The Vocational Development Specialist possesses intensive knowledge of mental and physical disabilities or other handicaps, in terms of the practical effects of such handicaps on work tolerances, motivations, adjustment to training, and difficulty in employment placement. The focus of services will be to promote optimal occupational functioning of Veterans within the community.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/17/2025. 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-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. 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. Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist GS-11 requires the Individual Occupational Requirement be met. Individual Occupational Requirement Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. OR Specialized Experience: 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. In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirements above, you must also qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: providing employment skills and employment placement services for adults who have serious and persistent mental health diagnoses; experience identifying, supporting, and contracting with employers in the community who are willing to hire adults who have serious and persistent mental health diagnoses; employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems; experience assisting vocationally challenged individuals with resume development and interview skills; developing professional relationships with community partners. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education as described above. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Education and Training Interpersonal Skills Technical Competence Therapy and Counseling 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: The physical demands of this position involve active listening, reading, observing and evaluating verbal and nonverbal behavior, walking, speaking, writing reports, writing policies and procedures, writing clinical notes, using office equipment such as computers, telephones, fax machines, and photocopy machines. Driving government vehicles safely is required. 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 include, but are not limited to: Determining the vocational goals and objectives of the Veteran based on referral from a professional staff member or by interviewing the Veteran; Determining areas of vocational interest, and deciding what services such as job seeking skills training, resume development, or interview skills training the Veteran may require in order to successfully obtain employment; Analyzing mental and physical disabilities or other handicaps, in terms of the practical effects of such handicaps on motivations, adjustment to training, and difficulty in employment placement; Counseling and guiding Veterans through difficult transitions in the adjustment to employment; Helping employers understand the nature of the Veteran's abilities while maintaining a positive impression of the Veteran's capability of success; Approving any significant modifications to the placement contract, evaluating the results of the program, making sound professional arguments for recommended changes, and reporting program progress in accordance with established procedure; Assisting the Veteran to find suitable employment opportunities, monitoring progress, and promoting successful adjustment; Networking with community employers, community agencies, and community businesses with the goal of developing professional relationships with these groups in order to assist program participants in obtaining and maintaining suitable community employment; Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not Authorized. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Development Specialist/PD148490 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized