Vocational Development Specialist

Veterans Health Administration (DOVA); Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 76,000 - 99,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration (DOVA) in Tucson, AZ seeks a Vocational Development Specialist to help Veterans obtain and maintain competitive employment. You will perform interviews, provide a range of employment services, and coordinate with community partners and employers to place Veterans in suitable roles.

The role emphasizes employment-focused services, collaboration with VBA for VR&E eligibility, and documentation of individualized employment plans. Travel up to 25% may be required.

Qualifications

• Interviews to determine intervention needs for Veteran employment.
• Provide a range of employment services including job listings, resume prep, and counseling.
• Coordinate with employers for accommodations and job placement.

Responsibilities

• Conducts interviews to determine intervention level for employment.
• Provides Veterans with service options for immediate and long-term needs.
• Facilitates direct and indirect services like access to job listings, resume prep, counseling, interviews, and travel to interviews.

Skills

Interviewing skills

Counseling

Job development

Resume assistance

Job description

Summary The Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Administration Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) Vocational Development Specialist carries out all duties related to obtaining and maintaining competitive employment for homeless or at‑risk of homelessness Veterans who are referred by a homeless program provider or self‑present for employment services.

Overview Location 1 vacancy in the following location: Tucson, AZ 1 vacancy No matching locations found. Work site options Telework eligible: No Remote job: No Relocation expenses reimbursed: No

Salary: $76,095 – $98,928 per year

Pay scale & grade: GS 11

Work schedule: Full‑time

Travel Required: 25% or less – You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type: Permanent

Occupations and job series: 1715 Vocational Rehabilitation

Supervisory status: No

Federal service type: This job is in the Competitive Service

Represented by a union: No

Drug test: No

Security clearance: Other

Position sensitivity and risk: Non‑sensitive (NS)/Low Risk Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type: Credentialing Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required: No Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number: CBSX-13105720-27-SH

Control number: 890968300

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

First Area of Consideration: Current permanent facility employees of the Tucson VA Medical Center Second Area of Consideration: Current permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs Third Area of Consideration: All US Citizens

Duties

• Conducts interviews to determine the nature and level of intervention that may be required to assist the Veteran in obtaining employment.
• Provides the Veteran with a range of service options that will meet both his/her immediate and long‑term employment needs.
• Provides both direct and indirect services including but not limited to: access to job listings; resume preparation; vocational counseling; negotiations with employers for reasonable accommodations; assistance with completion and submission of job applications; coordination of and transportation to job interviews; interview skills training; job development and job placement.
• Collaborates with Veterans to determine the level and types of services needed, where the end result is competitive employment, employment maintenance or improved job status.
• Focuses services on employment rather than therapeutic work.
• Assists Veterans in obtaining a referral to the nearest Compensated Work Therapy Program (CWT).
• Works closely with the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) to determine the Veteran’s eligibility for Veterans Readiness and Employment (VR&E) services.
• Documents all vocational interventions, goals, objectives and outcomes through the writing of an individualized employment plan and actively participates in the implementation of this employment plan.
• Attends and participates in treatment team meetings, contributes actively to the strategies and support plans for all clients served by the team, and communicates strategies developed for job acquisition and retention to the treatment team.
• Collaborates with existing community partners and employers and demonstrates unique expertise in the ability to forge new relationships with such entities.
• Receives and records information from employers regarding employment opportunities.
• Participates in job fairs and may take a leadership role in coordinating employment fairs and similar events for homeless Veterans.

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday; 8:00am – 4:30pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Vocational Development Specialist / PD00895A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre‑employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state‑issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1‑year probationary period or 2‑year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/06/2026.

Time‑In‑Grade Requirement : Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time‑in‑grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS‑11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS‑09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time‑in‑grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one‑year time‑in‑grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one‑year time‑in‑grade. Note: Time‑In‑Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Selective placement factor: is applied in the same manner as minimum qualification requirements. Relevant selective placement factor experience must be well documented in your resume. Failure to meet a selective placement factor will result in you not receiving further consideration. In addition to the minimum qualifications described below, you must meet the following selective placement factor: Must have a valid state driver’s license.

Preferred experience: Two years previous experience working homeless population. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS‑9 in the the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience include: Work that required obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, knowledge of the interrelationships of the involved professional and specialist services, and skill in employing the methodology and techniques of counseling to motivate and encourage individuals served by the program. Experience that demonstrated knowledge of the vocational rehabilitation problems characteristic of the disabled, including familiarity with available resources and skill in identifying, evaluating, and making effective use of such resources to serve individuals with disabilities; or of the disadvantaged, including knowledge of adjustment problems of the educationally or culturally disadvantaged, familiarity with available adult education and training resources, and ability to recognize problem areas needing special attention. Experience in vocational guidance or teaching in a recognized vocational rehabilitation program or school, developmental or supervisory work in programs of vocational rehabilitation or training programs for the disadvantaged, or personnel or employment placement work that provided extensive knowledge of the training and adjustment requirements necessary to place persons having disabilities or social adjustment problems. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, OR 3 full years of progressively higher education leading to such a degree, OR LL.M., if related. The major study in this education is vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counseling, or other fields related to the position. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond two years of graduate education.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note : A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part‑time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, but does require intermittent driving, standing, and walking. A valid driver’s license and ability to drive a government vehicle is required. The work requires that the incumbent drive on a regular basis as a significant amount of their time may be spent in the community meeting with Veterans, employers and other community agency representatives.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full‑time, part‑time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• DD‑214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF‑15
• SF‑50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

SF‑50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applicable for Time in Grade and/or Eligibility):

• Most recent SF‑50 if you are a current or former Federal employee
• An SF‑50 showing your time‑in‑grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF‑50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one‑year time‑in‑grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF‑50 that clearly demonstrates one‑year time‑in‑grade
• Award 50’s do not provide sufficient information and will not be accepted for the purpose of verifying time‑in‑grade.
• Examples of appropriate SF‑50’s include: Within grade increases at the highest grade held; or Promotions with an effective date more than one year old; or SF‑50’s at the highest grade held with an effective date more than one year old.

Veterans’ Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10‑point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF‑15 “Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference” with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans’ Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets – Veterans – Job Seekers – Veterans’ Preference.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please visit the VA for Vets site for career‑search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Agency contact information

Seth Hickman

(858) 552‑8585 X7394

[e-mail]

Tucson VA Medical Center

3601 South Sixth Avenue

Tucson, AZ 85723

US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required assessments and documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued, and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.