This position is being filled under the Expedited Hiring Authority for College Graduates.
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 primary emphasis of the Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation Program is to assist Veterans with service-connected disabilities to prepare for, find, and sustain employment.Qualifications:To qualify for this position, applicants must meet
both the
College Graduate and the
Basic Requirements stated below by the closing date of this job opportunity announcement, 07/09/2026.
COLLEGE GRADUATE REQUIREMENT: You must have obtained, within the previous two years, a graduate degree from an institution of higher education;
- Veterans who have completed a graduate degree and were unable to apply within two years of obtaining their degree due to a uniformed service obligation of at least 4 years, may apply within two years of their discharge from uniformed service.
Note: The two-year eligibility period begins on the date the degree is received, not the graduation ceremony date.
This position is covered by a single agency qualification standard, VA Handbook 5005/157, part II, appendix F2, dated July 28, 2023.
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. Grandfathering 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.
Education:Transcripts are required for all applicants and must be uploaded prior to the closing date of the job opportunity announcement. Delaying the upload of your transcripts can result in a later submission and review of your application. Applications will be reviewed once all required documents are received. An omission of transcripts by the closing date will result in an ineligible rating.
The required education under this single-agency standard is the 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.
Awarded/Conferred master's degree is required and must be reflected on transcripts submitted at the time of application. Transcripts (unofficial and/or official) must show evidence of a supervised internship and must also show that the degree has been awarded/conferred and the date awarded.
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: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of EducationEmployment Type: OTHER
