Counseling Psychologist

What you would do

• Provide individual, couple, marital, and family counseling using evidence-based methods.
• Develop individualized treatment plans and choose therapy methods or referrals.
• Train and advise behavioral health, primary care, and specialty staff on family topics.
• Help plan programs by reviewing community needs and supporting outreach efforts.
• Assess patients through interviews, observations, and standardized tools.
• Track progress and adjust treatment to improve results.

Do you qualify for GS-12?

With experience: You need one year of specialized experience at the GS-11 level. This means evaluating patients, providing individual or group clinical counseling, and developing treatment plans or recommendations. Experience must be paid or unpaid, including volunteer work.

With education: You need two full years of graduate study directly related to counseling psychology, or a master's degree directly related to counseling psychology. Education cannot replace experience for this job.

Licenses and certifications you need:

• Highly preferred, not required: current, active, full, unrestricted license as a Psychologist from a state, D.C., or a U.S. territory

How to apply well

What to send:

• Resume, two pages or less, showing employer, job title, start and end month and year, hours per week, and duties
• Copy of your transcript, required; without it you will be rated ineligible
• Responses to the online questionnaire
• Proof of U.S. citizenship
• Most recent performance appraisal, if applicable
• Credential evaluation if you use education completed in a foreign school
• Cover letter, optional

How you will be rated: Your application package, including your resume, supporting documents, and questionnaire answers, will be checked against the qualification requirements. Missing or incorrect information can make you ineligible, and inflated qualifications can cause you to lose consideration.

Tips for this job:

• Make sure your resume is two pages or less and lists hours per week for each job.
• Upload a transcript with your application, or you will be rated ineligible.
• Use plain language on your resume and avoid acronyms, because the agency will not assume what you did.

Good to know before you apply

Schedule: Multiple schedules. The job may require on-call work during irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Incentives and relocation: Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. Salary negotiation may be available for candidates new to federal service.

Conditions of employment:

• Background investigation; appointment may depend on a suitability or fitness decision
• Personnel Security Investigation may be required
• Periodic re-verification may apply because the job may involve children and youth under 18
• Consent to seasonal flu vaccination or a recognized exemption
• Pre-placement medical exam may be required
• Immunization screening; Hepatitis B immunization required for direct patient contact positions
• May need current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Red Cross
• On-call work during irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays
• Moderate to heavy lifting up to 20 pounds may be required
• Tuberculosis testing may be required
• Selective Service registration for men born after December 31, 1959
• Direct deposit of pay is required
• One-year probationary period may be required
• May be designated Mission Essential or Inclement Weather Essential
• May need to wear a uniform or protective clothing

Job details

Salary

$89,508 – $116,362 per year

Pay scale and grade

GS-12 · General Schedule

Location

Fort Hood, Texas

Appointment

Multiple

Work schedule

Multiple Schedules

Service

Competitive

Openings

MANY

Security clearance

Not Required

Travel

Occasional travel

Drug test

Not required

Supervisory

No

Occupation

Psychology (0180)

Announcement

HSJW-27-13102517-DHA-S