Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist
This position is located within the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program. The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS) carries out all duties related to assisting Veterans and Service members with completing their program of rehabilitation services. There are a total of four (4) vacancies for this position, 1 vacancy in Cheyenne, WY and 3 vacancies in either Colorado Springs, CO or Lakewood, CO.
Major duties
Specific duties include: Serves as Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist (VRS), responsible for providing, supervising, and coordinating rehabilitation services and benefits for Veterans and Servicemembers, including authorizing necessary services, reviewing charges, and maintaining compliance with VA regulations. Delivers comprehensive case management-coordinating rehabilitation and employment services, documenting progress, assisting with VA benefits, providing referrals for medical/mental health services, and supporting transition and resource development for Veterans. Acts as Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR), acquiring, training, and supervising contract service providers to ensure the delivery of appropriate and professional rehabilitation services. Assesses employability, develops individualized employment assistance plans, makes adjustments to rehabilitation plans as needed, and researches community and funding resources to support successful Veteran outcomes. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS-09, GS-11. Work Schedule: Fulltime, Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM, schedule to be determined by hiring manager Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Yes - This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist; PD38706A and PD38707A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement:09/10/2026. TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements (unless if in the commuting area and eligible for a non-competitive hiring authority such as Schedule A, VRA, or 30% or more disabled Veterans). For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07 level. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09 level. If you are a current VBA employee outside of the commuting area seeking reassignment or change to lower grade via this vacancy announcement, you must currently hold the GS-09 (or higher) and the promotion potential of your current position must be at least GS-11. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. These requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement and those applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT (IOR): This series has an IOR and requires either, the education or experience described below: Education Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. OR Experience Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5): Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program. Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention. Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-09 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as knowledge or experience in rehabilitation, counseling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness or human development theory and principles; experience in career development process and career development theory. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-09 grade level. Note: coursework must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities described in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section of the announcement. Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or Two (2) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related to the duties of this position. GS-11 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS-11 Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-09) in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as knowledge and experience in rehabilitation, counseling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness or human development theory and principles; knowledge of rehabilitation counseling skills, techniques and resources needed to work with Veterans with multiple disabilities, homebound veterans, veterans with acute or chronic mental disabilities and those with problems adjusting to social and occupational requirements. OR Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-11 grade level. Note: coursework must have equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities described in the "How You Will Be Evaluated" section of the announcement. Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree; or Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M, if related to the duties of this position Combining Education & Experience: If you do not fully meet the length of experience and education described for a specific grade level (e.g. have six months of experience and some coursework but not a degree), the two can be combined to total 100% of the requirement. Click here for more information. Volunteer Experience: 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. Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week. Physical Requirements: Some travel may be necessary on occasion for training, meetings or customer interactions. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.
Requirements
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period 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 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.