Summary

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

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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
• Education (1) 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 - or the Canadian Psychological Association - 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 (2) 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: (a) The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and -(b) 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 (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.] AND (4) Internships (a) 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(b) 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 ofAcademic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern.OR(c) 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(d) 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(e) 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
• (1) 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).Staff Psychologist - GS-13 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 health
• 3
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/103 PART II APPENDIX G18 IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education
• Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges - universities - schools - or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment
• You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/
• 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
• For further information - visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Duties

• Duties include but not limited to: This position is assigned to the Organizational Health and Wellness (OHW) at the Southwest Virginia VA Health Care System (SVAHCS) and reports directly to the Chief - Organizational Health and Wellness Service
• Develop - implement - train - maintain - and improve of a wide range of employee programs and initiatives ensuring the alignment of people - processes - systems and rewards
• Provide educational and coaching services to Service Chiefs - supervisors - workgroups - and individual employees at SVHCS
• As such - work hours may vary to include coverage of all shifts (days - evenings - nights - and weekends)
• Develop - implement - apply - and evaluate systems in the areas of leadership development - work climate - learning - employee development - employee recognition - and workplace assessment
• Consultation - task facilitation - action inquiry - coaching - mentoring - conflict resolution - team building and management consultation to both the clinical and administrative units of SVAHCS directed at improving organizational culture - performance - and health
• The incumbent works in the areas of cultural transformation - report and statistical interpretation - communications strategy and planning - instructional systems design and implementation - program evaluation - and training and development
• Partners successfully with Service Chiefs - supervisors - workgroups - and individual employees to accelerate implementation of change - build leadership talent designed to fuel future growth - enhance organizational performance - and accelerate learning across the organization
• Assessment services to the organization and to employees including knowledge of psychometry - 360-degree assessment - organizational culture - simulations - coaching and mentoring - training and evaluation and the implementation of individual development plans
• Researches and/or analyzes organizational problems based on psychological theory or program requirements
• The incumbent provides expert analysis and advice on complex program issues
• Undertakes or participates in special projects - ongoing analyses - investigations and initiatives
• This may involve producing complex analyses and written reports - organizing and facilitating special committees/workshops/other gatherings - and initiating program reviews
• Responsible for developing project plans - establishing measurement methods - monitoring progress and evaluating results
• Provides meaningful interventions with staff and groups in distress and provide senior leadership with suggestions about cultural change initiatives - such as coaching skills - which may result in improvements in employee work settings
• Researches employee engagement - employee experience - and psychological safety measures and analyzes factors that contribute to both higher and lower outcomes in order to support ongoing development of best practices and implementation of those best practices
• Skill in effectively communicating complex technical material or complex issues that may have controversial findings - or both - using language appropriate to specialists and/or non-specialists - facilitating the formulation of a decision
• strong - action-oriented individual who can partner successfully with Service Chiefs - supervisors - workgroups - and individual employees to accelerate strategy implementation and change to build leadership talent and fuel future growth - promote excellent customer service skills and strategies - and enhance organizational performance and serve as an assistant in accelerating learning across the organization
• Utilizes the All Employee Survey data to develop change initiatives
• Helps Service Chiefs interpret All Employee Survey data and develop action plans based on the data
• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for 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 your start date
• 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
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance
• Learn more
• EDRP Customer Support - Power Apps Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:45am-4:30pm Telework: AD-HOC Virtual: This is not virtual position
• EDRP Authorized: Contact Nicholas.Camilletti@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required