SUMMARY

The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) provides Occupational Therapy services within the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Service. The OTA is under the clinical direction of an Occupational Therapist, to provide preventative, remediation and rehabilitative services to persons with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. The OTA may be assigned to treatment areas: Outpatient, Subacute inpatient, Community Living Center or a Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

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 (U.S.). Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: Individuals must have successfully completed an Associate’s [or higher] degree in occupational therapy from a college or university accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) OR; Completion of a military training program in an OTA program accredited by the ACOTE.
• Certification: All applicants must have written documentation that they have passed the entry-level certification examination for Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs) administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
• (1) OTAs who graduated from an ACOTE approved occupational therapy assistant program but do not possess the NBCOT certification and/or licensure requirements, may be appointed, pending licensure and/or NBCOT certification, on a full-time temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(a)(1)(B) and not to exceed two years in accordance with the timeframe in 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).
• (2) OTAs may only be appointed at the entry grade level and may not be promoted/converted until licensure and/or certification are obtained.
• (3) OTAs may provide care only under the direct supervision of a licensed OTA or OT who meets all state regulatory requirements.
• (4) Temporary OTA appointments may not be extended beyond two years.
• g. Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, uncertified and/or unlicensed OTAs must actively pursue meeting certification requirements and/or State prerequisites for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the HR Office staff will provide the uncertified and/or unlicensed OTA the written requirements for licensure and/or certification, the date by which the license and/or certification must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed and/or certified by the deadline. OTAs who fail to obtain a license and/or certification by the prescribed date will be removed from their OTA, GS-0636 position, which may result in termination of employment.
• h. Grandfathering Provision. All individuals 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 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 the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
• (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• (2) Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
• (3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• (4) Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
• (5) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
• Licensure: Occupational Therapy Assistant’s must hold a full, current, and unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a State, Territory, a Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia.

Grade Determination: Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-0636-08

• Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level in the Occupational Therapy Assistant field. Qualifying GS-07 grade level experience includes, but is not limited to: providing occupational therapy services to veterans, grade and adapt treatment interventions to maximize patient’s functional status, provide education regarding ways to structure activities and areas of occupation for patients to family members, other care professionals and program staff, interact with patient and family to explain therapy procedures and discuss treatment plans to comply with indicated regimens and post discharge activities, provide department in-service training and provide caregiver and home management training to patients and families, assist in the orientation of employees and students new to the unit as assigned and promote occupational therapy within the facility AND;
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
• (a) Ability to implement delegated assessments.
• (b) Ability to provide reports of observations and patient performance.
• (c) Ability to use complex therapeutic techniques and interventions, utilizing problem-solving skills to maximize patient’s functional status.
• (d) Ability to modify therapeutic interventions for simple and complex cases with a wide range of diagnoses and disabilities.
• (e) Ability to recommend complex adaptive and assistive devices and durable medical equipment.
• (f) Ability to consult with health care practitioners about the patient’s treatment plan and the occupational therapy scope of practice and services.

Preferred Experience: Experience working in the adult and geriatric population.
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-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08.
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 10-25 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 20 pounds 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/.

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.

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.

DUTIES

Allied VA Health Professional Total Rewards Package: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

About the position: The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) provides Occupational Therapy services within the Occupational Therapy (OT) Section of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Service according to the Northport VAMC mission and the PMRS guidelines. The OTA is under the clinical direction of and in partnership with an Occupational Therapist (OT), to provide preventative, remediation and rehabilitative services to persons with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments. The OTA receives minimum guidance from the OT for less complex patients and seek guidance for more complex patients and specialized treatment procedures. OTA’s participate with the OTs in planning and implementing complex treatment programs and apply occupational therapy procedures to patients. The OTA may be assigned to the following treatment areas: Outpatient, Subacute inpatient, Community Living Center (CLC) or a Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC). Duties include but are not limited to:

• Receives and interprets instructions from the OT, including completing thorough review of the OT evaluation, treatment plan and patient data and coordinating to ensure that any clarification are obtained.
• Plan, coordinate and administer occupational therapy treatment for the prevention, remediation and rehabilitation of diverse diagnosis in all practice areas to both individuals and groups as well as develop and implement new programs.
• Utilizes more complex therapeutic techniques and interventions, utilizing problem-solving skills to maximize patient’s functional status.
• Modifies and adapts therapeutic interventions for simple and complex cases with a wide range of diagnoses.
• Identifies and recommends adaptive and assistive devices as well as durable medical equipment. Instructs the patients and family on their care and use to ensure optimal performance.
• Independently provides patient education on areas of occupation, assistive devices and orthotics based on the patient’s and families’ level of cognition, cultural and/or behavioral variables.
• Communicates needs or concerns to the supervising OT, collaborates with the interdisciplinary team and/or other health care practitioners, to make recommendations for the patient rehabilitation and treatment plan and the occupational therapy scope of practice.
• Conducting treatment may take place within the PM&R service clinic space, within patient’s hospital rooms, or elsewhere on the hospital grounds while maintaining privacy and confidentiality as appropriate.
• They may perform ancillary assignments on an occasional basis where the complexity and amount of work in not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time) which may include but not be limited to, program management duties, coordinating schedules with team members and monitoring inventory of clinical supplies.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 - 4:30PM
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 24481F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcrip

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 09/08/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12790632.

• 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