About this role
Job SummaryThis position is organizationally aligned under the Clinical Informatics/ Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs (RRTP) Department at the James A. Lovell FHCC in North Chicago, IL. RRTP offers a structured and supportive residential treatment environment to Veterans struggling with substance abuse, mental health issues and/ or homelessness. Domiciliary Assistants provide 24/7 RRTP coverage of the programs on a rotational basis, working all shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays.
QualificationsTo qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/12/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes experience performing administrative support and patient care duties in a multidisciplinary healthcare environment. Experience includes maintaining patient records and documentation; preparing forms and records for patient activities and appointments; communicating and coordinating with clinical and administrative staff; working with patients experiencing physical, psychiatric, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral challenges; conducting patient assessments, safety rounds, room inspections, bed checks, and patient monitoring activities; collecting specimens and administering breathalyzer testing; assessing activities of daily living and patient needs; providing patient orientation and crisis intervention; resolving patient concerns; maintaining files, records, spreadsheets, and inventories; managing office operations, correspondence, and internal communications; distributing patient mail; ordering and tracking supplies and equipment; updating staff and patient information; and ensuring compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and patient safety practices. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Major DutiesDuties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following: Administrative- Performs regular administrative functions, e.g., processes residents for admission and clearance, completes entries In communication log, completes progress notes. Conducts Environment of Care (EOC) rounds and documents the findings. Conducts walk through rounds of patients' living areas to resolve patient issues regarding safety, health, and hygiene. Makes daily inspections to check program equipment, supplies, health and safety, and security problems. Initiates appropriate corrective action including work orders or calling for emergency repairs. Conducts weekly locker inspections for health, welfare, safety and security purposes. Performs bed checks and reports patients who are absent at bed check. Conducts breathalyzers and collects specimens per program policy. Conducts searches of patient locker, belongings, and furnishing when there is a reason to believe a patient has concealed a potentially harmful material or item. Monitors CCTV and documents status. Direct Patient Care/ Clinical- Responsible for developing and maintaining a therapeutic professional helping relationship with residents admitted to the RRTP. Provides orientation to new residents by explaining RRTP policies/procedures, treatment expectations and goals. Interviews each resident to assess skills associated with activities of dally living, personal hygiene, interpersonal communication, etc. Works with residents who have a variety of physical, mental, emotional and behavior problems using different techniques. Appropriately identifies or resolves residents' problems or refers them to staff with specific clinical expertise. Treats residents, staff, and visitors in a courteous and positive/manner. Provides crisis intervention in situations of a medical, psychiatric and/or behavioral nature. Refers all medical records or psychiatric problems and emergencies or incidents of physical altercations and alcohol/drugs intoxications to the Program Manager/ Designee or RRTP medical personnel. Initiates basic cardiac life support utilizing basic CPR training, Personal Protective Equipment and the Automatic Electronic Defibrillator. Work Schedule: Various schedules (0730-1600, 1530-MID, MID-0800) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Domiciliary Assistant/PD03562A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not AuthorizedRequirementsYou must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.