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

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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature
• Internship Requirement
• 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
• 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
• Loss of Credential
• A psychologist who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation - which may result in termination of employment
• At the discretion of the appointing official - an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists
• 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-13 Staff Psychologist (Full Performance - Level) Experience - In addition to meeting the basic requirements - you must have at least 2 additional years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 level
• Examples of GS-12 experience: Staff psychologists at this level apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations - design and implement effective treatment strategies - incorporate new clinical procedures - conduct research activities - such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties) - and 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
• They may be assigned to any program area
• And b.) Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of - and ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health
• Knowledge of clinical research literature
• Preferred Experience: Advanced proficiency with neuropsychological testing - neuropsychological report writing - and interpretation of clinical and research data - including neuropsychological measures - is preferred
• 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
• Physical Requirements: Emotional and mental stability
• communication abilities
• working alone
• working closely with others.

Duties

• The DC War-Related Injury and Illness Study Center (WRIISC) neuropsychologist is part of an interdisciplinary team located at Washington - D.C
• VAMC
• WRIISC is a national consult service that functions as a second-opinion resource for VHA
• WRIISC develops and provides post-deployment health expertise to Veterans and their health care providers through clinical care - research - and education
• Education Responsibilities One of the WRIISC core missions is to educate health care providers and the Veteran population on health concerns
• This is accomplished in part through conferences and speaking engagements
• The neuropsychologist designs and implements innovative health education strategies and events to enhance efforts to effectively educate VA providers - Veteran post -deployment populations - and their families
• Conducts needs assessments to identify educational priorities and needs among diverse audience interested in post deployment health issues
• Helps evaluate WRIISC communication needs on advances in scientific knowledge - methods - and techniques
• Evaluates WRIISC risk communication and education activities including reviews of content - applicability - accuracy - and need for modifications
• Clinical Responsibilities Demonstrates experience in evaluation and treatment of cognitive - psychological and neuropsychological issues
• Demonstrates experience in applying psychological principles - theories - methods and techniques in the delivery of professional services for patients within the Medical Center environment
• Demonstrates knowledge in developing scientific principles or theories concerning the relationship of behavior to factors of environment - experience or physiology
• or to seek and develop practical applications of research findings
• Demonstrates skill in furnishing professional advice - opinion or assistance to solutions of problems - on the feasibility and evaluation of projects - programs - research plans - data or techniques in connection with services - research - training and administration
• Demonstrates the ability to carry out education and training in psychological principles - theories - methods and techniques
• Supervises postdoctoral fellows - interns - externs - and appropriate staff related to clinical - psychological - and neuropsychological issues
• Research Initiates and supports research related to post deployment health and the overall WRIISC mission
• This could include but is not limited to applied clinical - biomedical - as well program development - program effectiveness - and epidemiologic investigations
• Administrative Responsibilities Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the treatment team
• Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs to effectively coordinate services
• Complies with national and local performance measures - including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Complies with all electronic health records documentation procedures - including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g. - entering diagnostic and procedure codes)
• Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings
• Total Rewards of an Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: 08:00 am - 4:30 pm - Monday - Friday Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply for the incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator - for questions/assistance
• Learn more 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 #: 688-26611-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized