The primary purpose of the position is to while under the guidance of the Certified Recreational Therapist (RT), the Recreation Assistant (RA) will provide diversional/leisure activities to improve the patients physical, mental, and psychosocial wellbeing. The RA will work in both clinical and community settings and will report observations and findings through documentation and reports on activities and resident participation.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/07/2025. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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. Individual Occupational Requirements Must meet the individual requirements of the position with one of the following: Specialized Experience: Group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities. Teacher's aid in elementary school recreation or physical education program, with emphasis on development of general recreational skills and abilities. Aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service. Aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities. Summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, and boating and fishing areas (e.g., demonstrating camping techniques and park safety, conducting nature tours, and overseeing farm animal areas provided for children). Sales or stock clerk in a recreation supplies and equipment shop. Aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance of inventory control and accountability for such property in a recreation facility. Aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. OR Education: Successful completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in courses related to recreation or physical education. AND For a GS-05 must possess one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Experience in diversional/leisure activities used in recreation programs; the aging process, its effects on individuals, normal and abnormal reactions and concerns, techniques for interventions with the cognitively impaired i.e. limit setting, reality orientation, way finding and sensory stimulation; interacting with physically and cognitively impaired residents with sufficient interpersonal skill to reassure redirect and encourage residents to participate in various diversional/leisure activities; procedures and techniques of therapeutic recreation services; basic medical terminology in order to converse with treatment team members; knowledge of human body and psychology, specific to adult and geriatric patients, in order to provide care for patients that attains goals without exacerbating other conditions/problems. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successful completion of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation in a major field of study related to the work of the position which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. (When crediting education, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Compliance Computer Skills Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Technical Competence Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: This individual must be capable of working irregular tours which will involve weekends, evenings and holidays. These tours may be rotated to provide a complete recreation program. Must be capable of independent work and judgment because of the need to provide recreation activities during evening and weekend hours. Work requires use of proper body mechanics for bending, stooping, stretching, pushing and lifting/ carrying supplies and/or patients. Duties require periods of standing and walking; leading or directing physical exercise. The incumbent must have a valid Nevada Driver's license. 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 and responsibilities include, but not limited to: Assist recreation therapists on prescribed and diversional activities by implementing, supervising, and documenting the activities structured by a Recreation Therapist. Carry out a full range of therapeutic recreation services inclusive of recreation treatment modalities and general recreation (diversional) activities. Provide independent implementation of general recreational (diversional) activities to achieve goals as identified on the Comprehensive Leisure Assessment. Develop, plan, and supervise on-station and off-station general (diversional) activity programs for various types of disabilities. Document in computerized patient record system (CPRS) resident participation and response to activities inform of non-therapeutic progress notes. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri, 0800-1730 Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Driving Required: Yes, 25% Position Description/PD#: Recreation Assistant/PD01427A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required