Department: Department of Veterans Affairs
Location(s): Columbus, Georgia
Salary Range: $40332 - $71932 Per Year
Job Summary: The position is in the Occupational Therapy Section of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PMRS) in the Central Alabama Veterans Healthcare Systems (CAVHCS). The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) provides rehabilitative services to people with mental, physical, emotional, or developmental impairments that improve and/or prevents the loss of acute and chronic physical and psychosocial dysfunction and promote wellness.
Major Duties:
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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Education. Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below: Associate's [or higher] degree in occupational therapy from a college or university accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association(AOTA). Completion of a military training program in an OTA program accredited by the ACOTE. Certification. OTAs must have written documentation that they have passed the entry-level certification examination for OTAs administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Licensure. OTAs must hold a full, current, and unrestricted state license to practice occupational therapy in a State, Territory, a Commonwealth of the United States (i.e. Puerto Rico) or in the District of Columbia. English Language Proficiency. OTA candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English [in accordance with 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-05 Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. None. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in an OTA entry level developmental position under direct clinical direction and partnership of an OT. The treating OT is available on a regularly scheduled basis to review the practice of the OTA and support the OTA in the performance of his/her services. OTAs perform preliminary chart review including medical history and looking for contraindications for treatment. They provide functional and purposeful intervention to enhance safety, wellness, performance in activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), education, work, play, leisure and social participation. OTAs recommend treatment changes based on changes in physical, mental, and/or medical status of the patient. They follow guidelines from the AOTA, The Joint Commission (TJC) and current VHA policy and protocols as instructed by supervisor. Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-06 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of evidence-based occupational therapy practice. (b) Knowledge of basic group techniques and interpersonal communication (c) Skill in written communication to document data, progress/change in status, discharge status, and patient or caregiver education. (d) Skill in oral communication to document data, progress/change in status, discharge status, and patient or caregiver education. (e) Ability to assist in the development of treatment goals/objectives. (f) Ability to implement a patient care plan incorporating activity analysis theory. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in an OTA [developmental] position. OTAs receive ongoing guidance from more experienced staff members and require clinical direction by the treating OT. They complete a preliminary review/examination of patient data to select, adapt and implement basic intervention plans for the prevention, remediation and rehabilitation of non-complex diagnoses. Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-07 Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill in promoting occupational therapy services effectively, providing training and interventions within the assigned areas (b) Ability to perform in depth chart review to identify treatment goals and implement treatment plans. (c) Ability to use problem-solving skills when providing therapeutic interventions for patients. (d) Ability to provide multi-step instructions to patients, caregivers and other health care professionals adapting instructions to meet the learning needs of the individual. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve in an OTA [developmental] position. OTAs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and/or treating OT, for patients with comorbidities and/or requiring complicated interventions. They grade and adapt treatment interventions to maximize patient's functional status. OTAs provide education regarding ways to structure activities and areas of occupation for patients to family members, other care professionals and program staff. They interact with patient and family to explain therapy procedures and discuss treatment plans to comply with indicated regimens and post discharge activities. OTAs may provide clinical supervision (Note, this does not constitute supervisory control) to OTA students and other healthcare practitioners. Occupational Therapy Assistant, GS-08 Experience. One year of creditable experience comparable to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (1) Ability to implement delegated assessments. (2) Ability to provide reports of observations and patient performance. (3) Ability to use complex therapeutic techniques and interventions, utilizing problem-solving skills to maximize patient's functional status. (4) Ability to modify therapeutic interventions for simple and complex cases with a wide range of diagnoses and disabilities. (5) Ability to recommend complex adaptive and assistive devices and durable medical equipment. (6) Ability to consult with health care practitioners about the patient's treatment plan and the occupational therapy scope of practice and services. Assignment. Employees at this grade level serve as a full performance level OTA. OTAs at this level receive minimum guidance from the OT and seek guidance for more complex patients and specialized treatment procedures. They contribute to the screening, evaluation and re-evaluation process by administering delegated assessments and reporting observations and patient performance to the OT. OTAs plan, coordinate and administer occupational therapy treatment for prevention, remediation and rehabilitation of diverse diagnoses in all practice areas to both individuals and groups as well as develop and implement new programs. They recommend and modify assistive devices and instruct patients on their care and use to ensure optimal performance. OTAs independently provide patient education on areas of occupation, assistive devices and orthotics based on patient's and families' level of cognition, cultural and/or behavioral variables. OTAs collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to make recommendations for the patient's rehabilitation, reintegration and disposition needs. They develop, participate in and ensure compliance with quality improvement activities through participation in medical center/section committees as delegated. 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-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-08.
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 01/20/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12845358. 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: 2026-01-20