Social Science Program Specialist - Homeless Program

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

All applicants must meet one of the following BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

1. Completion of a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study in behavioral or social science, or related disciplines appropriate to this position. ~OR~
2. Appropriate combination of education and experience that provided knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field. The quality of the combination of education and experience must be sufficient to demonstrate that the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform work in the occupation, and is comparable to that normally acquired through the successful completion of a full 4-year course of study with a major in the appropriate field. ~OR~
3. At least four (4) years of appropriate experience that demonstrates acquired knowledge of one or more of the behavioral or social sciences equivalent to a major in the field.

NOTE: When applying for positions with a Basic Education Requirement you MUST provide transcript(s) at the time of application that state a degree was conferred in the appropriate field. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, display copies of degrees or course listings are not adequate and do not provide the information needed to verify that you have the basic education requirement.

~AND~

In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position at the GS- 11 level you must also meet one of the following:

1. EXPERIENCE: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience (equivalent to at least the GS-9 level in the Federal service) that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience includes: Experience where you were responsible for providing community outreach, counseling, and/or referral services to chronically mentally ill homeless individuals; developing appropriate treatment plans, and monitoring client progress; and providing case management services to persons on a variety of topics including career development, activities of daily living, employment counseling, budget management and other topics necessary to reinforce the skills necessary to live as self-sufficiently and independently as possible. ~OR~
2. EDUCATION: Successful completion of three (3) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a field related to the work of this position. This education must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. ~OR~
3. COMBINATION: Equivalent combination of related graduate level education (beyond the 2^nd year/master's level) and specialized experience, as described above. This education and experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities to do the work of this position.

You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:

• Interpersonal Skills
• Manages and Organizes Information
• Oral Communication
• Self Management
• Self-Direction

IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.

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). 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.

Physical Requirements: The work requires extreme patience and controlling one's emotions, as well as longs periods of walking and standing outdoors. May require using appropriate techniques to physically restrain clients who present a danger to self or others. The work may also require assisting and/or lifting physically disables clients.

Work Environment: Work is typically performed in a clinical setting, with exposure to communicable diseases that are common in the client population. Frequently, work is performed in a setting away from the office where the environment cannot be controlled, such as parks, on the streets, under bridges, and other locations where personal safety may be at risk.

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/.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (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 rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities (i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities), and/or disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. For more information on how to apply using this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator within the office, contact the facility Human Resources Department at (404) 321-6111.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.