Creative Arts Therapist - Music
- Robley Rex VA Medical Center
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Full Time
Creive Arts Therapist - Music
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administrion
Veterans Health Administrion - Robley Rex Medical Center
Summary
The Creive Arts Music Therapist position the Robley Rex VA Medical Center involves using recreion music therapy to address the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of pients.
Summary
The Creive Arts Music Therapist position the Robley Rex VA Medical Center involves using recreion music therapy to address the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of pients.
Overview
Help
Accepting applicions
Open & closing des
08/01/2025 to 08/08/2025
Salary
$49,960 to - $96,116 per year
GS-7 $49,960 - $64,952/ GS-9 $61,111 - $79,443/ GS11 $73,939 - $96,116
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 11
Locion
1 vacancy in the following locion:
Louisville, KY
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocion expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
0638 Recreion/Creive Arts Therapist
Supervisory stus
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determinion process
Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit stus
Yes
Announcement number
CBTG-12773537-25-LE
Control number
842283500
This job is open to
Help
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nionals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarificion from the agency
This announcement is open to the public. If you are a Current, Permanent VA employee, Health Professional Trainees or other Federal Employees, please apply to the internal announcement: CBTG-12773538-25-LE
Videos
Duties
Help
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
This role is part of the Community and Recovery Services Section within the Mental Health Service line. The Creive Arts Music therapist provides care and rehabilition to veterans with various disabilities, including behavioral health issues, psychiric diagnoses, dementia, traumic brain injuries, and multiple diagnoses. They work in mental health specialty programs like the Psychosocial Rehabilition & Recovery Center (PRRC) and Acute Care (Inpient Psychiry). The incumbent must possess a thorough understanding of music therapy and receive regular supervision while participing in co-trement opportunities in mental health recovery programs.
Duties includes but are not limited to:
Administers music therapy assessments and develops relevant music therapy interventions informed by evaluion da current research, and best practices.
Completes clinical documention of pient care including assessments, progress notes, encounters, consultions, care plans, and other reports as needed.
Collabores and maintains effective communicion with all pients, caregivers, interdisciplinary teams, medial center staff and community partners.
Serves as Music Therapy subject mter expert and representive on interdisciplinary teams and provides educion to staff, students, pients, families, and caregivers about the benefits of music therapy and trement interventions and goals.
Understanding music therapy and its effects on human growth and development, musical development, diagnostic classificions, and symptomology when developing music therapy interventions.
Participes in the evaluion of equipment and supplies, which affect their service delivery.
Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
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 Stement # : 40001-F, 41134-F, 41135-F
Permanent Change of Stion (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
All applicants tentively selected for VA employment in a testing designed position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested denied employment with VA.
Selective Service Registrion is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
You may be required to serve a trial period.
Subject to background/security investigion.
Selected applicants required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identificion required to complete pre-employment requirements ( ). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or ste-issued dentificion cards th are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identificion for employment.
Must pass pre-employment physical examinion.
Participion in the seasonal influenza vaccinion program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Qualificions
Applicants pending the completion of educional or certificion/licensure requirements may be referred and tentively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
Basic Requirements :
United Stes Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
Educion.
A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, in music therapy, or in music with an emphasis in music therapy. The degree must be approved by the Nional Associion for Schools of Music and/or the American Music Therapy Associion. -OR-
A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, and must be a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) approved by the Certificion Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). If hired under this educion, the certificion cannot be waived. -OR-
A Foreign Educion. To be creditable, educion completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a prive organizion th specializes in the interpretion of foreign educional credentials. The prive organizion must deem such educion least equivalent to th gained in conventional U.S. programs.
Certificion. Applicants must be a MT-BC approved by the CBMT. Applicants must be a MT-BC approved by the CBMT. If hired under VA Handbook 5005/111 PART II APPENDIX G60, paragraph 3b(5)(b), certificion cannot be waived.
Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for registrion and/or certificion, may be given a temporary appointment as a gradue recreion or creive arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registrion and/or certificion during this temporary full-time appointment may be termined. The exception only applies to positions the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels or above the full performance level, the candide must be registered and/or certified.
May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfhering Provision as described in the VA Qualificion Standard for this occupion (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupion and meet the criteria).
Grandfhering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a recreion or creive arts therapist, on the effective de of this qualificion standard, are considered to have met all qualificion requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive educion, and registrion and/or certificion th are part of the basic requirements of the occupion. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualificions applicable to the position the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to, and including, the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupion, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level, or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
Employees who were appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective de of the qualificion standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
Employees initially grandfhered into this occupion, who subsequently obtain additional educion and/or licensure/registrion/certificion, th meet all the basic requirements of this qualificion standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupion.
Recreion and creive arts therapists who are converted to title 38 hybrid stus under this provision and subsequently leave the occupion lose protected stus and must meet the full VA qualificion standard requirements, in effect the time of reentry, as a recreion or creive arts therapist.
NOTE: If Creive Arts Therapists who are grandfhered under this provision leave the occupion, the employee loses protected stus and must meet the full VA qualificion standard requirements in effect the time of reentry to the occupion.
Grade Determinions :
GS-7:
Experience/Educion: None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-9 :
Experience/Educion: At least one year of creditable experience the next lower grade level, ~OR~ a master's degree in creive arts therapy (music) may be substituted for the required one year of professional creive arts therapist (music) experience.
Demonstred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candide must demonstre all of the following KSA's:
Ability to perform a varied repertoire of popular, folk, and traditional songs approprie for use in a clinical setting using least two of the following: keyboard, voice, guitar, percussion or other musical instruments suitable to a clinical setting.
Knowledge of the roles and meaning of music in various cultures and subcultures.
Knowledge to design, develop, or adapt unique music therapy methods for assessment, trement, or a palliion and evaluion procedures.
Skill to apply objectivity and insight to respond and constructively to both positive and negive reactions while maintaining a safe environment for the pient and therapist.
GS-11 :
Experience: At least one year of creditable experience the next lower grade level.
Demonstred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candide must demonstre all of the following KSA's:
Knowledge of the roles and meaning of music in various cultures and subcultures, how culture influences identity formion, concept of health and phology, and understanding of the role of music therapy and how music therapy is practiced.
Knowledge of current methods of music therapy assessment, trement, and evaluion reled to human growth and development, musical development , diagnostic classificions, etiology, symptomology and prognosis and formuling complex trement plans, including the contraindicions of music therapy for individuals and groups.
Ability to design, develop, or adapt unique music therapy methods for assessment, trement or palliion, and evaluion procedures for complex clinical cases, through a broad range of specialized music therapy services for various and emergent pient populions.
Ability to use music therapy interventions to provide opportunities to work through trement issues, including emotional disturbances, by establishing a safe environment for the pient to understand the symbolic expression of their musical product, process, and experience as it reles to recovery and Wellness.
Ability to apply effective use of professional skill, objectivity, and insight to respond constructively to both positive and negive reactions , establish and maintain a therapeutic relionship with professional boundaries to reflect trusting, emphetic, and respectful interactions.
Ability to apply current research literure and co-facilite trement with professionals from other disciplines, the uses of the creive arts therapies and recreional therapy, as well as understanding emerging models and trends in music therapy.
Preferred Experience: Experience providing Creive Arts Music Therapy in community based care setting. At least two years experience treing persons with SMI.
Reference: For more informion on this qualificion standard, please .
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11.
Physical Requirements: Work is typically performed in a clinical setting.
Educion
Note: Only educion or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your educion here: . If you are using foreign educion to meet qualificion requirements, you must send a Certifice of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for th educion. For further informion, : .
Additional informion
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacion) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave a re (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the re which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment de and is not guaranteed.
During the applicion process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your applicion for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further considerion for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive stus.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-reled positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alterne method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentive job offer. For more informion about the Act and the complaint process, Human Resources and Administrion/Operions, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) The Fair Chance Act .
Expand Hide additional informion
Candides should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passione about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United Stes Constitution.
Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.
How you evalued
You evalued for this job based on how well you meet the qualificions above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your applicion, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documention verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect considerion for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through Nional Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizions (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 th transles directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify informion provided by a candide (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candide's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those th have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegrion support for military service members.
Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.
Required documents
Required Documents
Help
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Applicion Package which includes:
Resume
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualificions for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your applicion, such as a copy of your transcript (if using educion to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Stement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
Professional Certificion
Resume
Separion Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action
Transcript
If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements:
Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion .
Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring.
How to Apply
Help
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documention specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/08/2025 to receive considerion. To preview the questionnaire click .
To begin, click Apply Online to cree a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupional questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your applicion package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and approprie documention is submitted prior to the closing de.
Agency contact informion
Leonette Evans
Phone
...
...
Address
Robley Rex VA Medical Center
800 Zorn Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
US
Next steps
Once your online applicion is submitted you will receive a confirmion notificion by email. After we receive applicion packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applicions to ensure qualificion and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certifice(s) is issued and applicants notified of their stus by email. Referred applicants notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notificion once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the stus of your applicion any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applicions. Informion regarding your applicion stus can be found in the USAJobs Help Center .
NOTE: Participion in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement th all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccinion or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccinion has been granted. HCP in violion of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locions or who come into contact with VA pients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locions include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associed clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrive, remote and onsite, paid and without compension, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with pients outside VA medical facilities.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability
New employee probionary period
Privacy Act
Reasonable accommodion policy
Selective Service
Signure and false stements
Social security number request
Required Documents
Help
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Applicion Package which includes:
Resume
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualificions for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your applicion, such as a copy of your transcript (if using educion to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Stement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
Professional Certificion
Resume
Separion Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action
Transcript
If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements:
Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion .
Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring.
How to Apply
Help
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documention specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/08/2025 to receive considerion. To preview the questionnaire click .
To begin, click Apply Online to cree a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupional questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your applicion package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and approprie documention is submitted prior to the closing de.
Expand Hide how to apply
Agency contact informion
Leonette Evans
Phone
...
...
Address
Robley Rex VA Medical Center
800 Zorn Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
US
Next steps
Once your online applicion is submitted you will receive a confirmion notificion by email. After we receive applicion packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applicions to ensure qualificion and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certifice(s) is issued and applicants notified of their stus by email. Referred applicants notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notificion once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the stus of your applicion any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applicions. Informion regarding your applicion stus can be found in the USAJobs Help Center .
NOTE: Participion in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement th all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccinion or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccinion has been granted. HCP in violion of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locions or who come into contact with VA pients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locions include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associed clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrive, remote and onsite, paid and without compension, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with pients outside VA medical facilities.
Expand Hide next steps
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability
New employee probionary period
Privacy Act
Reasonable accommodion policy
Selective Service
Signure and false stements
Social security number request
Overview Help Accepting applicions Open & closing des 08/01/2025 to 08/08/2025 Salary $49,960 to - $96,116 per year GS-7 $49,960 - $64,952/ GS-9 $61,111 - $79,443/ GS11 $73,939 - $96,116 Pay scale & grade GS 7 - 11 Locion 1 vacancy in the following locion: Louisville, KY 1 vacancy Remote job No Telework eligible No Travel Required Not required Relocion expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Excepted Promotion potential 11 Job family (Series) Supervisory stus No Security clearance Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Trust determinion process Financial disclosure Bargaining unit stus Announcement number CBTG-12773537-25-LE Control number 842283500
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administrion
Veterans Health Administrion - Robley Rex Medical Center
Summary
The Creive Arts Music Therapist position the Robley Rex VA Medical Center involves using recreion music therapy to address the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of pients.
Summary
The Creive Arts Music Therapist position the Robley Rex VA Medical Center involves using recreion music therapy to address the physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of pients.
Overview
Help
Accepting applicions
Open & closing des
08/01/2025 to 08/08/2025
Salary
$49,960 to - $96,116 per year
GS-7 $49,960 - $64,952/ GS-9 $61,111 - $79,443/ GS11 $73,939 - $96,116
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 11
Locion
1 vacancy in the following locion:
Louisville, KY
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocion expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
0638 Recreion/Creive Arts Therapist
Supervisory stus
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determinion process
Credentialing
Suitability/Fitness
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit stus
Yes
Announcement number
CBTG-12773537-25-LE
Control number
842283500
This job is open to
Help
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nionals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Clarificion from the agency
This announcement is open to the public. If you are a Current, Permanent VA employee, Health Professional Trainees or other Federal Employees, please apply to the internal announcement: CBTG-12773538-25-LE
Videos
Duties
Help
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
This role is part of the Community and Recovery Services Section within the Mental Health Service line. The Creive Arts Music therapist provides care and rehabilition to veterans with various disabilities, including behavioral health issues, psychiric diagnoses, dementia, traumic brain injuries, and multiple diagnoses. They work in mental health specialty programs like the Psychosocial Rehabilition & Recovery Center (PRRC) and Acute Care (Inpient Psychiry). The incumbent must possess a thorough understanding of music therapy and receive regular supervision while participing in co-trement opportunities in mental health recovery programs.
Duties includes but are not limited to:
Administers music therapy assessments and develops relevant music therapy interventions informed by evaluion da current research, and best practices.
Completes clinical documention of pient care including assessments, progress notes, encounters, consultions, care plans, and other reports as needed.
Collabores and maintains effective communicion with all pients, caregivers, interdisciplinary teams, medial center staff and community partners.
Serves as Music Therapy subject mter expert and representive on interdisciplinary teams and provides educion to staff, students, pients, families, and caregivers about the benefits of music therapy and trement interventions and goals.
Understanding music therapy and its effects on human growth and development, musical development, diagnostic classificions, and symptomology when developing music therapy interventions.
Participes in the evaluion of equipment and supplies, which affect their service delivery.
Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
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 Stement # : 40001-F, 41134-F, 41135-F
Permanent Change of Stion (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
All applicants tentively selected for VA employment in a testing designed position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested denied employment with VA.
Selective Service Registrion is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
You may be required to serve a trial period.
Subject to background/security investigion.
Selected applicants required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identificion required to complete pre-employment requirements ( ). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or ste-issued dentificion cards th are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identificion for employment.
Must pass pre-employment physical examinion.
Participion in the seasonal influenza vaccinion program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
Qualificions
Applicants pending the completion of educional or certificion/licensure requirements may be referred and tentively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.
Basic Requirements :
United Stes Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
English Language Proficiency. Must be proficient in spoken and written English, as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
Educion.
A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, in music therapy, or in music with an emphasis in music therapy. The degree must be approved by the Nional Associion for Schools of Music and/or the American Music Therapy Associion. -OR-
A bachelor's degree or higher, from an accredited college or university, and must be a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC) approved by the Certificion Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). If hired under this educion, the certificion cannot be waived. -OR-
A Foreign Educion. To be creditable, educion completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a prive organizion th specializes in the interpretion of foreign educional credentials. The prive organizion must deem such educion least equivalent to th gained in conventional U.S. programs.
Certificion. Applicants must be a MT-BC approved by the CBMT. Applicants must be a MT-BC approved by the CBMT. If hired under VA Handbook 5005/111 PART II APPENDIX G60, paragraph 3b(5)(b), certificion cannot be waived.
Exception. Non-registered and/or non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for registrion and/or certificion, may be given a temporary appointment as a gradue recreion or creive arts therapist, under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B), for a period not to exceed two years. Applicants who fail to obtain registrion and/or certificion during this temporary full-time appointment may be termined. The exception only applies to positions the GS-7 and GS-9 level. For grade levels or above the full performance level, the candide must be registered and/or certified.
May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfhering Provision as described in the VA Qualificion Standard for this occupion (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupion and meet the criteria).
Grandfhering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a recreion or creive arts therapist, on the effective de of this qualificion standard, are considered to have met all qualificion requirements for the title, series, and grade held, including positive educion, and registrion and/or certificion th are part of the basic requirements of the occupion. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualificions applicable to the position the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:
Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to, and including, the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupion, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level, or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
Employees who were appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective de of the qualificion standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
Employees initially grandfhered into this occupion, who subsequently obtain additional educion and/or licensure/registrion/certificion, th meet all the basic requirements of this qualificion standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupion.
Recreion and creive arts therapists who are converted to title 38 hybrid stus under this provision and subsequently leave the occupion lose protected stus and must meet the full VA qualificion standard requirements, in effect the time of reentry, as a recreion or creive arts therapist.
NOTE: If Creive Arts Therapists who are grandfhered under this provision leave the occupion, the employee loses protected stus and must meet the full VA qualificion standard requirements in effect the time of reentry to the occupion.
Grade Determinions :
GS-7:
Experience/Educion: None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-9 :
Experience/Educion: At least one year of creditable experience the next lower grade level, ~OR~ a master's degree in creive arts therapy (music) may be substituted for the required one year of professional creive arts therapist (music) experience.
Demonstred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candide must demonstre all of the following KSA's:
Ability to perform a varied repertoire of popular, folk, and traditional songs approprie for use in a clinical setting using least two of the following: keyboard, voice, guitar, percussion or other musical instruments suitable to a clinical setting.
Knowledge of the roles and meaning of music in various cultures and subcultures.
Knowledge to design, develop, or adapt unique music therapy methods for assessment, trement, or a palliion and evaluion procedures.
Skill to apply objectivity and insight to respond and constructively to both positive and negive reactions while maintaining a safe environment for the pient and therapist.
GS-11 :
Experience: At least one year of creditable experience the next lower grade level.
Demonstred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candide must demonstre all of the following KSA's:
Knowledge of the roles and meaning of music in various cultures and subcultures, how culture influences identity formion, concept of health and phology, and understanding of the role of music therapy and how music therapy is practiced.
Knowledge of current methods of music therapy assessment, trement, and evaluion reled to human growth and development, musical development , diagnostic classificions, etiology, symptomology and prognosis and formuling complex trement plans, including the contraindicions of music therapy for individuals and groups.
Ability to design, develop, or adapt unique music therapy methods for assessment, trement or palliion, and evaluion procedures for complex clinical cases, through a broad range of specialized music therapy services for various and emergent pient populions.
Ability to use music therapy interventions to provide opportunities to work through trement issues, including emotional disturbances, by establishing a safe environment for the pient to understand the symbolic expression of their musical product, process, and experience as it reles to recovery and Wellness.
Ability to apply effective use of professional skill, objectivity, and insight to respond constructively to both positive and negive reactions , establish and maintain a therapeutic relionship with professional boundaries to reflect trusting, emphetic, and respectful interactions.
Ability to apply current research literure and co-facilite trement with professionals from other disciplines, the uses of the creive arts therapies and recreional therapy, as well as understanding emerging models and trends in music therapy.
Preferred Experience: Experience providing Creive Arts Music Therapy in community based care setting. At least two years experience treing persons with SMI.
Reference: For more informion on this qualificion standard, please .
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11.
Physical Requirements: Work is typically performed in a clinical setting.
Educion
Note: Only educion or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your educion here: . If you are using foreign educion to meet qualificion requirements, you must send a Certifice of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for th educion. For further informion, : .
Additional informion
Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacion) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave a re (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the re which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment de and is not guaranteed.
During the applicion process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your applicion for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further considerion for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive stus.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-reled positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alterne method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentive job offer. For more informion about the Act and the complaint process, Human Resources and Administrion/Operions, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) The Fair Chance Act .
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Candides should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passione about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United Stes Constitution.
Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.
How you evalued
You evalued for this job based on how well you meet the qualificions above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your applicion, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documention verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect considerion for employment.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through Nional Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizions (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 th transles directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify informion provided by a candide (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candide's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those th have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegrion support for military service members.
Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits th are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window Learn more about federal benefits .
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more informion on the specific benefits offered.
Required documents
Required Documents
Help
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Applicion Package which includes:
Resume
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualificions for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your applicion, such as a copy of your transcript (if using educion to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Stement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
Professional Certificion
Resume
Separion Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action
Transcript
If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements:
Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion .
Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring.
How to Apply
Help
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documention specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/08/2025 to receive considerion. To preview the questionnaire click .
To begin, click Apply Online to cree a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupional questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your applicion package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and approprie documention is submitted prior to the closing de.
Agency contact informion
Leonette Evans
Phone
...
...
Address
Robley Rex VA Medical Center
800 Zorn Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
US
Next steps
Once your online applicion is submitted you will receive a confirmion notificion by email. After we receive applicion packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applicions to ensure qualificion and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certifice(s) is issued and applicants notified of their stus by email. Referred applicants notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notificion once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the stus of your applicion any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applicions. Informion regarding your applicion stus can be found in the USAJobs Help Center .
NOTE: Participion in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement th all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccinion or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccinion has been granted. HCP in violion of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locions or who come into contact with VA pients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locions include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associed clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrive, remote and onsite, paid and without compension, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with pients outside VA medical facilities.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability
New employee probionary period
Privacy Act
Reasonable accommodion policy
Selective Service
Signure and false stements
Social security number request
Required Documents
Help
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Applicion Package which includes:
Resume
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualificions for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your applicion, such as a copy of your transcript (if using educion to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
Cover Letter
DD-214/ Stement of Service
Disability Letter (Schedule A)
Disability Letter (VA)
Professional Certificion
Resume
Separion Notice (RIF)
SF-15
SF-50/ Notificion of Personnel Action
Transcript
If you are relying on your educion to meet qualificion requirements:
Educion must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion in order for it to be credited towards qualificions. Therefore, provide only the tendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Educion .
Failure to provide all of the required informion as sted in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible ring or may affect the overall ring.
How to Apply
Help
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documention specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete applicion package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/08/2025 to receive considerion. To preview the questionnaire click .
To begin, click Apply Online to cree a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupional questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your applicion package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and approprie documention is submitted prior to the closing de.
Expand Hide how to apply
Agency contact informion
Leonette Evans
Phone
...
...
Address
Robley Rex VA Medical Center
800 Zorn Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206
US
Next steps
Once your online applicion is submitted you will receive a confirmion notificion by email. After we receive applicion packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applicions to ensure qualificion and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certifice(s) is issued and applicants notified of their stus by email. Referred applicants notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notificion once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the stus of your applicion any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applicions. Informion regarding your applicion stus can be found in the USAJobs Help Center .
NOTE: Participion in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement th all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccinion or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccinion has been granted. HCP in violion of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locions or who come into contact with VA pients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locions include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associed clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrive, remote and onsite, paid and without compension, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with pients outside VA medical facilities.
Expand Hide next steps
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
Criminal history inquiries
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
Financial suitability
New employee probionary period
Privacy Act
Reasonable accommodion policy
Selective Service
Signure and false stements
Social security number request
Overview Help Accepting applicions Open & closing des 08/01/2025 to 08/08/2025 Salary $49,960 to - $96,116 per year GS-7 $49,960 - $64,952/ GS-9 $61,111 - $79,443/ GS11 $73,939 - $96,116 Pay scale & grade GS 7 - 11 Locion 1 vacancy in the following locion: Louisville, KY 1 vacancy Remote job No Telework eligible No Travel Required Not required Relocion expenses reimbursed No Appointment type Permanent Work schedule Full-time Service Excepted Promotion potential 11 Job family (Series) Supervisory stus No Security clearance Drug test No Position sensitivity and risk Trust determinion process Financial disclosure Bargaining unit stus Announcement number CBTG-12773537-25-LE Control number 842283500
Job ID: 487959106
Originally Posted on: 8/3/2025
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