Us Va Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Jobs 2027

US VA Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Jobs 2027 Are Open

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is recruiting Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists for its Veteran Readiness and Employment programme, known as VR and E. This is a full time, permanent federal role at grades GS-09 and GS-11, and it is open to all United States citizens. If you have a background in vocational rehabilitation, counselling, disability services or employment support, this is a strong opening to apply for.

The announcement is a standing register, which means the VA will draw from the applicant pool to fill vacancies as they arise. The first cut-off for applications is Monday, 23 November 2026, with a second cut-off on 14 December 2026. The announcement closes on Monday, 4 January 2027. Apply before the first cut-off to be considered in the earliest round of referrals.

What a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Does

The Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist works inside the Veteran Readiness and Employment programme, coordinating rehabilitation and employment services for veterans and service members. The role sits at the centre of the service, acting as the link between the veteran, the service providers and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Day to day duties include:

• Providing case management services, including coordination of rehabilitation services, employment services, documentation of progress and adjustment, and maintenance of case records in line with VA regulations
• Coordinating rehabilitation services such as financial decisions, adjustments to rehabilitation plans and employment services
• Providing comprehensive employment and post-employment services, including assessing employability and helping to develop an employment assistance plan
• Training and supervising contract service providers so the services they deliver meet accepted professional standards
• Researching resources and funding available in the community for the veterans served
• Supervising and coordinating rehabilitation services for veterans and service members in the various VA programmes

Who Can Apply

This vacancy is open to all United States citizens. Applicants must be United States citizens to apply, and males born after 31 December 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service. Selected applicants will be subject to a background and security investigation, and may be required to serve a probationary period of 1 or 2 years.

The role is full time, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Situational telework may be approved on a case by case basis, but routine or recurring telework is not authorised, and this is not a virtual position. The selectee must report to the official duty station each scheduled workday.

Qualifications You Need

Applicants must meet both the Individual Occupational Requirement and the specialised experience or education requirement for the grade they apply for, by the cut-off or closing date.

Individual Occupational Requirement

• Undergraduate or graduate education with a major in vocational rehabilitation, vocational or educational counselling, or another field related to the position
• Or specialised experience in work such as obtaining and applying occupational information for people with disabilities, vocational guidance or teaching in a recognised vocational rehabilitation programme, or employment placement work with people who have disabilities or social adjustment problems

To qualify at GS-09

• One year of specialised experience equivalent to at least GS-07 in the federal service or private sector, covering rehabilitation, counselling, disability, therapy, health, employment, wellness or human development theory and principles, plus experience in the career development process and theory
• Or a master's or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.B. or J.D. if related
• Or a combination of specialised experience and graduate level education beyond 1 full year

To qualify at GS-11

• One year of specialised experience equivalent to at least GS-09, including rehabilitation counselling skills, techniques and resources for working with people with multiple disabilities, homebound individuals, and people with acute or chronic mental disabilities
• Or a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, or an LL.M. if related
• Or a combination of specialised experience and graduate level education beyond 2 full years

Paid and unpaid experience counts, including volunteer work through National Service programmes such as the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps. Transcripts must be submitted with the application if you are basing any part of your qualification on education, and foreign education must be accompanied by a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency.

How You Will Be Assessed

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are rated on USA Hire competencies such as attention to detail, customer service, decision making, flexibility, integrity and honesty, interpersonal skills, learning, reading comprehension, reasoning, self-management, stress tolerance and teamwork. Those referred for consideration may also be asked to respond to knowledge, skills and abilities questions, complete a work sample, or attend an interview.

Referral listings are created every 3 weeks. Eligible applicants remain in consideration for up to six months after the announcement closes, or until they withdraw, and may be considered for additional vacancies as new certificates are issued. Veterans preference applies, and preference eligible candidates with a compensable service connected disability of at least 10 percent who meet the minimum qualifications are placed automatically in the best qualified category.

Promotion and Benefits

The grade progression for this position is GS-09 to GS-11. The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition once all regulatory, qualification and performance requirements are met, although selection at a lower grade does not guarantee promotion. Relocation and recruitment incentives are not authorised for this role, and a financial disclosure report is not required.

Salary and Deadline

The salary for this vacancy is not stated in the official USAJOBS listing, so no salary figure is given here. The first cut-off date is Monday, 23 November 2026, the second cut-off is 14 December 2026, and the announcement closes on Monday, 4 January 2027. Apply before the first cut-off for the earliest consideration.

How to Apply for the VA Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist Jobs

1. Visit the official USAJOBS listing at https://www.usajobs.gov/job/890798700
2. Read the full announcement carefully, including the qualifications and required documents
3. Prepare a clear and specific resume that describes your experience in full, as the VA will not make assumptions about your experience
4. Attach your transcripts if you are using education to qualify, plus a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency if your education was obtained outside the United States
5. Submit your complete application package through USAJOBS before the cut-off date

Errors or omissions in your application can affect your rating, so check every document before you submit. Apply only through the official USAJOBS listing. The VA does not charge any fee to apply for a federal job, and you should be wary of anyone who asks you to pay for help with a federal application.

If you meet the requirements, do not wait until the last day. Prepare your documents now and submit your application through https://www.usajobs.gov/job/890798700 before the first cut-off on 23 November 2026.