What are the responsibilities and job description for the Recreation Assistant position at Long Beach VA Medical Center?
This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration (VHA), in the VA Long Beach Healthcare System/Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center in Long Beach California in the Geriatrics and Extended Care Service, Community Living Center (CLC) department. The Recreation Assistant (OA) assist in the implementation of Recreation Therapy programs for residents within the CLC.
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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/recreation-aid-and-assistant-series-0189/
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Position Description/PD#: Recreation Assistant/PD14909A
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/12/2026.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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
- Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Leading and facilitating recreation therapy services for patient/resident groups, implementing recreation therapy program for residents in a living facility who have a variety of illnesses, disease and/or disabling conditions with a varying degrees of impairment. OR,
- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in courses related to recreation or physical education.. OR,
- Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education.
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0100/recreation-aid-and-assistant-series-0189/
https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.
Responsibilities:
- Assist the Recreation Therapist (RT) in carrying out a full range of treatment modalities.
- Take patient through the step-by-step process of activities.
- Works with residents who have a variety of illnesses, diseases, and/or disabling conditions.
- Complete daily encounter notes indicating patient participation and response to treatment.
- Implement specific activities and routines to maintain or improve patient's general state of physical and/or mental health based on the recreation therapy assessment completed by the RT.
- Independently oversee activity programs for patients with various types of disabilities which include Mental Health Diagnoses, dementia, neuro-muscular disorders, orthopedic conditions, AIDS, amputation, paralysis, spinal cord injury, head injury, respiratory disorders, chronic cardiovascular disease and patients with multiple diagnoses.
- Accompany residents to recreational, social activities, and other planned activities in the community or appointments.
- Serve as a front-line contact with residents and staff.
- Screen/receive phone calls
- Perform administrative, clinical, clerical duties, customer service, and other duties as assigned.
- Provide answers to customer service inquires regarding prosthetics orders and schedules.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm
Position Description/PD#: Recreation Assistant/PD14909A
Salary : $47,490