Recreational therapists provide professional therapy to adult outpatients, predominantly active-duty military personnel, who are recovering from traumatic and complex injuries. This role involves evaluating patients, developing structured therapy plans, and facilitating community reintegration and aquatic therapy programs. A successful candidate will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team and support clinical education initiatives.
Responsibilities
Provide professional recreational therapy to adult outpatients who are predominantly active-duty military recovering from traumatic injuries, amputations, burns, and other complex injuries/conditions requiring advanced rehabilitation
Evaluate patients and provide structured recreational therapy plan of care and treatment sessions to achieve patient-centered goals
Utilize standard assessments and/or develop specific tools based on the population needs to establish appropriate therapeutic recreation goals and develop the patient's treatment plan
Evaluate patient progress on a recurring basis and provide written and oral reports of findings
Communicate findings to the multi-disciplinary team to ensure holistic care
Attend staff meetings, team treatment meetings, and other clinical conferences to facilitate coordinated multi-disciplinary care, address barriers to progress, and maximize therapeutic outcomes
Develop, plan, organize and implement the CFI Community Reintegration Program
Facilitate CFI aquatic therapy programming as both a recreational therapist and a lifeguard based on mission needs
Collaborate with leadership to coordinate and monitor therapeutic trips and outings
Support CFI clinical education programming by precepting clinical interns, providing ongoing orientation and in-services related to therapeutic recreation for colleagues, and facilitating collaboration with multi-disciplinary counterparts
Maintain condition and inventory control on an assigned portion of the section's supplies and equipment
Requirements
Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation
A Personnel Security Investigation is required
Selectees will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption
Immunization screening is required
Hepatitis B immunization is required for all positions with direct patient contact
Applicants may be required to show proof of other immunizations depending on the type of position
This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to pre-employment screening and random drug testing
Selectees will be required to consent to participation in random drug urinalysis testing
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A pre-placement medical examination is required
Moderate to heavy lifting up to 50 pounds may be required
Must be able to obtain and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association
Advanced certification (e.g., ALS) does not supersede BLS
This position may require the incumbent to work weekends and/or holidays
Must be able to obtain and maintain current Lifeguard certification through the American Red Cross
Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in therapeutic recreation, art therapy, drama therapy, dance therapy, or music therapy from an accrediting program recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained
OR Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in a related field involving therapeutic emphasis or concentration from an accrediting program recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained that included at least 36 semester hours in therapeutic courses, as described below:
18 semester hours of therapeutic recreation courses
18 semester hours that include a combination of abnormal psychology, physiology, human anatomy and development, disabilities and general recreation
Exemption: Current federal employees occupying a position in the 0638 occupational series and continuously employed in this occupational series since September 27, 2017 or before, are exempt from the basic requirements above
One year of specialized experience which includes planning, directing, or coordinating recreation-based treatment programs; and modifying treatment plans (typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-07))
OR 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%
Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration
Proof of U.S. Citizenship is required
This position requires a 1 year probationary period
Direct Deposit of Pay is required
Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees
Position is designated as Mission Essential; the incumbent will be required to report to work during times of contingency operations, natural disasters, extreme weather or other emergency situations
Benefits
Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates
Reimbursement of relocation expenses may be available in accordance with agency policy
Important Details
Schedule: Full-time
Travel: 25% or less
Appointment type: Permanent
Application deadline: 23 June 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Application Process
Complete the online questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 06/23/2026
Log into your USAJOBS account to apply; if you do not have an account, you will need to create one
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package
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, include the employer's name, job title, start and end dates (month and year), the number of hours worked per week, and a brief description that shows you can perform the tasks at the required level
Use plain language in your resume, avoiding acronyms and terms that are not easily understood
If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, it will not be used to make eligibility and qualification determinations
You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process
Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application
Your resume selected in USAJOBS will be included, but you must re-select other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application may be incomplete
Verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date
Required documents include your resume (two pages or less), responses to the online questionnaire, and documents which prove your eligibility to apply
Cover Letter is optional
Most recent Performance Appraisal, if applicable
If meeting requirements based on education, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application package
This position requires a job-related license or certification; you must submit a copy of your license or certification with your application package
About the Company
This position is located at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The organization is committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of the American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
