This position is located in the Department of Veteran Affairs. The Veterans Service Representative (VSR) works as an employee in the Veterans Service Center (VSC) or Pension Management Center (PMC), or Benefits Eligibility Support Team (BEST) or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Program Division.

Duties

Hiring Organization: Veterans Service Center (VSC) or Pension Management Center (PMC) or Benefits Eligibility Support Team (BEST) or Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES) Program 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 (DEPP) systems to input data for processing claims and generating automated correspondence. Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday TELEWORK ELIGIBLE: Yes per Agency guidelines. This is not a Remote Work Position and This is not a Virtual position Position Description Title/PD#: Veterans Service Representative (VSR)/37300A, 37301A, 37233A This is a Bargaining Unit Position: YES Physical Requirements: The work normally involves mental rather than physical exertion. 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.

Requirements

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Bargaining Unit Position: Yes
• 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.
• All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

Qualifications

Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location. General Schedule locality pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. GS-07 grade level: one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); assisting with documentation that is used to help others determine basic eligibility for benefits or programs such as but not limited to: Disability, worker and unemployment insurance compensation, insurance, loans, education, or retirement programs. Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience for the GS-07 level. To qualify based on education you must have: One full year of graduate level education directly related to the position. (You must provide supporting transcripts). OR a bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the position and meet at least one of the requirements for superior academic achievement (SAA): 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 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 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. (Grade-point averages are to be rounded to one decimal place. For example, 2.95 will round to 3.0 and 2.94 will round to 2.9.) 3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society -- Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies. Membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. (Must provide supporting Transcripts.) OR have some specialized experience as described, but less than one year; and have less than one year of directly related graduate education. The percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must provide supporting transcripts.) GS-09: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-07 level in the Federal service that include: Interpreting laws, regulations, or procedures to analyze evidence to make with recommendations; and Following procedures to process eligibility claims for benefits such as but not limited to: disability, worker and unemployment insurance compensation, insurance, loans, education, or retirement programs. Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience for the GS-09 level. To qualify based on education you must have: A master's or equivalent graduate degree, or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.B. or J.D., and my education is directly related to the position (You must provide supporting transcripts). OR a combination of some specialized experience as described, but less than one year; and you have more than one year but less than two years of directly related graduate education. The computed percentage of the requirements and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond one year by 18. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must provide supporting transcripts.) GS-10: You must possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-09 level in the Federal service that include: Asking questions relating to military service or medical evidence to make determinations as to the eligibility for programs; Reviewing claims or cases to assure all laws have been laws addressed in the adjudication process; and Informing claimants of all evidence requirements needed to further process a claim for benefits and/or services. Education Substitution: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience for the GS-10 level. To qualify based on education you must have: 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 some specialized experience as described, but less than one year; and you have more than two years but less than two and a half years of directly related graduate education. The computed percentage of the requirements and the total is at least 100%. (To compute the percentage, divide your total months of qualifying experience by 12. Then divide your semester hours of graduate education beyond two years by 9. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. (You must provide supporting transcripts.) Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07, GS-09, or GS-10 level. Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-07, GS-09, or GS-10 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Education

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

Equivalent combinations of Specialized Experience and Graduate Education: Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-10. Graduate level education must demonstrate the competencies necessary to do the work of the position. 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.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that 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. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

Contacts

• Address Veterans Benefits Administration 1800 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 US
• Name: Mid-Atlantic Service Branch
• Email: [email protected]