This position is located in a Department of Veterans Affairs, VBA Togus Regional Office. The Veterans Service Representative (VSR) explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria, conducts interviews, identifies issues, gathers relevant evidence, adjudicates claims, and inputs data necessary to generate the award and notification letter to the veteran describing the decision and the reason for it.

Duties

MAJOR DUTIES: The Veterans Service Representative (VSR) explains benefit programs and entitlement criteria, analyzes claims material, identifies issues, gathers relevant evidence, conducts interviews to adjudicate claims and inputs data necessary to generate the award and notification letter to the veteran describing the decision. Specifically, the VSR will: Make determinations as to the eligibility for the type of benefit sought to include questions relating to adequacy of military service, medical evidence and the evaluation of evidence of income, employability, dependence and relationship. Request examinations, re-examination or opinions to evaluate disabilities resulting from diseases or injuries. Review claims cases to assure all issues have been addressed, applies and interprets VA laws, including veterans' case law, existing statutes and procedures, precedent rulings and state law in the adjudication process. May conduct interviews in person or by phone with veterans, representatives and advocates to explain the full range of VA benefits and related programs. Prepare and release correspondence for use by other federal, state and local agencies. Utilize various electronic data processing (EDP) systems to input data for processing claims and generating automated correspondence. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The grade progression for this position is GS-0996-07/09/10. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Available Virtual: This is not a Virtual position. Remote: This is not a Remote Position Position Description/PD#: Veterans Service Representative, 37300A,37301, 37233A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, Orders etc.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing
• If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement: ?04/15/2024. Specialized Experience GS-0996-07: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-5 level or higher. Specialized experience is defined as interpretation or application of laws, regulations, or procedures to analyze evidence to make determinations and research routine issues to resolve discrepancies. Examples of experience include, but are not limited to: Technical assignments related to claims or benefits processing or eligibility determinations. Quality assurance or auditor functions Compiling income and legal documentation to determine basic eligibility for benefits or programs. Claims processing for: A state or federal agency, Insurance company, Worker's Compensation, Disability Retirement or Pension Program. Human Resource positions which involved determining employment qualifications, job classification, or determining eligibility for benefits. Positions involved in assisting veterans with claims applications. B. One (1) full year of graduate-level education; related to the competencies required to perform in this position OR A bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) (https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/documents/jobs_quals_saa_3.doc); OR C. A combination of graduate education and experience as listed above. Specialized Experience GS9 grade level: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level or higher in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as experience which required interpretation of evidence (medical, benefit and/or legal documentation) to assist in preparation of legal cases, to determine eligibility of benefits/services or to assist in performing clinical research, clinical or physiological studies, evaluations, or medical treatment. Examples of experience include: Determining the eligibility for federal or state-administered benefits, such as: disability, education, housing, medical and/or veterans' benefits; Applying federal and state laws to process claims pertaining to a service, disability or benefit program; Gathering and requesting evidence to build service program case files, respond to claimant inquiries, and identify errors, inconsistencies or omissions; Explaining decisions to claimants, customers, special interest groups, dependents and/or representatives in an effort to gain understanding of determinations; Processing claims for eligibility for workers' compensation benefits to determine appropriateness and amount of worker's compensation claims; Performing, ordering and/or evaluating diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition, report symptoms or changes in patients' condition, maintain accurate detailed reports/charts. Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required to qualify at the GS-9 grade level. Master's or equivalent graduate degree; or Two (2) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Specialized Experience: GS-10: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that includes the following: Assisting claimants with applications for federal, state, or local benefits in areas such as but not limited to: burial benefits, education benefits, monetary benefits, welfare benefits, housing benefits and various other federal, state, or local programs; and Identifying errors, inconsistencies, or omissions in federal or state-administered benefits request package. OR, Two and a half years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. OR, a combination of specialized experience and education as described, when combined, equal 100% of the total requirement.

Education

Education may be substituted or included in determining your qualifications,

Official Transcripts must be submitted that demonstrate completion of:

One full year of graduate-level education,
or
A bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA).

SAA is based on a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 (transcripts are required)
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to be credited towards qualifications. Provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

All education claimed by applicants will be verified upon appointment. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript to receive credit.

Contacts

• Address Togus VA Medical/Regional Benefit Office Center 1 VA Center Augusta, ME 04330 US
• Name: Mary Chavez
• Phone: 515-323-7575
• Email: [email protected]