment and to work with great autonomy; ability to set priorities and delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze complex organizational problems; and ability to develop and implement effective solutions for those problems.
  • Ability to assess need for basic and complex services across multiple programmatic contexts.
  • Ability to coordinate the efforts of multiple program elements across a complex system.

Preferred Experience: One year supervisory experience, five years mental health experience.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.