United States Citizens Excepted Service Permanent Full Time
**Vacancy Identification Number (VIN)1277395**
**OUR MISSION:**To fulfill President Lincoln's promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.
**GRADE AND STEP WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS BOARD.**
To fulfill President Lincoln's promise – "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" – by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate care to Veterans?
Grand Junction is an outdoor person's paradise. The area's wonderlands make activities such as camping, hiking, fishing and hunting easily accessible. Powderhorn Ski Resort is 40 miles from Grand Junction. For more information about the Grand Junction VA Medical Center and the surrounding area, you may go to www.grandjunction.va.gov.
As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities at your fingertips. Not only is it the largest, most technologically advanced integrated health care system in the nation, but we also provide many other services to Veterans through the Benefits Administration and National Cemeteries.
**Special Employment Consideration:** Individuals eligible for the following appointments are encouraged to apply: 5 CFR 213.3102 "u", Schedule A, _Appointment of persons with disabilities_ ; mental retardation, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities; and Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.**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.**
Must pass pre-employment examination. Designated and/or Random Drug Testing required. Background and/or Security Investigation required. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
The position is working in Surgical Service. The Physician Assistant (PA) assists in the management of patients of all surgical specialties offered to patients at the VAMC. The PA will be supervised by the patient's attending or covered privileged and credentialed physician. Duties include the following list of functions:
* Performs history and physicals
* Provides ongoing outpatient care for assigned patients
* Screens patients
* Writes routine prescriptions
* Provide patient and family education and counseling
* Order laboratory, radiology, and other diagnostic tests
* Draws blood specimens
* Administers topical and local anesthesia
* Inserts and removes intravenous lines and administers IV fluids/medications
* KOH preparation and microscopic evaluations
* Skin punch biopsy
* Sutures/closes simple lacerations
* Orthopedic, Urology and ENT tasks
* Non-emergent and emergency duties
**BASIC REQUIREMENTS:**
* U.S. citizenship.
* A bachelor's degree from a certified PA program and a bachelors degree in a health care occupation.
* Must be certified by NCCPA
**GRADE DETERMINATIONS: Grade and step will be determined by the Professional Standards Board.**
**IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.**
**References : Input applicable reference and links. For example: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G8, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT**QUALIFICATION STANDARD, (**or you may use the following generic citation) VA Handbook 5005 at**http://www.va.gov/ohrm/joblistings/VAQualStds.doc.
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.
**APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE:** Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. *** 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. ***
**Veterans' Preference:**
When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference on their application or résumé. Applicants claiming preference based on service-connected disability, or based on being the spouse or mother of a disabled or deceased Veteran, must complete an SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference. Veterans who are still in the service may be granted tentative preference on the basis of information contained in their applications, but they must produce a DD Form 214 or other proof prior to appointment to document entitlement to preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visithttp://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx.
Your application, résumé and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
You may also be evaluated based upon the question responses you provide during a structured interview. In responding to structured interview questions you should be sure to cite specific examples of experience, explain exactly what you did, and the outcome.
Applicants are encouraged to apply on line.
To begin the process, click the **Apply Online** button at the right side of this screen to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the **Submit My Answers** button at the end of the process.
**YOU MUST INCLUDE VA FORM 10-2850c IN YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VACANCY.** You may upload the completed form to your USAJOBS or Application Manager account if you apply online. Then you can use the uploaded form again and again when applying for future vacancies. Please see this guide (http://www4.va.gov/OHRM/joblistings/uploading-and-using-documents-online.doc) for more information on uploading and re-using the form in your applications. Other required forms and documents can also be saved in your account and used the same way. Applicants are urged to apply online; this process is much easier and faster.
**Note:** To return to a previously Saved or Incomplete application, just reapply through your account in USAJOBS. Check your account ( https://my.usajobs.gov/Login.aspx ) to see the status of your application after applying, including any messages that may have been sent to you.
If you cannot apply online:
1. Click the following link to view and print the occupational questionnaire: View Occupational Questionnaire
2. Print this 1203FX form to provide your response to the occupational questionnaire: http://www.opm.gov./forms/pdf_fill/OPM1203fx.pdf.
3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with all supporting documents to (478)757-3144. Your 1203FX form must be placed on top of all materials being faxed and will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.
4. Keep a copy of your fax receipt in case verification is needed.
To fax supporting documents you are unable to upload:
1. Complete this cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf using the following Vacancy ID: 1277395 You must use this fax cover sheet in order for your documents to be matched with your online application.
2. Fax your documents to (478)757-3144.
The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Monday, December 29, 2014
All applicants are _**required**_ to submit the following supporting document type(s):
* Resume
Applicants may also submit the following supporting document type(s),which may not be required for all applicants:
* Cover Letter
* DD-214
* OF-306
* Other
* Other Veterans Document
* SF-15
* SF-50
* Transcript
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
1. **CV or Resume.**
2. **VA Form 10-2850c - Application******for Associated Health Occupations (Available at http://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-2850c-fill.pdf) **(required).**
3. **Occupational Questionnaire**
4. **Optional Form 306 -**Declaration for Federal Employment (Available at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/of0306.pdf). This is a **required** form and must be submitted with your application.
5. **If** prior military service, include all copies of your DD Forms 214 **(required).**Applicants claiming preference based on service-connected disability, or based on being the spouse or mother of a disabled or deceased Veteran, must also complete and submit an SF 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference (available at http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf).
6. **If**currently employed in the VA system, include latest SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action.** (required).**
After we receive your complete application package (including all required documents), your qualifications will be reviewed and assigned an initial rating.
We will also review your application to make sure that your résumé supports the answers given in the questionnaire. If your résumé does not support your questionnaire answers, we will adjust your rating accordingly. Based on your ranking or numerical score, you may be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. You will be notified when your rating is determined.
Working for the Department of Veterans Affairs offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, life insurance, health benefits, thrift savings plan, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. In addition to traditional "dollars and cents" benefits, we offer a range of benefits to help balance work and life. For more information please visit us athttp://www4.va.gov/JOBS/Job_Benefits/benefits.asp .
**Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave:** Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.