Occupational Therapist (Floater)

Occupational Therapist (Floater)

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): East Orange, New Jersey

Salary Range: $114695 - $149106 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is in the Occupational Therapy (Floater) Section of PM&RS within the VA New Jersey Health Care System. The incumbent provides coverage at multiple campuses, including East Orange and Lyons. The Occupational Therapist delivers rehabilitative services to address physical and psychosocial dysfunction, promotes wellness, and requires 25% travel.

Major Duties:

• The Occupational Therapist (Floater) provides coverage across multiple campuses, including East Orange and Lyons. With preferred experience and coverage in acute inpatient, outpatient with upper extremity orthopedic and neurological experience, and subacute rehab, as well as telehealth. The Occupational Therapist provides rehabilitative services to people with physical impairments and psychosocial challenges that improves and/or prevents the loss of acute and chronic physical and psychosocial dysfunction and promotes wellness. The Occupational Therapist is responsible for performing occupational therapy assessments and treatment interventions, demonstrates a full professional understanding of the theories of treatment in occupational therapy and their proper application using activity analysis, behavioral interventions, frames of reference, and therapeutic procedures. Incumbent is responsible for administering and delivering professional and independent occupational therapy services in the assigned area as prescribed or requested by the physician or other approved referring clinician. At this grade, the incumbent performs at the full performance level. The duties and responsibilities of this position may be carried out in all program areas throughout the VA New Jersey Health Care System including various clinical, administrative, and patient care areas associated with PM&RS at all campuses, as assigned by the Supervisory Occupational Therapist or their designees and dictated by workload requirements, and in the community as indicated. Some duties include, but are not limited to: Clinical Provides comprehensive assessment of functional and occupational roles, including underlying physical deficits and psychosocial challenges, using standardized and non-standardized evaluation tools across a broad range of diagnoses. Selects and provides direct occupational therapy interventions and procedures with varying degrees of complexity, and a wide scope of diagnoses, to enhance safety, wellness, and performance in ADL, instrumental IADL, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation. Using standardized and non-­standardized evaluation tools, provides comprehensive assessment of occupational roles, environmental, functional, and safety needs in the home environment to ensure accessibility into, out of, and within the home setting through virtual modalities and home visits, as appropriate, and orders necessary and appropriate durable medical equipment, stair glides, chair lifts, ramps, HISA grants, etc. Demonstrates knowledge and skill to measure, prescribe, and educate Veterans on the use of wheelchairs, scooters, HISA grants, ramps, hospital beds, lifts, durable medical equipment (DME), assistive devices (AD), etc. Educates and trains Veterans and caregivers in fall prevention, home programs, transfer techniques, safe use of DME/AD, and in efficient care for the patient in language that is clear and understandable to those involved. Procures, fabricates, adjusts, adapts, and modifies orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment). Uses physical agent modalities for which competency has been established by the Supervisory Occupational Therapist and/or certification has been obtained per the State of New Jersey Occupational Therapy Advisory Council Statutes. Performs other related duties as assigned including, but not limited to, Maintaining a safe work environment to include non-technical maintenance of equipment, safety checks, cleaning, stocking, etc. Developing safe work habits to prevent injury to patients, co-workers, and self. Monitoring physical agent modality temperatures. Administration Adheres to established standards, policies, and procedures set forth by the Section, Service, Facility, VISN and VHA. Participates in quality assurance review including chart reviews, peer reviews, patient care monitoring, and patient satisfaction surveys as directed by the Supervisory Occupational Therapist. Maintains personal productivity and assists the section in maintaining/increasing effectiveness and efficiency in meeting its objectives. Attends departmental meetings, multidisciplinary staff meetings, other meetings effecting patient care, and committee meetings as assigned. Conducts OT related in-service and clinical training. Individuals may perform ancillary assignments, including program management duties on an occasional basis, where the complexity and amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time). Performs other functions as required and/or assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 49439-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education/Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below: (a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist. NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005, decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR (b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field. NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005, decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy. OR (c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy. Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign occupational therapy programs meet the requirements education if they have a current, full, active and unrestricted license. Certification: Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT. State Licensure: Candidates must possess a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory, or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. English Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Occupational Therapist, GS-12: Education, Experience, and Licensure: Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the [experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits. (b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders. (c) Ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments, treatment plans, activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients. (d) Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment). (e) Ability to conduct OT related in-service and clinical training. Preferred Experience: Acute care inpatient experience, Outpatient with orthopedic experience, subacute rehab and telehealth home evaluations. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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: Work requires prolonged standing, bending, walking, lifting, carrying, occasional kneeling, crouching and pushing. Work requires physical effort and ability to perform repetitive motions with arms. This position requires good balance to prevent falling when assisting patients with an activity.

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/24/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12942603. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2026-04-24