Occupational Therapist Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration North Florida/ South Georgia VA Healthcare System Summary The Occupational Therapist of the Lake City VA Medical Center will carry responsibility for providing occupational therapy evaluation and treatment to veteran patients according to the North Florida/South Georgia VAMC mission and the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation guidelines. The therapist will provide coverage of the services provided by Occupational Therapy in the Acute Care, Outpatient and Extended Care Settings as needed. This job is open to The public U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S. Federal employees

• Competitive service Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales. Federal employees
• Excepted service Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria. Internal to an agency Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement. Clarification from the agency The Public
• Open to ALL US Citizens, including ALL Current Permanent Federal Employees, Current Permanent Department of VA Employees; and Current Permanent

NF/SG VA

Healthcare System Employees. Facility Employees will have FIRST consideration, followed by Agency Employees, HPTs, Federal Employees, and then US Citizens. Veteran's preference applicable.

NOTE:

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Duties The Occupational therapist may assist with developing practices and procedures of occupational therapy services that are necessary to plan and direct the wide range of activities relating to the overall operation of an occupational therapy program within the North Florida/South Georgia VA Healthcare System. The Occupational Therapist will function as a staff therapist assigned to one or more areas and is responsible for some aspects of specialized occupational therapy treatment and care delivery processes within the assigned areas. Duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Develop an intervention plan based on evaluation findings, OT theory and evidence-based practice. Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary occupational therapy across some areas of practice as appropriate as an entry level practitioner. Offer treatment interventions tailored to client's abilities or needs and design to promote, modify, maintain, or restore occupational performance. Document the veteran's response to treatment, therapists' interventions, and progress toward reaching desired outcomes as per VA regulations and section guidelines. Reevaluate and modify plans as needed to achieve targeted outcomes. Determine the need for continuation, discontinuation, or referral. Assist the OT supervisor in utilization and management of available space for current, additional, or expanding therapy programs. Demonstrate the ability to set priorities, delegate tasks to volunteers and work study students, and solve problems in order to meet multiple deadlines. Supervise the clinical training experiences of technical and professional level occupational therapy interns to fulfill educational and professional requirements. Carrie out delegated responsibilities on medical center-wide, division-wide, or program-wide committees, special projects, and tasks. Oversee the inventory of supplies and equipment as appropriate to meet the demands of the service line. Maintains clinic areas, equipment, and supplies in a clean and organized manner to promote quality treatment in a safe and functionally appropriate environment.

Work Schedule :

7:30am to 6pm, Monday through

Wednesday and Saturday Virtual:

This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement # :

GS9 55493F, GS11 55494F, GS12 55495F

Requirements Conditions of employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications 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 :

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)). 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:

Must meet at least one of the following requirements below: 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 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 Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted 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. 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. 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). 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. Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date (12/13/2019) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of this occupation.

Grade Determinations :

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Occupational Therapist, GS-9 Education, Experience, or Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements. Occupational Therapist, GS-11 Education, Experience, or Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled: OR Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field; OR Doctorate in occupational therapy. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) . In addition to the [experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following

KSAs:

Knowledge of occupational therapy practice. Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment. Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others. Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated. Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing. Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care. Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice. Occupational Therapist, GS-12 Education, Experience, and Licensure. Completion of one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 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:

Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits. Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders. Ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments, treatment plans, activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients. Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment). Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training. Assignment. OTs at this level practice independently and are responsible for comprehensive assessment of functional and occupational roles using standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools. OTs select and provide direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, instrumental IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. OTs demonstrate a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application through the use of activity analysis, behavioral intervention, frame of references, and therapeutic procedures. Other assignments may be found in the qualification standard of this occupational series.

Preferred Experience:

Evaluation or treatment experience with acute, sub-acute, and long-term care patient populations.

Reference:

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ . The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-9 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements:

Occupational Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" strength according to the Department of Labor.

Medium Work entails:

exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. (i.e.: more than exerting of to 20 points of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.)

Education 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/ . Additional information 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. During the application 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 application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration 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 status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related 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 alternate 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 tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act . Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. 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 that 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 information on the specific benefits offered. How you will be evaluated You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for 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; 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. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate'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 that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members :

Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Required Documents To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: License Resume/CV for Title 38 & Hybrid Title 38 Applications that may exceed two (2) pages. (Please be sure to include full-time and/or part-time hours for each history of employment listed on your resume) SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Special Note for

Applications:

To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field. Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field. The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter License Certification. Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT. Resume/CV for Title 38 & Hybrid Title 38 Applications that may exceed two (2) pages. (Please be sure to include full-time and/or part-time hours for each history of employment listed on your resume) Professional Certification SF-15 SF-50/

Notification of Personnel Action Transcript Veterans' Preference:

When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets

• Veterans
• Job Seekers
• Veterans' Preference .

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education . Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating. How to Apply All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/11/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13039958 . To begin, click Apply Online to create 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 occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE:

It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. Agency contact information Thomas Ellis Phone 713-791-1414 X149983 Email thomas.ellis4@va.gov Address Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1601 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, FL 32608 US Next steps Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE:

Participation 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 that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation 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 locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, 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 at 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 patients outside VA medical facilities. Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION

To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors"

• by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.

How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

NF/SGVHS

is a Level 1A major interdisciplinary teaching facility that contains two hospitals with service lines serving medical, surgical, and neurological inpatients and outpatients, with a Level II Emergency Department in Gainesville and a Level III Emergency Department in Lake City, and multiple community based outpatient clinics (CBOC). There is a large outpatient psychiatric population, with admissions for medical co-morbidities. Home-Based Primary Care is provided in the veteran's home. Executes position responsibilities that demonstrates leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex patient care. Agency contact information Thomas Ellis Phone 713-791-1414 X149983 Email thomas.ellis4@va.gov Address Malcom Randall Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1601 Southwest Archer Road Gainesville, FL 32608 US Visit our careers page Learn more about what it's like to work at Veterans Health Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https:

//vacareers.va.gov/