SUMMARY

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program EDRP a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

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. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g, this part.)

EDUCATION:

Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS), or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed. The specialty area of the degree must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed. For the purpose of meeting this requirement, the term “specialty area” refers to the specific specialty areas recognized by the accrediting body and not to specific job duties that might require special skills. Currently, APA accredits doctoral programs in the specialty areas of clinical psychology, counseling psychology, school psychology, or combinations of two or more of those areas. PCSAS accredits doctoral programs in psychological clinical science. CPA accredits doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and school psychology. There are no job assignments in VHA that require the skills of a school psychologist; therefore, an applicant with a degree in the specialty area of school psychology is not eligible for appointment. Strictly for the purpose of determining eligibility for appointment as a psychologist in VHA, there is no distinction between the specialty areas (with the exception of school psychology).
OR
Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and, in addition, successfully complete a re- specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re- specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions:
The re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program; and,
the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed.
NOTE: The applicant must provide an official transcript and/or certificate documenting the completion of the re-specialization program, which includes completion of an APA or CPA internship. Psychologists who have successfully completed a re-specialization program as described above and who were employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs prior to the implementation of this standard are considered to have fully met the educational requirements of these qualification standards.
OR
Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution, with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature.

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.

THE DUTIES OF THIS POSITION INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

Psychologist is located in the VAPORHCS PTSD Clinical Team (PCT) as part of the Mental Health Division. The incumbent reports to the PCT Program Manager. The PCT is an outpatient clinic that primarily provides evidence-based PTSD therapy for veterans with PTSD across the lifespan. We are a cohesive team of therapists with a shared passion for trauma recovery, seeking an additional team member to join our innovative and growing PCT. Our team collaborates to foster a safe and culturally sensitive trauma informed approach to support veterans of diverse populations impacted by trauma. This position is a full-time clinical role delivering weekly high quality, evidence-based, time-limited PTSD treatment to veterans in the PCT both virtually and in person.

• Provides functional assessments and diagnostic services for Veterans with PTSD and trauma-related disorders who are receiving care within the VA Portland HCS.
• Demonstrates expertise in using contemporary interview and psychometric assessment methods for mental disorders and/or behavioral health conditions.
• Provides education to patients and family members regarding PTSD and best practice approaches to treatment.
• Provides evidenced-based psychotherapeutic interventions as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the psychologist, which may include individual, family, and group psychotherapy and psychoeducation.
• Provides consultation to health care providers throughout the Medical Center about assessment findings and treatment plans for patients to ensure that care is coordinated, collaborative, and integrated within the VA Portland HCS.
• Develops, implements, and documents the mental health treatment plan for patients Veterans seen by the PCT as indicated and appropriate for the specific job setting and duties of the psychologist. Adheres to all Facility and Service Line policies and practices for delivering clinical care, including but not limited to risk assessment and reduction practices for potentially dangerous behavior (suicide and violence), timeliness of care and access standard, professional conduct requirements, and CPRS documentation conventions.
• Achieves minimal clinical workload expectations as established by the Service Line.
• Provides supervision of trainees conducting direct clinical care.
• Provides clinical supervision and instruction for psychology trainees (interns and/or postdoctoral fellows) assigned to the primary work setting.
• Serves on a Psychology Service committee concerned with oversight of the training program (Training Committee, MDC)
• Holds a faculty appointment at Oregon Health & Science University or other affiliated university that requires accomplishments in clinical supervision, training, and education (clinical or clinician-teacher faculty appointment).
• Provides clinical supervision and/or training for medical residents, medical students, social work interns, or other trainees not enrolled in a psychology training program.
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to unit staff in the area(s) assigned.
• Other teaching, training, or educational responsibilities:

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact V20CompensationTeam@va.gov for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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
• License
• Proof of having successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• 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 09/10/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12790331.

• 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