Substance Abuse Counselor

USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock [Lock] or https means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official secure websites.

MENU

Sign in My jobs Profile Resumes & documents Search preferences Notifications Sign out

My jobs Profile Resumes & documents Notifications Search preferences Sign out

Events Help Center Search

Back to results

Apply

Substance Abuse Counselor Department of Defense Military Treatment Facilities under DHA

Apply | Print | Share | Save

Summary

About the Position This position is located at Naval Medical Center, Department of Behavioral Health, San Diego, California.

• This position requires Drug and Alcohol Counselor Certification (ADC I) or equivalent certification within six (6) months of entry on duty.

Overview

Open & closing dates 03/21/2026 to 04/30/2026

Salary $57,641 to $91,664 per year

Pay scale & grade GS 7 - 9

Location Many vacancies in the following location: Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA

Remote job No

Telework eligible No

Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed No

Appointment type Permanent

Work schedule Full-time

Service Competitive

Promotion potential 9

Job family Series 0101 Social Science

Supervisory status No

Security clearance Secret

Drug test Yes

Position sensitivity and risk Noncritical-Sensitive NCS

Moderate Risk

Trust determination process Credentialing

Suitability Fitness

Financial disclosure No

Bargaining unit status No

Announcement number HSJG-26-12916050-MP

Control number 861752300

This job is open to

• Federal employees - Competitive service
• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
• Land and base management
• Veterans
• Military spouses
• National Guard and reserves

Clarification from the agency See Who May Apply in the Qualification section for more information on who is eligible to apply for this position.

Duties

• Monitor patient progress and adjust treatment plans/counseling strategies when indicated.
• Conduct bio-psychosocial assessment according to a specified guideline through clinical interviews and integration of patient historical data, other treatment team assessments, and pertinent data.
• Participate as a member of the Inter-disciplinary Treatment Team.
• Attend all required clinical supervision sessions.
• Maintain accurate patient documentation in compliance with facility accreditation standards.
• Maintain the skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patient served within the designated work area.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position may require the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment.
• Appointment to this position may be subject to a one-year probationary period unless the appointee has previously met the requirements as described in 5 CFR Part 315.
• This position may be subject to a pre-employment screening and random testing thereafter to include testing based on reasonable suspicion and testing due to direct involvement with an on-duty accident.
• This position may be subject to screening and update of required immunizations.
• This position may require the completion of a pre-employment Physical Examination and an annual examination thereafter to ensure the continued required level of physical health and ability or fitness to perform the duties of the position.
• This position may be designated Mission Essential. In the event of severe weather conditions or other such emergency type situations, the incumbent is required to report to work or remain at work as scheduled to support mission operations.
• This position may require that you obtain and maintain a Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• This position may require the incumbent to work on any day or shift, including PMs, nights, weekends, holidays, or on an on-call basis necessary to meet mission requirements.

Qualifications

Who May Apply Only applicants who meet one of the employment authority categories below are eligible to apply for this job. You will be asked to identify which category or categories you meet and to provide documents which prove you meet the category or categories you selected.

• Current Civilian Employees of the Defense Health Agency (DHA)
• Current Permanent Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian Employee
• Domestic Defense Industrial Base
• Major Range and Test Facilities Base Civilian Personnel Workforce
• Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan
• Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act
• Military Spouses under Executive Order E.O. 13473
• Non-Appropriated Fund Instrumentality (NAFI)
• Non-Department of Defense (DoD) Transfer
• Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Interchange Agreement Eligible
• Priority Placement Program (DoD Military Reserve (MR) and National Guard (NG) Technician Eligible)
• Priority Placement Program (DoD Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible)
• Priority Placement Program (DoD MR and NG Preference Eligible Tech Receiving Disability Retirement)
• Priority Placement Program (DoD Retained Grade Preference Eligible)
• Reinstatement
• Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) of 1998

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. 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, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Specialized Experience for GS-07 One year of specialized experience which includes assisting with creating bio-psychosocial assessments, reviewing and summarizing technical information, and preparing written documentation to support findings. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade level position in the federal service (GS-05).

OR Education One full year of graduate level education in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as behavioral or social science or related disciplines appropriate to the position, such as psychology or counseling.

OR Superior Academic Achievement. In order to be creditable under this provision, Superior Academic Achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled, such as that identified in Education above. Superior Academic Achievement is based on:

1. Class Standing: Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision (such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration) based on completed courses.
2. Grade-Point Average (G.P.A.): Applicants must have a grade-point average of either a 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) as recorded on your official transcript or as computed based on 4 years of education, OR a 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (B or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum.
3. Honor Society Membership: Applicants may be considered eligible based on membership in one of the approved national scholastic honor societies listed by the Association of College Honor Societies (https://www.achsnatl.org).

OR Combination of Education and Experience A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements: divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours or equivalent by 18. Add the two percentages.

Time in Grade Requirement Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-05).

Specialized Experience for GS-09 One year of specialized experience which includes experience in substance abuse rehabilitation, assisting with creating bio-psychosocial assessments, addressing patient substance abuse and dependency issues, and maintaining appropriate patient documentation. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade level position in the federal service (GS-07).

OR Education Masters or equivalent graduate degree, or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree, in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as behavioral or social science or related disciplines appropriate to the position, such as psychology or counseling.

OR Combination of Education and Experience A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements: divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours or equivalent beyond the first year (total graduate semester hours minus 18) by 18. Add the two percentages.

Time in Grade Requirement Applicants who have held a General Schedule (GS) position within the last 52 weeks must have 52 weeks of Federal service at the next lower grade or equivalent (GS-07).

Education

• FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information visit https://sites.ed.gov/international-recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• One year trial/probationary period may be required.
• Direct Deposit of Pay is required.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives MAY be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Advanced Leave Accrual MAY be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs is not authorized based on a determination that a PCS move is not in the Government interest.

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 here: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hcen-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information

Expand/Hide additional information 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 window] Learn 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.

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, the responses you provide on the application questionnaire) and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Flexibility
• Influencing
• Negotiating
• Integrity
• Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• 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 the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

You may claim Military Spouse preference.

• Military Spouse Preference (MSP): MSP applicants will receive preference consideration and will be placed if selected at the highest grade for which they have applied and are determined best qualified, up to and including the full performance level.

You may claim Priority Placement Program (PPP) preference.

• DoD Priority Placement Program (PPP): PPP Applicants will receive preference consideration at the full-performance grade level only.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) If you are a Federal employee in the competitive service and your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority for this position. To receive selection priority, you must:

1. Meet ICTAP eligibility criteria.
2. Be rated well-qualified for the position.
3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your ICTAP eligibility. To be considered well-qualified and receive selection priority, applicants must satisfy all qualification requirements for the position and receive a score of 90 or above. Additional information about the program is on OPMs Career Transition Resources website.

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 window] Learn 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.

Required documentsRequired Documents The documents you are required to submit vary based on the authority you are using to apply (i.e., applying as a veteran, applying as a current permanent Federal employee, applying as a reinstatement, etc.). Please review the following links to see which documents you need to provide to prove your eligibility to apply: Applicant Checklist for Internal MP Announcements DoD.

As described above, your complete application includes your resume, your responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

1. Your resume Your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For each relevant work experience, make sure you include:

   • The employers name
   • Job title
   • Start and end dates (include month and year for qualifications purposes)
   • The number of hours worked per week
   • A brief description that shows you can perform the tasks at the required level listed in the job announcement. If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete and you may not receive consideration for this position. Use plain language. Avoid using acronyms and terms that are not easily understood. The hiring agency will not make assumptions about whats in your resume. If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered for this vacancy. For additional information to include formatting tips, see What to include in your resume.

2. Other supporting documents

   • Cover Letter (optional)
   • Most recent Performance Appraisal (if applicable)
   • Proof of Eligibility to Apply: Your application must include the documents which prove you are eligible to apply for the vacancy. The Proof of Eligibility document describes authorities commonly used in merit promotion recruitment and what documents are required to prove you meet the requirements of the authority. You must meet the requirements of at least one of the authorities listed in the Who May Apply section above to receive further consideration.
   • Time-in-grade documentation: If you are applying for a higher grade and your SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you meet the one-year time-in-grade requirement, so you will need to provide an SF-50 which clearly demonstrates you meet the time-in-grade requirements. Examples of appropriate SF-50s include Promotions, Within-grade, Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s with an effective date more than one year old.

This position has an individual occupational requirement and/or allows for substitution of education for experience. If you meet this requirement based on education, you MUST submit a copy of your transcript with your application package or you will be rated ineligible. See Transcripts and Licenses.

NOTE: Documents submitted as part of the application package (to include supplemental documents) may be shared beyond the Human Resources Office. Some supplemental documents, such as military orders and marriage certificates, may contain personal information for someone other than you. You may sanitize these documents to remove another persons personal information before you submit your application. You may be asked to provide an un-sanitized version of the documents if you are selected to confirm your eligibility.

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 Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

1. Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. As a reminder, your resume must be two pages or less and must support the specialized experience described in this announcement. Resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. For additional information, refer to the Required Documents section. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12916050
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM ET on 04/30/2026.

If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS, you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.

Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.

Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments, however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.

Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year in most cases from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources: https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hcen-us/sections/28980562523540-USA-Hire-Assessments

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click "Edit my application." This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this link: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application-status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Expand/Hide how to apply

Agency contact information Army Applicant Help Desk Website: https://portal.chra.army.mil/hr_public/id/app_inq Address: JT-DD83DZ PAC RIM DHN - SAN DIEGO DO NOT USE San Diego, CA 92134 US

Next steps If you provided an email address, you will receive an email message acknowledging receipt of your application. Your application package will be used to determine your eligibility, qualifications, and quality ranking for this position. If you are determined to be ineligible or not qualified, your application will receive no further consideration.

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

Expand/Hide next steps

Fair and transparent The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance:

• Criminal history inquiries
• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Financial suitability
• New employee probationary period
• Privacy Act
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Selective Service
• Signature and false statements
• Social security number request

Summary About the Position: This position is located at Naval Medical Center, Department of Behavioral Health, San Diego, California.

• This position requires Drug and Alcohol Counselor Certification (ADC I) or equivalent certification within six (6) months of entry on duty.

Overview

Open & closing dates 03/21/2026 to 04/30/2026

Salary $57,641 to $91,664 per year

Pay scale & grade GS 7 - 9

Location Many vacancies in the following location: Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA

Remote job No

Telework eligible No

Travel Required Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Relocation expenses reimbursed No

Appointment type Permanent

Work schedule Full-time

Service Competitive

Promotion potential 9

Job family Series 0101 Social Science

Supervisory status No

Security clearance Secret

Drug test Yes

Position sensitivity and risk Noncritical-Sensitive NCS

Moderate Risk

Trust determination process Credentialing

Suitability Fitness

Financial disclosure No

Bargaining unit status No

Announcement number HSJG-26-12916050-MP

Control number 861752300

Previous result | Next result

Your session is about to expire. Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.

Sign out | Stay signed in | Return to top

USAJOBS is a United States Office of Personnel Management website. [Opens in a new window] OPM on LinkedIn [Opens in a new window] OPM YouTube channel [Opens in a new window] EEO Policy Statement [Opens in a new window] Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement [Opens in a new window] Veterans Information [Opens in a new window] Legal and Regulatory Guidance [Opens in a new window] About USAJOBS [Opens in a new window] Accessibility [Opens in a new window] FOIA [Opens in a new window] Inspector general [Opens in a new window] No Fear Act Data [Opens in a new window] Privacy policy [Opens in a new window] Reports and publications [Opens in a new window] Terms and conditions [Opens in a new window] USA.gov [Opens in a new window] Vote.gov