Physical Therapy Assistant

Summary

Position is located in the Physical Therapy Department of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) in the Ann Arbor VA Heath System. The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)-Pelvic Health Specialist provides treatment that promotes the prevention, remediation, and rehabilitation of acute and chronic physical and psychosocial dysfunction.

Learn more about this agency

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies, Veterans, and all US Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Duties

Major duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

• Provide treatment that promotes the prevention, remediation, and rehabilitation of acute and chronic physical and psychosocial dysfunction.
• Administer and monitor therapeutic interventions based on goals formulated by a Physical Therapist.
• Designated as the Pelvic Health Specialist PTA position for the department, consisting of maintaining advanced APTA course completion and education related to Pelvic Health treatment techniques.
• Participate in specialty treatment groups for the Pelvic Health diagnoses as assigned
• Liaison to Womens' Health and Urology Departments in the AAVA Healthcare facility.
• Provide administrative support to the Pelvic Health Physical Therapist to ensure appropriate scheduling and coverage of all patient appointments and therapy group offerings.
• Receive and interpret requests or instructions for procedures from the Physical Therapist.
• Plan and implement basic treatment programs and applies physical therapy procedures to patients under the supervision of a physical therapist.
• Consult with the licensed Physical Therapist regarding complex or special problem cases.
• Independently develop therapeutic exercise regimen for physical therapy patients based on the assigning physical therapists evaluation and goals.
• Modify treatment based on patient response.
• Complete review of patient data (including medical history).
• Assist in and render a course of treatment based on the assessed needs of the patient, developing progressive types of physical therapy treatment programs.
• Assist therapist in development of a comprehensive specialized treatment plan that includes long and short-term goals.
• Persuade and motivate veterans and family members to participate in treatment plans and comply with indicated regimens and postdischarge activities.
• Interact with the patient and family regarding goals for treatment.
• Utilize the full range of modalities including, but not limited to, heat, cold, sound, electricity, and massage.
• Administer complex therapeutic exercises.
• Fits, adjusts and instructs patients in use of orthoses, prostheses, wheel chairs, and other mobility devices.
• Instruct, motivate and assist patients to learn and improve functional activities.
• Prepare and maintain appropriate equipment and supplies required for these treatments.

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 07:30am - 4:00pm

Telework : Ad-Hoc

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 94405A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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 :

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education. Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below:
  • 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
  • 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
  • Graduate of military physical therapy assistant programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the NPTE for PTAs.
• 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.

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 : Physical Therapy Assistant, GS-9



Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-08). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate one of the following:

• A minimum of 2000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area, and completion of 60 contact hours of selected continuing education coursework. This time must be within the past five years;

or

• Advanced Practice Proficiency (APP) in the specialty area recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA);

or

• An additional academic degree related to the health care mission.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to mentor other staff in advanced clinical guidelines and best practices.

• Ability to serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for healthcare providers in specialty practice areas regarding physical therapy care.

• Ability to present] advanced knowledge in the therapeutic interventions and clinical practice guidelines with the healthcare team.

• Ability to interpret and apply clinical practice guidelines

Preferred Experience: Pelvic and Women's Health expertise



Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit


The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS-09 grade.



Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Some walking, standing, bending and carrying of light objects such as paper, books, etc., may be required. Computer work that requires long periods of continued data entry may cause eye strain or muscle strain from long periods of sitting. There may be occasional instances when the duties require pushing a patient in a wheelchair; there is no heavy lifting of patients nor transferring of patients

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.


During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.


This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.


This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.


VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.


If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.


Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.


Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.


The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.


It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.



Veterans and Transitioning Service Members : Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.


Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Resume/CV (If over 2 pages long)
• Other (2)
• Other (3)
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.


Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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 05/11/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click

• 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.

Agency contact information

Miguel Aguilar

Phone

(559) 241-6665

Email

[email protected]

Address

Ann Arbor VA Medical Center
2215 Fuller Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.


You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.



NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

Overview

Accepting applications

Open & closing dates

05/04/2026 to 05/11/2026

Salary

$68,081 - $88,510 per year

Pay scale & grade

GS 9

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

Ann Arbor, MI

1 vacancy

Remote job

No

Telework eligible

Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Travel Required

Not required

Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

Appointment type

Permanent

Work schedule

Full-time

Service

Excepted

Promotion potential

None

Job family (Series)

• 0636 Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant

Supervisory status

No

Security clearance

Not Required

Drug test

No

Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure

No

Bargaining unit status

Yes

Announcement number

CBSR-12946912-26-MAA

Control number

867699600