Recreation Assistant (Yoga Instructor)

US Department of Veterans Affairs; Town of Tomah (WI); On-site; USD 41,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks Yoga Instructors to provide yoga services for Veterans in a healthcare setting. In this role you will plan and organize your own work, reporting to a Supervisory Yoga Instructor or qualified staff and coordinating with the Whole Health team as needed.

Qualifications include U.S. citizenship, English proficiency, and yoga certification such as ERYT200/500 or IAYT. The full performance level is GS-06 with potential to be GS-05.

Qualifications

• US citizenship required for VA positions.
• English proficiency in accordance with VA policy.
• Registration or Certification: Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (ERYT 200/500) or IAYT certification or RYT 200/500 (GS-05 only).
• Note: Grandfathering provision applies for current VA Yoga Instructors.

Responsibilities

• Provide yoga services to Veterans in a health care setting.
• Plan and organize own work and coordinate with staff and management.
• Report to Supervisory Yoga Instructor or qualified personnel as assigned.

Skills

Knowledge of virtual platforms

Adapt yoga for participants

Group instruction communication cues

Safety and sanitation practices

Documentation in electronic records

Schedule creation

Job description

Yoga Instructors independently provide yoga for Veterans in a health care setting and report to a Supervisory Yoga Instructor, clinical provider, member of the Whole Health team or qualified individual as assigned. Yoga Instructors function independently for all professional/technical work aspects. They are responsible for planning/organizing their own work, coordinating with staff and management personnel as appropriate.

Salary Range

• GS-5 $40,736 to $52,9957
• GS-6: $45,409 to $59,031

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

• 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 - In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Registration or Certification - Must possess one of the following:
• Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 200 or 500 (E-RYT 200 or E-RYT-500) registration with Yoga Alliance.
• International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) certification (C-IAYT).
• RYT 200 or RYT 500 registration with Yoga Alliance (GS-05 only).

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All individuals currently employed in VHA as a Yoga Instructor providing yoga instruction under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of this qualification standard (2/21/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including registration requirements.

Grade Determinations

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you meet the following grade level requirements:

GS-05 Yoga Instructor

To qualify for the GS-05 level, you must possess at least three months of creditable experience gained after completing a minimum 200-hour yoga teaching training program that demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of virtual platforms to provide virtual instruction.
• Skill in adapting yoga practices to meet participant needs (e.g., chair yoga, props).
• Skill in teaching yoga practices to include poses, breathing and mindfulness.
• Ability to communicate instructions using verbal and visual cues to guide participants in a group setting.
• Ability to maintain a safe yoga environment.
• Ability to communicate participants' needs with appropriate professionals to ensure individual and group safety.
• Ability to utilize software to document participation in an electronic record.
• Ability to create a schedule of classes.

GS-06 Yoga Instructor - To qualify for the GS-06 level, you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05) that includes applying a basic knowledge of adapting yoga practices to individual participants in group classes as appropriate for physical, mental or behavioral health conditions; using English terminology of postures and trauma sensitive language; instructing classes demonstrating appropriate adaptation and modification using cues to ensure safety, appropriate alignment and props as needed; preparing class sequence such as grounding, warm up, cool down, physical postures, breathing techniques and meditation or relaxation appropriate for the type of class and the ability of participants to ensure safe movement; and, ensuring safety protocols are followed for sanitizing, setting up and maintaining yoga space that demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Skill in adapting yoga practices for a variety of participants and conditions.
• Skill in conducting group and individual classes that support participant goals.
• Skill in sequencing classes to ensure the safety of participants.
• Ability to provide yoga instruction in health care settings.
• Ability to conduct equipment inspections to initiate work orders.
• Ability to serve as a mentor to other instructors.
• Ability to collaborate with members of a health care team to integrate movement into a personal health plan.
• Ability to use technology to provide virtual instruction.

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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.