Chaplain

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Veterans Health Administration

Veterans Health Administration

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Summary

The incumbent serves as a Chaplain professional performing clinical assignments for the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS). The incumbent provides comprehensive religious, spiritual, and pastoral care to all persons that are commensurate with the needs, desires, and voluntary consent of the Veteran, caregiver, or staff.

This job is open to

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current or former competitive service federal employees.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current excepted service federal employees.

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current permanent VA employees as well as current permanent employees of other Federal agencies. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be January 26th 2024. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to:
Serves as a Chaplain professional providing comprehensive, religious ministry services to Veteran patients according to their specific needs and desires. Carries out a ministry which is highly integrated into VHA's Chaplain program. Provides thorough guidance and advice to Chaplain Service management staff, other Chaplains, and other stakeholders.

May serve at a facility in a clinical setting, or a small healthcare system, satellite outpatient clinic, other federal agency, or Community Based Out-patient Clinic (CBOC) where there is limited access to onsite supervision.

Provides extended and intensive pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program with patients facing complex, ethical, moral, and spiritual issues.

Ensures program effectiveness and modification of service pattern, which includes research and leadership of clinical teams.

Practices typically in a specialized clinic/program area, that may include intensive and extended pastoral counseling as an integral part of the treatment program, with patients facing complex moral, ethical, or spiritual problems.

Serves as a Chaplain representative and a fully recognized member of an interdisciplinary treatment team (IDT). Advises and collaborates with other members of the IDT to provide comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans.

Works with a full understanding of Chaplains' relationships to the objectives of VHA to successfully integrate the work of the medical facility's staff. Collaborates with and advises the other members of the IDT in the provision of comprehensive healthcare services to Veterans.

Maintains effective rapport with physicians, medical officers, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers, or others involved with the IDT. Ensures equity of access, service, and benefits to Veterans and provides the highest quality of care. Provides leadership, direction, orientation, coaching, in-service training, staff development, and continuing education programs.

Serves as a primary Chaplain resource, spiritual advisor, and liaison for the spiritual needs of patients, caregivers, and staff. Conducts comprehensive religious services and worship, pastoral ministry, and administration of Chaplain services.

Leads various complex and sensitive projects, task groups, and assignments to obtain pertinent high-level information needed for Chaplain Service management officials.

Engages as a spiritual leader, a compassionate listener, and counselor, especially during times of crisis. Provides emotional support and counseling using empathy and strong interpersonal skills to effectively connect with people of all ages.

Ensures various complex assignments are carried out in a pluralistic environment, which encompasses sensitivity to the religious needs of many separate religious denominations and faith groups.
Provides thorough spiritual leadership, offers prayers, and provides overall religious services for Veteran patients, patient families, staff, and community. Conducts rituals before groups of people, which requires effective leadership and public speaking skills. Uses sound guidance and advice to lead prayer and religious services.

Addresses the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical problems of patients and staff. Provides effective counseling services to patients and staff. Conducts regular rounds of hospital wards where patients are critically ill.

Ministers to newly admitted, pre- and post-operative patients, the critically ill, and the families of concerned Veteran patients. Provides advance care planning education, information, and counsel for patients and their families.

Provides pastoral ministry to patients with respect to the patient's faith group, including conscientious attention during emergencies and crises. Builds strong interpersonal relationships with patients and ensures all patients are provided opportunities for the free exercise of religion. Ascertains Veterans are protected from proselytizing and coercing from any source.

Provides guidance and religious instruction to individuals and groups. Conducts and arranges for religious worship services in chapels and at other locations for patients that are unable to attend regular chapel services.

Uses effective skills supporting the development of staff resiliency and developing programs for staff development and wellness by providing sound spiritual and emotional support.

Possesses skills to educate and equip healthcare staff and trainees. Screens for spiritual and religious needs and provides referrals to chaplains for complex spiritual distress.

Spends minimally 70% of time in patient care.

Location: Palo Alto, CA

Salary: $108,245 - $140,713 per year

Pay Scale & Grade: GS-12

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm; Occasional weekends
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 03702F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
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.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

Qualifications

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.
• Education. Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. NOTE: For applicants who do not possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational degree, an approved educational equivalency review from a nationally recognized board certification body for chaplains (see bullet 6) is acceptable.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, theological or related education completed outside the U.S. must be submitted to a current affiliate agency of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) listed at https://www.naces.org/members.
• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). Applicants must have completed four units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Ecclesiastical Endorsement. In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Loss of endorsement will result in removal from the GS-0060 Chaplain series and may result in termination of employment. The National Chaplain Service maintains a list of approved endorsing organizations that can be found here: https://www.patientcare.va.gov/chaplain/Employment_Information_and_Resources.asp
• Board Certification. Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ® or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ® Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®.
• English Language Proficiency. Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

Chaplain, GS-12
Experience. The candidate must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the journey level (GS-11) that is directly related to the position to be filled.

Specialty Certification. Specialty certification is demonstrated advanced practice and/or specialization in chaplaincy beyond the board certification and is required for the GS-12 grade level. Specialty certification from a professional chaplain certifying body that is directly related to the assignment is qualifying for a senior chaplain assignment.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to meeting the basic experience requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
i. Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
ii. Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
iii. Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
iv. Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
v. Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
vi. Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
vii. Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.

Preferred experience: Hospice and palliative care.

References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G67

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12.

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

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $108,246.00 - $140,713.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Application Question(s):

• Please read Basic Requirements
• Must be a U.S. Citizen

Ability to Relocate:

• Palo Alto, CA 94304: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person