Recreation Therapy Assistant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 39,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The Recreation Therapy Assistant position is located within the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation section at the Phoenix VA Medical Center, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Administration. It focuses on developing and evaluating recreational therapy interventions for patients with physical or mental health conditions.

Qualified applicants must have English proficiency and meet specialized experience or education substitution criteria.

Qualifications

• English language proficiency as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Specialized experience at least 1 full year at GS-5 level in Federal service.
• Education substitution: 9 semester hours of graduate education or internship related to Recreation Therapy.
• Combination of related graduate education and specialized experience with transcripts.
• Physical Demands: requires significant physical activity and mobility within the facility.

Responsibilities

• Develop, plan, organize, implement, conduct, monitor, and evaluate a wide variety of recreational therapy interventions and programs for patients with physical and/or mental health conditions.
• Assist in carrying out therapies under supervision within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Skills

English proficiency

Specialized experience

Education

Graduate education or internship related to recreation therapy

Job description

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.

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/.