About this role
Job SummaryEmployee will be assigned to Social Work Service, Veterans Affairs (VA) Northern Indiana Healthcare System, at either the VA Outpatient Clinic or Mishawaka, Indiana. Employee will focus on assisting homeless Veterans in obtaining and maintaining employment; support Veterans' transition into stable housing and community integration through employment services; and promote optimal vocational functioning of clients within the community.
QualificationsENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. -AND- DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: Must possess a valid state-issued Driver's License to operate a motor vehicle. (Please do not submit a copy of your license with your application package). You will be required to show your valid state-issued Driver's License at the time of your interview. In addition to meeting the above requirement, applicants must also meet one of the following. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Possess one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped them with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-7 level in the Federal service. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program; Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention; Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. -OR- SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (Transcript Required) - Successfully completed master's or equivalent graduate degree, or two (2) full years of graduate level education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D. with a major study in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. -OR- COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (Transcript Required) - Equivalent combination of successfully completed higher level graduate education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. Physical Requirements: This position requires the operation of a government-owned vehicle in support of official VA duties, including transporting veterans, supplies, or staff as needed. The employee must possess and maintain a valid driver's license. Some light physical activity is necessary when organizing materials for job fairs and workshop. 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 Duties***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Assists Veterans in developing individualized employment plans. Coaches Veterans on job search techniques, resume writing, and interview skills. Promotes job readiness and provides job placement services. Conducts employment workshops and training sessions. Works closely with social workers, case managers, and healthcare providers. Coordinates services and resources to address employment barriers, such as providing referrals to mental health services, substance use treatment, and financial counseling. Works directly with community agencies, and community employers with the goal of assisting Veterans in obtaining and maintaining suitable employment. Assesses the vocational needs and barriers of participating Veterans. Develops and maintain collaborative relationships with community employers and job training programs. Provides therapeutic employment services (skills training and development services, employment support services, and job development and placement services) to Homeless Veterans in need of rehabilitation for mental health disorders, including serious mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders; and Veterans with co-occurring physical disorders, such as Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Polytrauma, and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Adapts the best practices of supported employment to meet the needs of Veterans who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Utilizes motivational Interviewing techniques to ensure the highest level of services. Maintains accurate and timely records of all interactions with Veterans. Tracks employment outcomes and report to designated program managers. Ensures compliance with all relevant VA policies and procedures. Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: 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. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.