What are the responsibilities and job description for the Recreation Assistant position at Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center?
This position is in the Geriatrics & Extended Care Service at the Miami VA Medical Center, within Recreation & Creative Arts Therapy in the Community Living Center. The role delivers therapeutic and diversional programs that support and improve physical, mental, cognitive, social, and emotional functioning for residents, while providing meaningful leisure opportunities.
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.
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.
Specialized Experience/Individual Occupational Requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities; teacher's aid in elementary school recreation or physical education program; aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service; aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities; summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, boating and fishing areas, etc.; aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance/accountability of inventory control for such property in a recreation facility; or aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. ~OR~
Education: Half a year of graduate education (usually 9 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Transcripts required. ~OR~
Combination of Experience and Education: An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Experience must be detailed, and transcripts required.
NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
Preferred Experience:
Working with patients in a nursing home setting who have diagnoses such as dementia, physical and cognitive limitations, amputations, mental health diagnoses, mobility limitations and use of assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walkers.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
Work involves regular and recurring physical exertion when walking, standing, sitting, bending, lifting or moving equipment, pushing wheelchairs, positioning/transferring severely disabled patients, and assisting patients in ambulation. The work requires driving vehicles, tying down wheelchairs, propelling wheelchairs, loading/unloading equipment and supplies, etc.
The work involves the regular risks and discomforts associated with clinics, wards, offices, conference rooms, gym, pool, bowling alley, and in the community. The Recreation Assistant is exposed to infectious diseases, odors and/or flammable gases and medical emergencies and must wear protective clothing as needed. Many patients encountered are emotionally disturbed and may demonstrate assaultive/aggressive behaviors secondary to chronic schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unaffected mental disorder, dementias, delirium, adjustment disorders, etc.
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/.
Major duties and responsibilities will include:
Compressed/Flexible: Candidates must work weekends, federal and non-federal holidays, irregular work hours and extended hours as determined by the needs of the service. Furthermore, candidates must be willing to be placed, detailed, or temporarily assigned to other related services and/or locations, as assigned.
Position Description/PD#: Recreation Assistant/PD08469-0
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Bargaining Unit: Yes
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/04/2026.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-06 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-05.
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.
Specialized Experience/Individual Occupational Requirement: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in Federal service that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position. Examples of qualifying specialized experience include: group leader, counselor, or similar work in public and private recreation programs for adults or children such as summer camps, local playgrounds, YWCA and YMCA clubs, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, urban community centers, or resort recreational activities; teacher's aid in elementary school recreation or physical education program; aid or assistant assignments in recreation while on active military service; aid or assistant in the organization and administration of recreation activities, such as preparing activities calendars, maintaining attendance records, and providing information concerning schedules and activities; summer aid in a State or national park, with duties related to the recreational activities of visitors to campsites, trails, picnic areas, nature and raft centers, boating and fishing areas, etc.; aid or assistant in the issuance of authorized property, and in the maintenance/accountability of inventory control for such property in a recreation facility; or aid or assistant in a hotel or resort recreation service, with duties such as setting up areas for games, tournaments, and other organized group recreational activities. This experience must be detailed in your resume to receive credit. ~OR~
Education: Half a year of graduate education (usually 9 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Transcripts required. ~OR~
Combination of Experience and Education: An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. Experience must be detailed, and transcripts required.
NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
Preferred Experience:
Working with patients in a nursing home setting who have diagnoses such as dementia, physical and cognitive limitations, amputations, mental health diagnoses, mobility limitations and use of assistive devices such as wheelchairs and walkers.
Physical Demands and Work Environment:
Work involves regular and recurring physical exertion when walking, standing, sitting, bending, lifting or moving equipment, pushing wheelchairs, positioning/transferring severely disabled patients, and assisting patients in ambulation. The work requires driving vehicles, tying down wheelchairs, propelling wheelchairs, loading/unloading equipment and supplies, etc.
The work involves the regular risks and discomforts associated with clinics, wards, offices, conference rooms, gym, pool, bowling alley, and in the community. The Recreation Assistant is exposed to infectious diseases, odors and/or flammable gases and medical emergencies and must wear protective clothing as needed. Many patients encountered are emotionally disturbed and may demonstrate assaultive/aggressive behaviors secondary to chronic schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, unaffected mental disorder, dementias, delirium, adjustment disorders, etc.
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/.
Responsibilities:
The Recreation Assistant supports Recreation Therapists, Music Therapists and Art Therapists in the Community Living Center by planning, organizing, advising, and administering recreational activities and programs to restore, remediate, and/or rehabilitate functional capabilities for Veterans with injuries, chronic illnesses, and disabling conditions, under the therapist or supervisor's direction.Major duties and responsibilities will include:
- Prepares areas for recreation activities and programs;
- Assists in preparations for community outings away from the facility, which are used to meet therapeutic goals;
- Arranges for equipment or supplies, checking them out to participants, ensuring they are returned, and checking the condition of supplies on their return;
- Takes inventory of authorized recreation supplies and equipment;
- Provides training for proper use of equipment and facilities and ensures compliance of rules of use for the facility;
- Assists with a wide variety of therapeutic recreation treatment, modalities, and procedures that are care planned and recommended by therapist, or by the Recreation & Creative Arts Therapy Supervisor as part of the total plan of care of patients;
- Follows treatment plan to carry out recommended treatment;
- Evaluates the activity to determine if the treatment is causing an adverse effect and recommends changes or modifications of treatment procedures to the therapist or supervisor to determine appropriate modifications;
- Works with participants on an individual basis, in small groups, or large groups depending on treatment goals;
- Uses a variety of modalities such as art, music, hobbies, social recreation, creative communication, games, adapted sports, physical fitness, yoga, tai chi, special events, etc.;
- Documents progress towards the goals in the medical record of the participants;
- Performs related duties as required.
Compressed/Flexible: Candidates must work weekends, federal and non-federal holidays, irregular work hours and extended hours as determined by the needs of the service. Furthermore, candidates must be willing to be placed, detailed, or temporarily assigned to other related services and/or locations, as assigned.
Position Description/PD#: Recreation Assistant/PD08469-0
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Bargaining Unit: Yes
Salary : $48,361