Occupational Therapist

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the Education and experience requirements described below. 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; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirements for Occupational Therapist:

Education:
Successfully completed a graduate or higher-level education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position, such as an occupational therapy curriculum approved by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education(external link) (ACOTE) or a professional accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained; Completion of the clinical requirements prescribed by the school.

Certification:
Applicants must have passed the national examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy(external link) (NBCOT).

Exemption: You are exempt from the basic requirements above if you are a current federal employee occupying a position in the 0631 occupational series and have been continuously employed in this occupational series since September 27, 2017 or before. Note: You will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the respective Human Resources Office to validate your status.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Specialized Experience:
One year of specialized experience which includes 1.) Providing inpatient rehab and acute care Occupational Therapy (OT) services at the local organization; 2.) Performing assessments for adaptive devices and upper extremity orthotics; 3.) Evaluates patients' treatment plan and modifies to meet the patient's need; 4.) Determining and ordering supplies and/or equipment within the section budget; 5.) Demonstrating effective communication, interpersonal and instructional skills to foster appositive learning environment and promote student success. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.