Social Worker Readjustment Counselor

The incumbent serves as a Social Work RCS Vet Center Readjustment Counselor, providing counseling services, outreach, referral, and follow up care coordination to eligible individuals, couples, and family members. In this capacity, the incumbent functions as a member of a small multi-disciplinary team of 4 or more staff members. This entails the incumbent contributing proactively to internal coordination of care and collaborative planning and problem solving among all staff.

Opening and closing dates: 07/07/2025 to 07/16/2025

Salary: $61,111 - $96,116 per year

Location: Bismarck, ND

This position is full-time and permanent. It does not require remote work or travel more than 25%.

The work does not inherently require physical accommodations. The incumbent will spend time sitting, walking, and standing. They will also need to use a computer for several hours a day.

This position is in the excepted service with a promotion potential of 11. The job family is social work (series 0185). It is not required to have a security clearance. The position is non-sensitive and low risk.

The position does not require relocation expenses to be reimbursed. The work schedule is Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, with some evenings and weekends as needed.

The position offers competitive salary and regular salary increases, paid time off, parental leave, child care subsidy, traditional federal pension, and federal insurance programs.

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy.

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

You must be proficient in written and spoken English.

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.

Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

This position requires occasional travel away from the duty station in support of direct client care, outreach events, and / or training.

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA policy.

English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).

Education: Eligible candidates must meet possess a master's degree in social work from a school of social work fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). A doctoral degree in social work may not be substituted for the master's degree in social work.

Licensure: Persons hired or reassigned to social worker positions in the GS-0185 series in VHA must be licensed or certified by a state to independently practice social work at the master's degree level.

Social Worker, GS-9: None beyond the basic requirements.

Social Worker, GS-11:

Experience and Licensure: Completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the field of health care or other social work-related settings, and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level. OR a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting and licensure or certification in a state at the independent practice level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational and other diversified backgrounds. Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic and traumatic illnesses / injuries, common medications and their effects / side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment.

A transcript must be submitted with your application. 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.

Receiving Service Credit or 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.

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 07/16/2025 to receive consideration.