Psychologist (Police Officer Psychological Assessments)

Location: Durham VA Medical Center (VAMC), Building 1, Room A1011
Schedule: As needed (Pre-employment and Annual Assessments)
Client: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Police Service

Position Overview

The Psychologist is responsible for conducting pre-employment and annual psychological assessments of VA Police Service applicants and sworn officers. These evaluations determine an individual’s emotional and mental stability , overall fitness for duty, and suitability to carry a firearm in accordance with VA Handbook 0720 and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations.

The role requires sound clinical judgment, strict adherence to confidentiality requirements, and the ability to deliver timely, objective, and defensible assessments for use in federal personnel decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct pre-employment psychological evaluations for new VA Police Officer applicants to determine fitness for duty and firearm authorization.

• Perform annual psychological assessments for current VA Police Officers.

• Evaluate emotional stability, impulse control, judgment, and ability to manage stress, including situations involving physical altercations and interactions with mentally ill, irrational, or disturbed individuals.

• Identify any emotional or mental conditions that could pose a risk to the officer, coworkers, or the public .

• Determine and document whether the applicant/officer is qualified to carry a firearm and safely perform police duties.

• Complete all psychological assessments within three (3) consecutive days of assignment.

• Conduct all assessments on-site at Durham VAMC , ensuring convenience for officers.

• Submit completed assessment results to Employee Health within two (2) business days of completion.

• Maintain strict compliance with VA privacy and security requirements , accessing only the officer’s name and no other VA sensitive or protected information.

• Ensure all evaluations comply with OPM medical examination procedures used for federal employment decisions.

Confidentiality & Compliance Requirements

• Access limited to name only ; no access to CPRS, VistA, or other VA systems.

• No storage, generation, transmission, or retention of sensitive VA data (e.g., SSN, DOB).

• Contractor must not retain records beyond required reporting to Employee Health.

• Maintain full compliance with VA, OPM, and federal medical examination standards.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (PhD or PsyD) in Psychology from an accredited institution.

• Current, unrestricted license to practice psychology (U.S.).

• Experience conducting law enforcement or public safety psychological evaluations , preferably involving firearm fitness determinations.

• Strong knowledge of psychological assessment tools and fitness-for-duty evaluations.

• Ability to render clear, defensible clinical determinations under federal guidelines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience supporting federal law enforcement or VA Police Services .

• Familiarity with VA Handbook 0720 and OPM medical evaluation regulations .

• Experience performing high-volume assessments within strict turnaround timelines.