Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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 - Per VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - Paragraph 3j: No person will be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. - chapter 73 or 74 - to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English
• Education Requirement - You must 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
• OR - Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and - in addition - successfully completed a re-specialization program meeting both of the following conditions: a) the re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and b) the specialty in which you were retrained is consistent with the assignment you are applying for
• OR - Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• Internship - You must 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
• Licensure - Candidates must 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
• Exception: Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (c)(2)(B) for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed
• Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria) Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment - the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: (KSAs must be clearly reflected in resume under description of duties in order to be found qualified for this position/grade level)
• Staff Psychologist -GS-11 (Entry Level) Experience
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Staff Psychologist - GS-12 (Developmental Level) Experience
• At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11)
• Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:1
• Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations.2
• Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies.3
• Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures.4 - Ability to conduct research activities - such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties).5
• Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team - including research participant relations - research documentation - data acquisition - maintenance - and collaboration
• Staff Psychologist - GS-13 (Full Performance - Level) Experience
• At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:1
• Knowledge of - and ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations.2
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health3
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• Preferred Experience: Experience with chronic pain patients in outpatient - inpatient - and interdisciplinary settings
• Utilizes evidence-based treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) - and mindfulness-based interventions
• Provides tailored interventions for chronic illness and pain-related disability Researches guidelines on pain psychology - opioid reduction - and behavioral interventions
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-13
• Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation - see Duties section for essential job duties of the position
• May require standing - lifting - carrying - sitting - stooping - bending - puling - and pushing
• May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Duties

• The current office space is located at the Pensacola - FL VA Clinic but should be available to work at any of the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System locations
• This is an open continuous announcement
• Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available
• Applications will remain on file until September 30 - 2025
• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The incumbent will be an active member of the Chronic Pain Clinic interdisciplinary team - providing a full range of assessment - diagnostic services - intervention - treatment - consultation and education to Veterans and their families
• The incumbent will serve as a Subject Matter Expert in the area of psychological pain management strategies and will address the psychological and psychosocial needs of patients experiencing chronic pain and pain conditions
• Major duties and responsibilities include: Diagnose mental disorders - conduct phycological and/or neuropsychological assessments
• Treat mental disorders through a variety of modalities and provide adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders
• Complies with all documentation procedures - including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g. - entering diagnostic and procedure codes)
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including: individual - group and family psychotherapy - caregiver stress support - cognitive-behavioral therapy - interpersonal and other forms of evidence based psychotherapy
• Collaborates with divergent multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care
• Provides a full range of psychological services including evidence-based psychotherapy and cognitive - intellectual - achievement and personality assessment
• Consults with medical center staff on wide variety of patient care issues
• Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm - Monday - Friday - (Subject to change based on the needs of the agency) Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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)
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual - based on prior [work experience] or military service experience
• 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: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #:00066F - 00067F - 00068F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized