Supervisory Occupational Therapist

This position is under the auspices of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service in the Occupational Therapy Department at Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System(CAVHCS). The duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the medical center including all clinical and patient care areas involved with Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

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 Proficiency : Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

Education and/or Experience.
(1) The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements:
(a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist;
NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.
OR
(b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field;
NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.
OR
(c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.

(2) Individuals must be a graduate of] a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

Foreign Graduates. Graduates] of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements of subparagraph [3b(2)] if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license referred to in subparagraph [3e] of this appendix.

Certification . Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.

State Licensure . Candidates must possess] a full, current, and unrestricted state license [ ], to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia.

Exceptions for the Graduate Occupational Therapist.
(1) OT graduates from an approved occupational therapy program [who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements, but who do not possess NBCOT certification and/or state licensure, may be [appointed, pending certification and/or licensure, as a graduate OT on a full-time temporary appointment not-to-exceed two years under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2).
(2) Graduate OTs may only be appointed at the GS-9 grade level and may not be promoted/converted to the GS-11 level until licensure and/or certification is obtained. For grades levels at or above the developmental GS-11 grade level, the OT must be certified and licensed.
(3) A graduate OT may provide care only under the direct supervision of a licensed] OT who meets all state regulatory requirements.
(4) Temporary graduate OT appointments may not be extended beyond two years, or converted to a new 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).

Grade Determinations :
GS-13
Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.

Demonstrated KSAs. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.
(b) Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality performance, and productivity within the service.
(c) Skill in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers to include conflict resolution.
(d) Ability to utilize evidence-based practices and clinical practice guidelines in a professional area and to guide the staff in applying these tools.]

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant will be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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: . 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: .