PEER SPECIALIST

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Peer Specialist to support veterans in recovery through an interdisciplinary team in a rehabilitation program.

The role emphasizes assisting veterans in articulating recovery goals, modeling coping techniques, and promoting self-management of health conditions. The position requires veteran status, a peer specialist certification, and English proficiency, with a possible emphasis on extensive collaboration with physicians and treatment staff.

Qualifications

• Must be a veteran meeting statutory requirements detailed in the qualifications section.
• One year of specialized experience at a lower grade level in peer mentoring, recovery advocacy, or psychiatric therapy assistance.
• Ability to follow instructions and receive detailed training for non-routine tasks.
• English proficiency: basic written and spoken English.
• Education substitution: graduate studies may substitute for GS levels (GS-6: 6 months, GS-7: 1 year, GS-8: 1.5 years, GS-9: 2 years or a master’s degree).

Responsibilities

• Functions as an interdisciplinary team member assisting physicians and other personnel in a rehabilitation treatment program.
• Performs therapeutic and supportive tasks: assists veterans in articulating recovery goals, models coping techniques, supports self‑management of health conditions, and advocates for effective services.
• Participates in service, training, consultation, and other professional activities, acting as a fully vested member of the multidisciplinary team.
• Observes behaviors indicating treatment difficulty, completes documentation, and reports concerns to the treatment team.
• Handles crisis interventions for veterans and addresses emergent situations without specific instructions.
• Informs veterans about VA and community supports, including how to utilize them effectively.
• Maintains knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches to wellness and recovery.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Operates a government‑furnished vehicle to assist veterans with housing needs.
• Work schedule: full‑time, Monday‑Friday, 8:00 am‑4:30 pm. Compressed/flexible schedules are not authorized.
• Promotion potential: multi‑grade career ladder; promotion to full performance level is possible without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.

Skills

Peer mentoring

Recovery advocacy

Psychiatric therapy assistance

Job description

Summary

This Peer Specialist position may only be filled with a veteran that meets statutory requirements detailed in the qualifications section.

Qualifications

• Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Time‑in‑grade requirements apply to current and former federal employees, including those applying for reinstatement or under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA). Applicants must submit an SF‑50 that demonstrates the required one‑year time‑in‑grade; an additional SF‑50 may be required if the most recent one does not reflect a full year.
• Required documents: DD‑214, peer specialist certification, and English proficiency evidence.

Basic Requirements

• Statutory Requirements: Veteran who is or has recovered from a mental health condition, certified by a not‑for‑profit or state peer‑specialist program.
• Length of Experience in Recovery: at least one year of recovery from a mental health condition or substance use disorder.
• Recovery profile: manages symptoms of illness, lives independently, employs or volunteers part‑time, maintains meaningful relationships, and participates in community or veteran organizations.
• Veteran definition: active military, naval, air, or space service, discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Restricted to veterans; see important notice.
• Eligible authorities include: current VA employees (permissible appointments), career/conditional appointments, former competitive civil service employees, VEOA, VRA, 30% DAV, Employment Program for People with Disabilities, CTAP/ICTAP.
• English proficiency: basic written and spoken English.
• Minimum grade‑level qualifications:
  • GS‑6: at least one year of specialized experience at a lower grade level, involving peer mentoring, recovery advocacy, or psychiatric therapy assistance.
  • GS‑7: same as GS‑6 with increased complexity and minimal supervision.
  • GS‑8: similar experience with ability to follow general instructions and detailed training for non‑routine tasks.
  • GS‑9: independent work with responsibility for recommendations to the interdisciplinary treatment team.
• Education substitution: completion of graduate studies equivalent to the grade level (GS‑6: 6 months of graduate education, GS‑7: one year, GS‑8: one and a half years, GS‑9: two years or a master’s degree).

Duties

• Functions as an interdisciplinary team member assisting physicians and other personnel in a rehabilitation treatment program.
• Performs therapeutic and supportive tasks: assists veterans in articulating recovery goals, models coping techniques, supports self‑management of health conditions, and advocates for effective services.
• Participates in service, training, consultation, and other professional activities, acting as a fully vested member of the multidisciplinary team.
• Observes behaviors indicating treatment difficulty, completes documentation, and reports concerns to the treatment team.
• Handles crisis interventions for veterans and addresses emergent situations without specific instructions.
• Informs veterans about VA and community supports, including how to utilize them effectively.
• Maintains knowledge of current trends and developments in holistic approaches to wellness and recovery.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Operates a government‑furnished vehicle to assist veterans with housing needs.
• Work schedule: full‑time, Monday‑Friday, 8:00 am‑4:30 pm. Compressed/flexible schedules are not authorized.
• Promotion potential: multi‑grade career ladder; promotion to full performance level is possible without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met.