Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Physical Therapy Assistant
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSS-12740843-25-TF Opens in new window
Open Period
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 to Tuesday, June 24, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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2. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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Preferences
1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
  • Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages or encrypted, and digitally signed documents linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
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By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001). (limit characters)
Assessment 1
The following are requirements for appointment as a Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA), GS-0636 in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). These requirements apply to all VHA PTAs in the General Schedule (GS)-0636 series. (limit characters)
To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
1. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
Are you a U.S. Citizen ?
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2. English Language Proficiency. PTA candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Are you proficient in spoken and written English?
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3. Education. Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below:(1) Associate degree from an accredited community college, junior college, college or university in a physical therapy assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education; OR
(2) Graduate of foreign physical therapy assistant degree programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for PTAs. OR
(3) Graduate of military physical therapy assistant programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the NPTE for PTAs.

Do you meet the education requirements ?
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4. Licensure. Current, full, active and unrestricted license as a PTA in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. (1) Exceptions for Non-Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant. (a) Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the minimum qualification requirements, but who do not possess state licensure, may be appointed, pending licensure, as a graduate PTA on a full-time temporary appointment under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7401(a)(1)(B) and not to exceed two years in accordance with the timeframe in 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). (b) Non-licensed individuals shall only provide care under the direct supervision of a licensed PTA or PT who meets all state regulatory requirements. (c) Non-licensed individuals may only be appointed at the entry level and may not be promoted/converted until licensure is obtained. (d) Temporary appointments of non-licensed PTAs may not be extended beyond two years or converted to a new temporary appointment. (e) Failure to Obtain Licensure. In all cases, non-licensed PTAs must actively pursue meeting requirements for licensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the non-licensed PTA with the written requirements for licensure, including the time by which the license must be obtained and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to obtain licensure during this time period may result in termination of employment.] (2) Loss of Credential. A PTA who fails to maintain the required licensure must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment.

Do you have licensure as listed above?
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GRADE DETERMINATION. In addition to the basic requirements the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
5. Physical Therapy Assistant, GS-05 (1) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

Do you meet the requirements listed above ?
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6. In addition to meeting the basic requirements do you meet all of the following for the Physical Therapy Assistant, GS-6
(1) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade.
(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities(KSAs) . In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  •  Knowledge of evidence based physical therapy practice.
  •  Ability to perform physical therapy data collection and use of objective measures in order to carry out patient plan of care.
Do you meet the requirements listed above?
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7. In addition to meeting the basic requirements do you meet all of the following  for the Physical Therapy Assistant, GS-7:Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  •  Ability to perform in depth chart review to implement treatment plans.
  •  Ability to independently use objective measures to assess progress, in accordance with the plan of care for complex patient cases.
  •  Knowledge of contemporary physical therapy practice.
  • Ability to consult with the PT to assess progress, modify treatment and set discharge plan.
Do you meet the requirements listed above?
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8. In addition to meeting the basic requirements do you meet all of the following for the Physical Therapy Assistant, GS-8:
Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade. 
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities(KSAs). In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs
  • Ability to independently implement treatment plan using knowledge of techniques related to the patient's disability and needs.
  • Ability to independently provide varied and multifaceted physical therapy interventions based on the established care plan (e.g., therapeutic exercise, balance, body mechanics, flexibility, strength, gait training, neuromotor development, physical agents, functional training, etc.).
  • Knowledge of physical therapy data collection and assessment techniques in order to perform specific interventions and to monitor and capture progress of the patient/client.
  • Ability to instruct patient on varied interventions to provide materials to enhance compliance with home programs.
  • Ability to modify treatment techniques based on the learning needs and perceptions of the patient.
  • Ability to identify critical changes (e.g. vital signs, pain, mobility and alertness) in patient conditions to determine their medical and functional status.
  • Ability to work with PTs and other interdisciplinary healthcare team members to evaluate patient information for planning, modifying and coordinating treatment programs and discharge planning.
Do you meet the requirements listed above?
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Grandfathering Provision. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that apply to this occupation.] All individuals employed in VHA in this occupational series [or in another occupational series performing the duties as described in the qualification standard] on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the [ ] grade held, including positive education and licensure/trademark/registration/certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) [ ] Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) [Employees in an occupation requiring a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher-grade levels.] (3) [ ] Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard. (4) Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (5) [ ] Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (limit characters)
RESUME REMINDER- Your resume must include the following information each job listed: Job title; Duties (be as detailed as possible); Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008); Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week); Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held. Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. (limit characters)
9. VERIFICATION STATEMENT: Your rating is subject to verification based on the resume, narratives and other relevant documents you submit, and through verification of references as appropriate. Deliberate attempts to falsify information are grounds for non-selection and for termination. In addition, falsifying information on your application can result in your being barred from federal employment. Please choose A to certify that your answers are accurate and complete. (limit characters)