Recreation Therapy Assistant

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Phoenix VA Health Care System, is hiring a Recreation Therapy Assistant to develop and implement therapeutic recreation programs for Veterans with physical and mental health conditions.

Responsibilities include carrying out a full range of recreational therapy interventions, documenting patient records, and coordinating program elements while working with individuals and groups.

Qualifications

• English proficiency in written and spoken English is required.
• At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 in Federal service.
• Education substitution: 9 semester hours of graduate education or internship related to Recreation Therapy.

Responsibilities

• Carry out a full range of Therapeutic Recreation programs and interventions.
• Work with patients with a variety of illnesses and disabilities, individually or in groups.
• Complete and maintain patient records and coordinate program elements (e.g., Tai Chi, Yoga, arts and crafts).
• Apply diverse treatment plans for patients as appropriate and perform related duties.
• Work schedule: full-time, five 8-hour shifts; schedule discussed at interview.

Skills

English language proficiency

Job description

Summary

This position is located within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Department of Veteran Affairs Health Administration Phoenix VA Medical Center - Phoenix - AZ. The purpose of the position is to develop - plan - organize - implement - conduct - monitor - and evaluate a wide variety of recreational therapy interventions and programs for patients with an array of physical and/or mental health conditions.

Summary

This position is located within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Department of Veteran Affairs Health Administration Phoenix VA Medical Center - Phoenix - AZ. The purpose of the position is to develop - plan - organize - implement - conduct - monitor - and evaluate a wide variety of recreational therapy interventions and programs for patients with an array of physical and/or mental health conditions.

Qualifications

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. Specialized Experience: At least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-5) in Federal service. Specialized experience which has given you the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Recreation Therapy Assistant position. Qualifying specialized experience include work as an assistant to one of the specialized therapies such as occupational - physical - manual arts - corrective - or educational therapy; or experience gained as an assistant or aid in patient care - social work - or psychology where the duties involved actual participation in physical medicine and activities of a hospital or clinic. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title - duties - month & year starting and ending dates AND hours worked per week. OR Education Substitution: You must have successfully completed one-half year (9 semester hours) of graduate education or an internship with course work that is directly related to the position of a Recreation Therapy Assistant. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without transcripts. OR Combination of Education and Experience: Possess a combination of directly related graduate level education and specialized experience. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with application. Education cannot be credited without transcripts - and experience must be documented in the resume. Physical Demands: The Recreation Therapy Assistant position requires significant physical activity throughout the workday. Duties frequently involve loading and unloading wheelchairs and adaptive sporting equipment - sometimes requiring lifting - carrying - and maneuvering items of various recreational items. The assistant may also be needed to facilitate activities such as exercise groups. In addition - the role requires frequent walking throughout the facility - including escorting or pushing Veterans to and from designated areas. This position involves considerable standing - bending - lifting - walking long distances - and moving equipment or supplies between locations. Stamina - strength - and flexibility are essential to perform these physical tasks safely and efficiently. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Duties

• ***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION - YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** NOTE: This announcement has been extended to close on September 25 - 2026
• Applicants who previously applied do not need to re-apply
• Duties include but are not limited to the following: Carrying out a full range of Therapeutic Recreation programs and interventions inclusive of recreation treatment modalities and general recreation (diversional) activities
• Working with patients who have a variety of illnesses - diseases and/or disabling conditions with varying degrees of impairment
• Working with patients on an individual basis - in small groups or in large groups depending on the patient's physical and mental status and individual needs for treatment
• Completing and maintaining patient records
• Coordinating and assisting in implementing program elements - (e.g
• Tai Chi - Yoga - Pet Therapy - Creative Writing - Pool Therapy and Arts and Crafts Festivals - etc)
• Applying diverse treatment plans for patients whose physical and mental condition requires the application of nonstandard in addition to standard treatment procedures and approaches
• Performing other related duties assigned
• Work Schedule: Full Time - 40 hours a week - Five 8-hour shifts - days off are determined by the needs of the service
• Schedule to be discussed during interview
• Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved