Clinical Psychologist

About the role

Join the IHS as a Clinical Psychologist and make a lasting impact! You'll provide compassionate, culturally grounded care to American Indian and Alaska Natives, addressing social and emotional needs that affect health. Work with a dedicated team to strengthen wellness, resilience, and community well-being.

Enjoy competitive benefits, professional growth, and a mission-driven career that truly matters. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).

What you will do

• Psychologist Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov) Provide comprehensive and skilled psychological evaluations and treatment services to individuals, couples, groups of individuals, and families receiving services for problems of personality, emotional adjustments, or mental illness of a primary nature or secondary to organic illness.
• Administer, score, interpret psychological tests; and conduct psychological tests for differentiating between organic and functional causes of emotional disturbances and/or behaviors.
• Provide assessment, diagnosis and psychotherapy utilizing a broad range of therapeutic techniques as indicated by the specific needs of the individual, group or family.
• Responsible for completeness, timeliness, diagnostic and therapeutic pertinence and maintenance of clinical psychology professional standard of care for services and reports.
• Provide thorough and concise written documentation of evaluations, treatment and case management services, psychological test summaries, treatment plans, referrals, and correspondence.
• Provide consultative services to relevant providers and team members such as primary care, ER, dental, allied professionals, amongst others to include advice on diagnosis, assessment, treatment, and referrals for patients presenting with behavioral health concerns.
• Requirements: (Continued) This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Delegated Examining Authority.
• Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service.
• Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served, and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same.
• The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements.
• If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.
• IHS Selectees whose duties and responsibilities require them to work permanently, temporarily, or occasionally in an IHS healthcare facility must comply with the IHS Employee Immunization Policy related to vaccine-preventable diseases, consistent with recommendations for healthcare workers.
• Vaccine exemption requests may be available, as outlined in the IHS Employee Immunization Policy and facility guidance.

Requirements

• Selectee may be subject to a probationary period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children.
• Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
• On-call hours or standby duty may be required.
• Position may be subject to rotating shifts: days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit ***
• You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.
• Background Investigation Requirement: This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.
• A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.
• Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance.
• Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.
• Financial Suitability Requirement: This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination.
• Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.
• Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).
• Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification.
• If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package.

Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: ***

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 ***

How you will be evaluated

This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants. There is no "pass/fail" outcome; results are used as part of the overall evaluation process to determine applicant qualifications. However, if you do not take the assessment within the assessment window timeframe you will be found ineligible for this position.

For more information, visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration.

Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: *** Your score determines whether you move forward. Candidates will be assigned to a quality category.

The quality categories are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. The category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category.

Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of professional or scientific positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

The following links below provide information on how you may be eligible for various hiring authorities. If you are a Veteran, qualified CTAP and ICTAP eligible, or an individual with a disability, please refer to the following links below for additional guidance.

CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100.

Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Workforce Restructuring Career Transition website at: *** CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Veterans, i.e. (VEOA, VRA, and 30% or more disabled) - *** Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) - *** Interagency Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) - *** Schedule A Appointments for the Disabled - ***

Documents you must provide

• You are highly encouraged to use USAJOBS Resume Builder to ensure all required information is included in your Resume.
• If you use your own resume, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that includes beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed, annual salary, and description of job duties.
• Include name and address of employer; supervisor name and telephone number.
• Required as applicable for the purposes of specific eligibility and appointment claim(s), and position requirements: Indian Preference Applicants: If claiming Indian preference, applicants must provide a completed copy of the Form BIA-4432, "Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS Only." Indian preference will not be given unless a properly signed and dated form is submitted with your application, including any verification by an authorized Tribal Representative or BIA Official of tribal enrollment records.
• For detailed instructions, see form BIA-4432.
• Refer to BIA-4432 link: Verification of Indian Preference for Employment in the BIA and IHS When an Indian Preference candidate possesses Veterans preference the rules regarding Veterans preference apply under ESEP and the applicant must provide documentation in order to receive preference.
• Veterans Preference: If claiming Veteran's Preference provide a copy of your DD214 Form (Member 4 copy).
• To claim 10-Point Veterans Preference, submit a SF-15 Application (***) along with the appropriate supporting documentation.
• For additional information regarding Veterans Preference visit: ***
• Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): If you are claiming CTAP/ICTAP, follow the instructions below: ***
• Transcripts: You are encouraged to submit copies of transcripts (official or unofficial) although not required at the time of application.
• You must list your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades.
• Official transcripts will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• Licensure, Certifications: Applicants should list their license/certifications on their resume, along with the expiration date, if applicable.
• Certification of licensure/certification will be required after tentative selection and prior to issuing an official job offer.
• You must meet the requirements of the job by 11:59 (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date: 09/30/2026 The first Cut-off date for receipt/referral of applications to be considered for available vacant positions will be 5 days after the JOA open date.
• After that, applications may be reviewed and referred at any time as vacancies occur.
• This is an Open Continuous Announcement.
• Applications will be reviewed and referred as vacancies occur; however, there may not be immediate openings at all locations.
• During the application process, you may select up to five locations and will only be considered for positions in those locations.
• Candidates with complete applications will remain eligible for consideration for up to three months from the date of application or until the announcement closes, whichever occurs first.
• Consideration will be based on your selected locations, qualifications, and job preferences.

What to expect next

Stay Updated with Text Alerts You can choose to receive text message notifications about your application status. To enable this feature: - Log in to your USAJOBS account. - Go to your Account Settings and select Notification Preferences. - Check the option to receive SMS/Text Messages. Text message updates are optional and provided in addition to email notifications.

Standard messaging rates may apply. You can track the progress of your application package via your USAJOBS account. You will receive an acknowledgement from USAJOBS that your submission was successful once we have received your on-line eligibility questionnaire, resume, and any supporting documentation.

You will be notified of the status of your application via your USAJOBS Account after we conduct a qualification review of your complete application package. You will be contacted if further evaluation or interviews are required. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempt to conceal information may disqualify you for employment consideration.

We may verify all information you provide in your resume and questionnaire responses, through reference and/or background check, and/or verification of your education. If you are selected, you will be contacted personally by the human resources office posting this announcement. If all required documentation is not submitted with your application you will lose consideration.

It is the applicant's responsibility to verify that information and documents entered, uploaded, or faxed are received, legible and accurate. HR will not modify answers submitted by an applicant.

Additional information

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.

Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

(***) 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.

IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position may be covered by a Bargaining Unit.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. A service agreement will be required. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines.

This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds.

For additional information please visit: For IHS - *** For NHSC - *** You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?

How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Your responses are optional and will not be scored. However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.

You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).