Chaplain (Villa Serena)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 73,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Chaplain Service at the Villa Serena location, provides spiritual care across VISNs, inpatient clinics, outpatient clinics and domiciliaries throughout the United States.

We seek a Board-Certified Chaplain at GS-12 who holds a Master of Divinity or equivalent, with ecclesiastical endorsement within 12 months, and U.S. citizenship. The role operates within VA medical facilities to support patient and staff well-being.

Qualifications

• Master of Divinity or equivalent educational degree from CHEA/ATS-accredited institution.
• Full ecclesiastical endorsement dated within the past 12 months.
• Board Certification by BCCI or equivalent with four CPE units.
• U.S. Citizenship and proficiency in English (spoken and written).

Responsibilities

• Provide chaplaincy and spiritual care services in medical facility settings.
• Collaborate with VA health-care teams across VISNs, inpatient/outpatient clinics and domiciliaries nationwide.

Skills

Spiritual care

Conflict mediation

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Policy development

Research literacy

Education

Master of Divinity or equivalent

Job description

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC), Chaplain Service (CS) at its Villa Serena location. The position provides services within various settings, including Veterans Integrated Service Networks (VISNs), Inpatient Clinics, Outpatient Clinics, and domiciliaries throughout the United States. Most Chaplain services are usually provided in a medical facility structure.

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 in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Education: Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) (https://www.chea.org/) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) (https://www.ats.edu/) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree may meet this requirement with an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains. This would include the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI.
• Endorsement: Applicants must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement and must be dated within the past 12 months. A complete list of Ecclesiastical Organizations that the Department of Veterans Affairs recognizes as Ecclesiastical Endorsing Organizations is available here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Ecclesiastical_Endorsement.asp
  • Current VA Chaplains do not have to get updated endorsements after they are hired.
• Certification: Applicants must be a Board-Certified Chaplain by the Board of Chaplaincy Certifications Inc. (BCCI), or a U.S. certifying body that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI. Board Certification that requires four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is qualifying. https://www.apchaplains.org/bcci-site/

Grandfathering Provision. All Chaplains employed in VHA under permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard (07/03/2025), are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/assignment held, including positive education and certification, where applicable. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

• Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the FPL, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• If an assignment above the FPL level requires an additional certification over and above the basic requirements, employees must meet the assignment-specific requirement before they can be reassigned or promoted.
• 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.
• Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
• Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional certification(s) that meets all the basic or assignment-specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential(s) as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations: Chaplain (GS-12)

1. Specialized Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements to qualify at the GS-12 level, you must possess at least one (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
2. Specialty Certification: Specialty certification is demonstrated advanced practice and/or specialization in chaplaincy beyond the board certification. You must possess a Specialty Certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the position being filled. The list of Board Certifying Chaplain Organizations and Specialty Certifying Organization is located here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp
3. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience and specialty certification requirements above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
   • Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
   • Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
   • Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
   • Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
   • Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
   • Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
   • Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

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-12.