Physician – Opioid Treatment Program Medical Director

Department of Veterans Affairs

Chicago, Illinois Other $250,000 – $315,000 Closes Jun 24, 2026

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application.

Duties

  • The selectee for this position would be the team leader for a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals operating an opioid treatment program.
  • The medical director oversees all medical and behavioral health services offered by the multidisciplinary team and is responsible for ensuring that the program is in compliance with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.
  • The incumbent would be expected to teach and supervise trainees rotating on this service.
  • However, aside from trainee supervision, the incumbent would have no supervisory responsibility and would be supervised by the Chief, Addiction Programs Section.
  • The selected individual MUST be a physician who is board-certified or about to be board certified for Added Qualifications in Addiction Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) or Addiction Medicine by the American Board of Preventative Medicine (ABPM).
  • VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.
  • VHA Physician Total Rewards.
  • Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
  • Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

Requirements

  • U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
  • All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment.
  • Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
  • Effective May 7, 2025, driver’s licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Complete all application requirements detailed in the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.

For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated. NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate’s credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.

How You Will Be Evaluated

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary.

The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. 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; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. Veterans’ Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).

If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 “Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference” with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans’ Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets – Veterans – Job Seekers – Veterans’ Preference.

Required Documents

  • To apply for this position, you must submit a C.V. and/or resume.
  • Other documents may be requested later in the process if needed.
  • Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.
  • This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted ‘Resume’ document upload field.
  • Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the ‘Other’ document upload field.

About this role

The Physician – Opioid Treatment Program Medical Director position with the Department of Veterans Affairs is based in Chicago, Illinois. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. The role pays $250,000 to $315,000 per year.

Day to day, the work involves the selectee for this position would be the team leader for a multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals operating an opioid treatment program. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.

Who should apply

This role calls for United States citizenship and a valid driver's license. Be prepared for a pre-employment drug screening and physical or medical requirements as part of the hiring process. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this Physician – Opioid Treatment Program Medical Director position with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Chicago, Illinois, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.

How competitive it is

With pay reaching $250,000 to $315,000 per year, this is a senior professional position that will draw highly credentialed applicants. Because it is a supervisory or senior position, expect experienced candidates and a strong emphasis on a documented leadership and performance record. Based in Chicago, Illinois, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings. The announcement closes on June 24, 2026, and federal postings can close early once enough applications arrive, so applying promptly is wise.

This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.

Job Details

Department Department of Veterans Affairs
Job Type Other
Location Chicago, Illinois
Salary $250,000 – $315,000
Pay Period Per Year
Closing Date Jun 24, 2026
Posted Jun 10, 2026
Source ID CAZP-12982999-26-MS
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