Vocational Rehab Counselor

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors (VRCs) provide and coordinate a wide range of rehabilitation, counseling, and case management services to disabled veterans and other eligible individuals. The purpose, objectives, services, and outcomes are developed by the VRC during the evaluation. The program's primary focus will be on helping the Veteran find work and set goals and objectives to help them become more independent in their daily lives.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this job opportunity announcement, 06/24/2026. This position is covered by a single agency qualification standard, VA Handbook 5005/157, part II, appendix F2, dated July 28, 2023.

NOTE:

Applicants must meet both the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) / Basic Requirement and the Specialized Experience as stated below. 1.

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT

(IOR) / BASIC

REQUIREMENT

A. Education. Successful completion of a master's degree (or higher) in rehabilitation counseling, rehabilitation services, clinical rehabilitation counseling, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, career counseling or social work from an accredited college or university. AND B. Internship or Experience Requirement. The required (1) supervised internship or (2) post-master's degree experience is described as follows:

Supervised Internship:

The education in paragraph 1a must have included a supervised internship in rehabilitation counselling or case management specialization. The internship must have been supervised by a professional in vocational rehabilitation or a closely related professional field that typically has oversight for vocational rehabilitation programs.

OR Experience:

One-year post-master's degree experience in direct delivery of professional vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities. C. G randfathering Provision. VRCs employed in the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) on the effective date July 28, 2023, of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including certifications that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: VRCs who are grandfathered into the GS-0101 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level of a career ladder, changed to a lower grade within the occupation or placed in a supervisory or managerial position. VRCs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not be extended or reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard. If VRCs who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, they lose protected status and must meet the full qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation. 2.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE

To qualify at the GS-09 grade level: None above the basic requirements listed above. To qualify under the grandfathering provision, you may be required to submit multiple SF-50s to verify that you were permanently employed prior to July 28, 2023, and that you continue to serve as a permanent employee of the VBA as a VRC.