- Position Title
- Chaplain
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBSX-12751668-25-JOT Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Wednesday, June 18, 2025 to Friday, June 27, 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.
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.
2.
Are you a current permanent Federal employee from an agency other than Department of Veterans Affairs?
To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form.
3.
Are you a Veterans Health Administration employee?
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.
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.
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.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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.
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).
If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application.
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in the Homeless Housing Chaplain position with the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System. Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. FAILURE TO RESPOND TO THESE QUESTIONS WILL RESULT IN AN INELIGIBLE RATING. YOUR RESUME MUST SUPPORT THE RESPONSES YOU SELECT.
Grandfathering Provision. All chaplains employed in VHA, in this occupational series, performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all the qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements of this standard, but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply:
(1) Chaplains who do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Chaplains 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 the standard.
(3) Chaplains initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain education and/or certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(4) Chaplains who were retained in this occupation, 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.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
English Language Proficiency.
Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Are you proficient in spoken and written English?
Chaplains must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Are you proficient in spoken and written English?
2.
Education.
Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Do you possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications? (NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO SUPPORT EDUCATION CLAIMS)
Applicants must possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications as evidenced by a graduate-level theological degree from a college, university or theological school accredited by a member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Do you possess a Master of Divinity degree or equivalent educational qualifications? (NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO SUPPORT EDUCATION CLAIMS)
3.
Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
Applicants must have completed four (4) units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Have you completed four (4) units of CPE? (NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO SUPPORT EDUCATION CLAIMS)
Applicants must have completed four (4) units of CPE from a CPE center that is accredited by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Have you completed four (4) units of CPE? (NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO SUPPORT EDUCATION CLAIMS)
4.
Ecclesiastical Endorsement.
In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Do you possess an Ecclesiastical Endorsement? (NOTE: ECCLESIASTICAL ENDORSEMENT MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION PACKAGE).
In accordance with 38 C.F.R. § 17.655, ecclesiastical endorsement is a condition of employment as a VA chaplain. An individual must possess and maintain a full and active ecclesiastical endorsement to be employed as a VA chaplain. Applicants must have an ecclesiastical endorsement, dated within the past 12 months. Ecclesiastical endorsements must be from the official national endorsing authority of the applicant's/employee's faith group or denomination. Ecclesiastical endorsement is a written official statement, by the official national endorsing body of the faith group or denomination, certifying that the applicant is in good standing with the applicant's faith group or denomination; and stating that the individual is, in the opinion of the endorsing body, qualified to perform the full range of ministry required in the VA pluralistic setting. Do you possess an Ecclesiastical Endorsement? (NOTE: ECCLESIASTICAL ENDORSEMENT MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION PACKAGE).
5.
Board Certification.
Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ® or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ® Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Are you a Board Certified Chaplain?
Applicants must be a Board Certified Chaplain certified by the Board of Chaplaincy Certification Inc. (BCCI) ® or nationally recognized certification body that utilizes the BCCI ® Common Qualifications and Competencies for Professional Chaplaincy or a certifying organization that has a reciprocity agreement with BCCI ®. Are you a Board Certified Chaplain?
6.
GS-12 Experience Requirements:
In addition to the basic requirements, do you possess one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level that is directly related to the position being filled AND do you possess a specialty certification in chaplaincy beyond the board certification AND can you demonstrate the following KSAs: (NOTE: EXPERIENCE MUST BE DEMONSTRATED IN RESUME AND SPECIALITY CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLIATION PACKAGE. ASSUMPTIONS MAY NOT BE MADE.)
In addition to the basic requirements, do you possess one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level that is directly related to the position being filled AND do you possess a specialty certification in chaplaincy beyond the board certification AND can you demonstrate the following KSAs: (NOTE: EXPERIENCE MUST BE DEMONSTRATED IN RESUME AND SPECIALITY CERTIFICATION MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLIATION PACKAGE. ASSUMPTIONS MAY NOT BE MADE.)
- Ability to apply relevant theories and methodologies to their ministry specialty.
- Ability to integrate specialized psychological and sociological theory with an advanced approach to spiritual care.
- Skill to seek out primary research and research literature that informs the ministry specialty and one's spiritual care practice.
- Skill in developing and implementing methods for measuring effectiveness of chaplain practice and services in the specialty area, utilizing outcome evaluations to improve treatment services and to design system changes.
- Ability to mediate conflict, hold various emotions and diffuse moral distress among staff and complex crisis situations.
- Ability to provide specialized consultation, teaching and mentoring to colleagues and students on advanced spiritual care interventions in the service delivery area.
- Ability to apply advanced clinical knowledge to write policies, procedures and/or practice guidelines pertaining to the service delivery area.