Health Technician; Massage Therapy-Advanced

Overview

The position is located in the Tomah VAMC Whole Health Department and is supervised by the Whole Health Clinical Director. The massage therapist is self‑directed, managing patient care and professional responsibilities independently.

• Provide advanced‑complex massage therapy services for diverse patient populations in multiple clinical environments with limited supervision.
• Apply a variety of evidence‑informed medical massage and bodywork techniques consistent with professional education.
• Provide patient and family education on self‑care techniques relevant to medical massage therapy.
• Mentor other staff in best practices and assist with the clinical supervision of massage therapy students under routine academic oversight.
• Document all patient encounters in the VA electronic health record in accordance with established policies, including timely coding and required treatment consent.
• Maintain compliance with mandatory VHA, facility, and professional training requirements and participate in required meetings.
• Participate in quality improvement and research activities related to massage therapy.
• Review referrals to determine appropriateness and redirect Veterans to other services as needed.
• Work schedule:
  
  Monday‑Friday, 7:30 am‑4:00 pm or 8:00 am‑4:30 pm.

• United States Citizenship
  :
  Non‑citizens may only be appointed when no qualified citizens can be recruited in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency
  :
  Proficient in written and spoken English as required for direct patient‑care capacity.
• Education:
  
  Minimum 500‑hour massage therapy education program.
• Licensure/Registration/Certification:
  • Must be currently licensed, registered, or certified to practice as a massage therapist in a U.S. state, territory, or the District of Columbia.
  • Acceptable credentials include successful completion of the required 500‑hour program and passing the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination or an equivalent state‑issued examination.
  • Alternatively, must possess and maintain board certification from the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).
• Grade Determinations: GS‑8 – Advanced Clinical Level Experience with one year of progressive experience equivalent to the GS‑7 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge‑Skills‑Abilities:
  • Skill in providing advanced massage techniques using appropriate tools, supplies, and equipment.
  • Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology relevant to massage therapy within specialty populations.
  • Ability to modify massage therapy techniques based on an understanding of specialty populations and various clinical/environmental settings.
  • Knowledge of teaching methods and learning principles.
  • Ability to conduct research and quality improvement activities related to massage therapy.
  • Knowledge of complementary integrative health and holistic health principles.
• Preferred Experience:
  
  Basic clinical decision‑making skills and the ability to provide targeted medical massage tailored to individual patient needs.
• Physical Requirements:
  
  As outlined in VA Directive and Handbook 5019, paragraph 2.
• Actual grade at which an applicant may be selected: GS‑08.

• Recruitment Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus):
  Not Authorized.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS):
  Not Authorized.
• Competitive salary with potential for higher step rate for superior qualifications.
• Paid Time Off: 37‑50 days of annual paid time off per year (13‑26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays). Eligible applicants may receive credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience.
• Parental Leave:
  Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
• Child Care Subsidy:
  Eligible after 60 days of employment; up to 25% of eligible childcare costs for eligible children, up to a monthly maximum of $416.66, for full‑time employees with a total family income below $144,000.
• Retirement:
  Traditional federal pension (5‑year vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% contributions by VA Insurance.
• Health, vision, dental, term life, and long‑term care insurance programs (many federal insurance programs transferable into retirement).
• Telework:
  Not Available.
• Virtual:
  Not Available.